University of North Carolina Athletics
Martina Ballen: On Being A Trailblazer — And Seeing The Possibilities
February 11, 2026 | General
"I'm Martina Ballen. And I am a Tar Heel."
It's how she introduces herself — plainly, confidently, without flourish. For Ballen, that identity has never needed explanation. Carolina has been home for most of her life, and the work she has done here has always felt less like a career and more like a responsibility.
"I have been at UNC for 38-and-a-half years," she says. "I was an undergraduate here, majored in business administration. I went on to get my MBA, and then I got a job with a bank."
The path back to Carolina didn't begin with ambition. It began with conversation.
"One of my former deans came in the bank and told me that athletics was creating this new position, director of finance," Ballen recalls. "And so, lo and behold, that's how I ended up in athletics at Carolina."
What followed was never static — and that, she says, is part of what kept her here.
"I love this place," Ballen says. "From my undergraduate days to where I am now, I've seen a lot of change in the industry. I've worked for three athletic directors. But when people say, 'You've been there for so long — how did you do that?'"
Her answer is simple.
"Yes, I've been here a long time. I've been managing, overseeing the money, finances for a long time," she says. "But it's definitely not been the same job. One thing about athletics — there's always change. And so that in itself kept me engaged and challenged and made the job very interesting, because it too changed."
That idea — growth through change — runs quietly through Ballen's reflections. She never frames her career in terms of milestones or moments. Instead, she talks about evolution. About learning. About adapting. About understanding what leadership requires in each season.
And about why visibility matters.
"You can't understand or realize what you might be able to do unless you see others in those roles," she says. "And so that's one of the things personally that I've tried to do — is really spread the word, especially among young women, about possibilities."
That belief would later shape one of her most meaningful contributions: helping establish the Tar Heel Trailblazers program.
"Several years ago, myself and other colleagues in the department went to (UNC Director of Athletics) Bubba (Cunningham) and wanted to talk about honoring our pioneers," Ballen says. "Particularly our pioneers of color — those who blazed trails for others to follow in athletics."
The goal wasn't recognition for recognition's sake. It was affirmation.
"Just to really highlight what they did while here and what they've continued to do," she explains. "It's been very heartwarming when you meet some of the Trailblazers. Just the excitement. It was just so special to see people come back here and really feel good about being acknowledged and celebrated for what they accomplished."
What mattered most was making sure those stories were seen — and felt.
"We wanted them to understand what you did is special and meant something," Ballen says. "Whether or not you realized it at the time."
That same perspective now applies to her.
In 2026, Ballen is being recognized as a Tar Heel Trailblazer — a moment that still catches her off guard.
"This is really — it still feels really weird — to be on the other side of this," she says. "Because I've been the one on the side of helping to select the Trailblazers, planning for that big weekend."
Her reaction is not pride, but reflection.
"I'm humbled," Ballen says. "Just knowing the group — those folks that have been acknowledged already — to be part of this very special class is just so moving."
She pauses when she talks about it. The weight of the honor isn't lost on her — but neither is the discomfort.
"When I started here, I never thought all these years later that I would have had the chance to do what I've done," she says. "And to be impactful in a way that helps others."
That, more than anything, is how Ballen measures success.
"So to be acknowledged for that," she continues, "I'm very thankful for that. But I still feel like — I'm not sure I need to be part of this class. But I certainly appreciate it."
It's a line that captures her perfectly.
Martina Ballen never sought to be a Trailblazer. She sought to do the work well. To stay curious. To hold herself to a standard. To make room for others to see what was possible — and to believe they belonged.
Now, as she reflects on a career defined less by titles and more by trust, Ballen understands what the recognition represents. Not a conclusion, but a confirmation.
That the work mattered.
That the example mattered.
That the quiet leadership endured.
And that sometimes, the most meaningful legacy is simply showing others the way — even when you never imagined the path would lead back to you.
