I am an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at South Puget Sound Community College. I earned my Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania, along with graduate certificates in Africana Studies, Public Philosophy, and Teaching and Learning. I hold an M.A. in Philosophy and a B.A. in Legal Studies and Philosophy from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

My research focuses on normative and applied ethics and the philosophy of race, with particular attention to questions of racial identity, justice, and institutional decision-making. I developed a Virtue-Based Account of Racial Identity (V-BARI), an ethical framework designed to guide how contested identity claims ought to be evaluated when they carry social, legal, or material consequences. This work examines the interaction between self-identification, ancestry, and forms of social membership, and explores how virtue-based reasoning can inform decision-making across domains including environmental justice, medical ethics, and algorithmic classification.

At South Puget Sound, I teach Introduction to Philosophy, Ethics, and Business Ethics. My teaching is shaped by a commitment to access, active learning, and mentorship, particularly for first-generation, transfer, and non-traditional students. I also advise the Philosophy Club, supporting student-led discussions, events, and public-facing philosophical engagement on campus.

I am deeply committed to public philosophy and regularly develop and teach philosophy curricula outside traditional academic settings, including in jails and prisons. My broader interests include philosophy of education, community-based learning, and exploring how philosophy can be practiced meaningfully beyond the university.

As of June 2023, I am known as Asil M. Martinez, previously recognized as Lisa M. Martinez. I use they/them pronouns.