Martinez is enrolled as a member of the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. He is also Diegueno/lipay with ties to the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians in San Diego County. He graduated from the University of Arizona in the Business Management program at the Eller College of Management with a double minor in American Indian Studies and Government and Public Policy. He came to NNI as an intern in Fall 2013 where he was tasked with gaining a better understanding of the BIA Secretarial Election process.