Washington: Curtis Martin, the founder and long-serving leader of the Catholic campus ministry Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), has announced that he is stepping down from his role as chief executive officer after nearly 30 years at the helm. While relinquishing day-to-day management responsibilities, Martin will remain actively involved in the organization in an expanded public-facing role as Founder and as a member of its board.
In a letter dated December 12, Martin reflected on the extraordinary growth of FOCUS since its founding in 1997. What began as a small evangelization effort has grown into a global ministry with more than 1,000 missionaries serving across over 250 campuses and locations. In 2025 alone, FOCUS reached close to 60,000 students and parishioners, underscoring its significant presence in Catholic evangelization and discipleship.
Martin also highlighted the organizations’ missionary outreach beyond university campuses. Since 2008, FOCUS missionaries have led more than 1,200 mission trips, involved over 20,000 participants and spanning more than 50 countries. These initiatives, he noted, reflect the organizations’ commitment to forming missionary disciples and responding to the call of the Church’s global mission.
Explaining his decision, Martin said the increasing demands of his multiple leadership roles, combined with years of prayerful discernment alongside the board of directors, led him to conclude that a transition was in the best interest of the ministry. “My desire is to do what is best for the institution I love so dearly,” he wrote, emphasizing that his new role will allow him to continue contributing while enabling fresh leadership to guide the organization’s next phase.
To ensure continuity, longtime board member Tim Thoman has been appointed interim CEO as FOCUS begins the search for a permanent chief executive. Martin expressed deep gratitude for Thoman’s willingness to lead during the transition, describing himself as “extraordinarily blessed” by his acceptance of the role.
Calling his years at FOCUS “one of the deepest privileges of my life,” Martin encouraged the organization to remain faithful to its mission. He urged staff and missionaries to “be who we are meant to be, so that through us, God can set the world on fire,” reaffirming the spiritual foundation that has defined FOCUS from its inception.
In a video message accompanying the announcement, Thoman praised the culture of the organization, describing FOCUS as characterised by perseverance, professionalism, and above all, a deep love for Jesus Christ. He said working alongside people driven by authentic faith and a desire to fulfil the Great Commission was both inspiring and rare, adding that he could not imagine a more meaningful cause.
Curtis Martin and his wife, Michaelann, were honoured last year with EWTN’s 2024 Mother Angelica Award, recognizing their passion for the new evangelization and their impact on countless lives through FOCUS. EWTN Chairman and CEO Michael Warsaw cited their enduring commitment to evangelization as transformative for generations of young people. Michaelann Martin described the award as a humbling honour, expressing gratitude to Mother Angelica for her example of faith and courage and to EWTN for continuing her evangelizing mission.
She stressed that the recognition ultimately belongs to the missionaries and students whose lives have been shaped by the Gospel. “This is not about us,” she said, “but about the countless missionaries who have given their lives to this work and the students whose lives are being transformed by Christ.”
With Martin stepping into a new role and leadership transitioning, FOCUS enters a new chapter one built on nearly three decades of growth, evangelization, and a renewed commitment to forming missionary disciples for the Church and the world.