Martha Dunagin Saunders is an American professor and academic official. A native of Mississippi, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of Southern Mississippi; her Master of Arts in journalism from the University of Georgia; and her Doctor of Philosophy in communication theory and research from Florida State University. Saunders has served as the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the ninth president of the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) where she replaced embattled president Shelby F. Thames. She is currently serving as president of the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida.