1957年,玛莎在参加谢尔比县的一次浸信会野营活动时结识了比利·路易斯·柯林斯(Billy Louis Collins)[2]:229。比利当时在乔治敦的乔治敦大学就读,距列克星敦约有21公里,两人开始一边约会,一边继续完成学业[2]:229。玛莎于1959年获得家政科理学学士学位[5]。这年早些时候她赢得了肯塔基赛马节的皇后头衔,因此曾短暂考虑以模特儿作为自己的职业[2]:229,不过最终改变了主意,毕业后不久就与比利成婚[2]:229。之后比利在路易斯维尔大學攻读牙医学位,而玛莎则在路易维尔的赛内卡高中和费尔代尔高中教书[2]:230。两人在路易维尔生活期间有了两个孩子,史蒂夫(Steve)和玛拉(Marla)[5]。
1975年,科林斯在初选中击败另外四位对手,赢得民主党的肯塔基州上诉法院书记员提名[3]。到了普选中,她以大幅优势击败共和党对手约瑟夫·E·兰伯特(Joseph E. Lambert),一共获得了38万2528票支持,比对方的23万3442票多了超过63个百分点[5]。在任期间,肯塔基州议会通过了一条肯塔基州宪法修正案,将州上诉法院更名为肯塔基州最高法院,柯林斯也因此成为上诉法院的最后一任和最高法院的首任书记员。作为书记员,她编发了介绍最高法院新作用的宣传册,并与州教育部门合作创建了一份在公立学校使用的教师手册,详细介绍了宪法修正案改变法院系统后所产生的影响。柯林斯因此入选商业和职业女性驻伍德福德县分部评选的1976年最有成就女性。1977年,州长朱利安·卡罗尔(Julian Carroll)任命她为友谊团的肯塔基州执行干事。[1]
柯林斯和州商务部长卡罗尔·奈斯利(Carroll Knicely)在与丰田达成的协议中承诺,州立法部门将会批准1.25亿美元的奖励[27],这其中包括3500万美元用于购买和改善650公顷丰田工厂用地,3300万美元用于职工的前期培训,1000万美元用于建设员工技能培养中心,还有4700万美元用于改善工地附近的公路[27]。这一系列的奖励项目于1986年立法会议期间获得了批准[24]。肯塔基州司法部长大卫·L·阿姆斯特朗(David L. Armstrong)一度表示自己担心这样的奖励有可能会与州宪法存在冲突,因为这相当于从国库拿钱送礼给私营企业,但最后他也认为州众议院在遵守宪法方面做出了基于善意的努力[29]。
考虑到阿姆斯特朗的担忧,行政部门聘请总法律顾问J·帕特里克·阿贝尔(J. Patrick Abell)提交了一份友善的测试案件,来判定这一奖项方案的合宪性[30]。就在案件待决期间,《列克星敦先驱领袖报》(Lexington Herald-Leader)报道称行政部门未能将预计成本所产生的利息纳入进行融资的债券中,该报同时还报道称实际成本出现超支,到1986年9月底,整个方案的总计耗资已经上涨到了3.54亿美元[31]。到了10月,丰田公司同意支付工地建设准备相关成本中超支的部分[32]。
1996年,柯林斯辞于圣凯瑟琳学院校长职务,开始执管肯塔基大学国际商务和管理中心[47]。同年下半年,她与他人共同主持1996年民主党全国大会的全权证书委员会[48]。1998年,她与肯塔基大学的合同到期,然后开始在乔治敦大学从事兼职教学,这样她也可以有更多的时间追求其它自己有兴趣的事务[49]。1999年,她获得任命成为日本驻列克星敦名誉总领事,其职责主要是促进日本在肯塔基州的利益,鼓励日本人到该州投资,并鼓励促进日本和肯塔基州文化上的相互理解[50]。2001年,肯塔基州州长保罗·E·巴顿(Paul E. Patton)任命她为妇女经济地区肯塔基专责小组的其中一位负责人[2]:235。2005年1月,她成为肯塔基世界贸易中心的董事长兼首席执行官[51]。此外,她还是包括伊士曼柯达公司在内多家企业的董事会成员[51]。
^ 7.07.17.2Ex-Governor Loses Board Post. The Kentucky Post. 1990-05-04: 8A.
^Osbourne, Diana Taylor. Brown Gives Endorsement to Stumbo. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1983-05-17: A1.
^Jester, Art. Harvey Sloane Concedes Loss in May Primary; Stops Short of Offering to Back Collins' Campaign for Governor. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1983-06-13: C1.
^Smith, Dane. Mondale Stays Neutral on Female Running Mate. The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1984-07-01: A1.
^Halsey, Ashley. Woman Ky. Governor is Off to a Rough Start. The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1984-02-19: A1.
^Osbourne, Diana Taylor. Collins Urges Tax Increase to Aid Schools. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1984-01-27: A1.
^Osbourne, Diana Taylor. Collins Says 'I've Got to Have' Proposals on Revenue, Education. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1984-02-25: A1.
^ 14.014.114.2York, Michael. Victory Gives Collins Spot in National Political Arena. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1983-11-10: A16.
^ 16.016.1Osbourne, Diana Taylor. Collins' Son to Head Convention Delegation. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1984-06-19: A1.
^Eichel, Larry. How Mondale Decided on Ferraro. The Miami Herald. 1984-07-14: 1A.
^Roser, Mary Ann. Collins Picks Self as Chief of Education; Governor's Surprise Decision Shows 'She Means Business,' Officials Say. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1985-01-12: A1.
^Roser, Mary Ann. Governor Urges Legislators to Back Plan; School Package Would Lead to Excellence, Collins Says. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1985-06-13: A1.
^Brammer, Jack. Session Call Includes More Than Expected; Collins Also Seeks Consideration of Prison, Children's Services. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1985-07-06: A1.
^Roser, Mary Ann. Education Reforms to Begin Gradually. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1985-07-21: A1.
^ 24.024.124.2Roser, Mary Ann; Jacqueline Duke and Jack Brammer. '86 Legislature Called Both Independent, Cautious. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1986-04-06: A1.引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
^Rugeley, Cindy; Kit Wagar. Rural Areas Killed Effort to Appoint School Chief. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1986-11-06: A1.引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
^ 26.026.1Collins' China Trip to be First for State. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1985-09-26: B6.
^ 27.027.127.2Truman, Cheryl. Toyota to Get $125 Million in Incentives, Collins Says. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1985-12-18: A1.
^Toyota Site Delegation is Given Real Bang-up Welcome by Collins. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1985-11-16: B2.
^Brammer, Jack. Collins Signs Final Accord With Toyota on Incentives. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1986-03-01: A1.
^Duke, Jacqueline. State Files Test Suit on Toyota. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1986-05-08: B2.
^Miller, John Winn; Alecia Swasy. The Wooing of Toyota: Kentucky Adds Up the Bill. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1986-09-28: A1.引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
^Swasy, Alicia. Toyota Promises to Help Pay Cost Overruns. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1986-10-14: A1.
^ 33.033.133.2Brammer, Jack; John Winn Miller. Toyota Incentives Legal, Court Rules; Justices Split 4–3 Over Package. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1987-06-12: A1.引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
^ 34.034.1Rugeley, Cindy; Jack Brammer. After Shaky Start, Collins Converted the Skeptics. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1987-12-06: A1.引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
^ 39.039.139.2Berman, Michelle. Out of the Mansion, Back in the Classroom; Collins Appears at Ease in New Role. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1988-02-16: A1.
^ 40.040.1Pack, Todd. Owensboro Native Picked to Lead WKU; Collins Takes Her Name Out of Consideration. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1988-08-06: A1.
^Fortune, Beverly. A Time to Reflect, A Time to Choose; Ex-Governor Collins Moves Into the Future Slowly, Deliberately. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1989-04-02: K1.
^Midway College Elects Trustees. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1989-06-07: 4.
^ 43.043.1Lucke, Jaime; Andy Mead. Collins Named College President; Ex-Governor Recruited by St. Catharine College. Lexington Herald-Leader. 1990-06-02: A1.引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
Marshall, Brenda DeVore; Molly A. Mayhead. Navigating boundaries: the rhetoric of women governors. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. 2000. ISBN 0-275-96778-6.引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
Smith, Frances. The little girl who grew up to be governor: stories from the life of Martha Layne Collins. Lexington, Kentucky: Denham Publishing Company. 1991. ISBN 0-9630135-0-5.