Ingrid Lewis-Martin
Ingrid P. Lewis-Martin is an American chaplain and political advisor. She served as chief advisor to the Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, from January 2022 until December 2024. Sometimes called "The Lioness of City Hall", Lewis-Martin is a longtime ally of Adams.
Early life and education
Lewis-Martin was born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights neighborhoods, her father immigrated from Barbados and her mother was born in New York City but grew up in Panama. She graduated from John Jay High School and attended SUNY Old Westbury before transferring to John Jay College, studying criminal justice. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.Career
Lewis-Martin previously worked as a public school teacher and as an instructor at Medgar Evers College. She got her start in politics volunteering for U.S. Representative Major Owens, then served as his deputy campaign manager. She would go on to serve as chief of staff in the New York State Senate for Adams.In June 2025, the New York Daily News reported that Lewis-Martin was playing an active role in Adams' re-election campaign in the 2025 New York City mayoral election.
Chief Advisor to the Mayor
Lewis-Martin has served as chief advisor to Adams since 2022. Her starting salary was more than $250,000.In 2023, she was charged with a $1,000 fine for abusing her position to financially benefit an aide who owed her money.
Lewis-Martin abruptly resigned from the position on December 15, 2024.
Investigations and indictments
On September 27, 2024, in the midst of the investigations into the Eric Adams administration, federal investigators searched Lewis-Martin's home, then seized her phones and served her with a grand jury subpoena on arrival at JFK Airport. Lewis-Martin was returning from a vacation in Japan alongside Jesse Hamilton and Adam Clayton Powell IV. A search warrant published by the Manhattan District Attorney's office stated that they were investigating 5 charges, including: bribery, falsifying business records, offering a false instrument for filing, and money laundering.On December 15, 2024, Lewis-Martin announced her abrupt resignation reportedly due to a forthcoming indictment after prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney's office presented evidence of misconduct to a grand jury. Lewis-Martin's lawyer Arthur Aidala said the expected criminal charges related to alleged improper gifts, he characterized the case as politically motivated and she claimed she was being falsely accused.
On December 19, 2024, indictments against Lewis-Martin and her son were announced. She was indicted for a second time on August 21, 2025 on four separate counts.
In January 2026, prosecutors charged Lewis-Martin on some counts of accepting bribes of diamond earrings and more gifts from 2 developers in exchange for eliminating requirements to pass inspections before proceeding to construct the buildings.