Eric Adams announces longtime aide Lewis-Martin as chief advisor

She was most recently Brooklyn deputy borough president

January 11, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Eric Adams. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Share this:

Mayor Eric Adams this week appointed Chaplain Ingrid Lewis-Martin — one of his top aides both when he served as Brooklyn borough president and beforehand, when he was a state senator — as chief advisor to the mayor.

In this role, she will be working in partnership with the first deputy mayor, the chief of staff and others to support operations at City Hall and advance the administration’s strategic policies and priorities. Chaplain Lewis-Martin most recently served as deputy Brooklyn borough president.

“We are building a team that knows how to ‘Get Stuff Done,’ and my chief advisor has a proven track record of getting stuff done for New Yorkers left behind by government for far too long,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “This is a 24/7/365 administration, working around the clock to make this city a safer and greater place to raise healthy children and families, and leading a robust and equitable revival that lifts up every one of us.”

Chaplain Lewis-Martin, who has both Barbadian and Panamanian heritage, was born and raised in Brooklyn. Prior to her role as deputy Brooklyn borough president, she served for more than five years as then-State Senator Adams’ senior advisor and for seven years as his chief of staff.

“It is an honor to serve this city and continue working in partnership with Mayor Adams, who has been a great champion for New Yorkers,” said Lewis-Martin. “We will get stuff done in a truly historic way, reaching out to every corner of our communities and delivering common-sense leadership that will unlock government’s full potential.”

Chaplain Ingrid Lewis-Martin, chief advisor to Mayor Eric Adams.
Photo courtesy of Brooklyn-USA

Chaplain Lewis-Martin’s political career started in 1983, first volunteering on the re-election campaign for the late U.S. Rep. Major R. Owens and later serving as deputy campaign manager.

After receiving her license from the New York City Board of Education, Lewis-Martin was hired as a middle school teacher in English and social studies at I.S. 320 Jackie Robinson, her alma mater. She taught at the school from 1984 to 1992, also serving as dean of students, graduation coordinator, and after-school teacher of modern and African dance.

Lewis-Martin was later hired by Medgar Evers College, first to work as an instructor in one of its programs geared at assisting women on welfare earn their high school diploma and college degree, and subsequently to be director of their Progressive Adolescent Vocational Exploration (PAVE) program, which allowed high school students to earn a maximum of 12 college credits within four years.

She also served as a part-time staffer for former Assemblymember Roger Green.