Ganesha Martin, Esq. is a police reform expert that recently joined Mark43, the leading cloud-native public safety software company, as Vice President of Public Policy and Community Affairs. In her role, Martin focuses on Mark43’s ongoing commitment to innovation in technology designed to empower police to better serve their communities through accountability, transparency and trust-building. Prior to this role, she served in several positions in Baltimore City government. Most recently, she was the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ). She has overseen collaborative criminal justice efforts that included the Baltimore Police Department, Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office, Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention, Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office, the judiciary and several community groups.
Martin is a lawyer who led the federal court-ordered Consent Decree reform efforts at the Baltimore Police Department from 2015-2018. As Chief of the Department of Justice Compliance, Accountability & External Affairs Division, Martin collaborated with DOJ Civil Rights Division attorneys during a patterns or practice investigation that ultimately led to a Consent Decree. Martin played an integral role on a negotiation team that introduced structural reforms to the Baltimore Police Department in the areas of crisis intervention, relationships with youth, interactions with persons suffering from mental illness, use of force, de-escalation, body-worn cameras, mobile data computer technology, hiring & recruitment, community engagement and officer wellness & early intervention. A pioneer in public-private partnerships that have introduced organizational opportunities for inclusion and equity, Martin is an ambassador who seeks nontraditional relationships to better serve all public safety stakeholders. She has led police reform efforts around the country and currently leads the impact campaign for the documentary Charm City, which uses film to create a space for community and police to discuss how to co-create public safety and reform.
A highly sought-after expert on police reform, Martin regularly speaks on DOJ Consent Decrees, police reform and accountability, and public safety. She’s a member of the Council on Criminal Justice, an invite-only, nonpartisan organization and think tank for leaders in the criminal justice field. She was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the National Criminal Justice Association. In 2019, she was one of 40 community policing experts invited to Nairobi, Kenya to share community policing strategies during the Convening on Civilian Police Reform by Open Societies Foundation. She was also awarded their Securing Open Societies Fellowship in 2019. Martin’s expert commentary has been featured in The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, USA Today and the Washington Post among others.
Never one to be intimidated by what others see as impossible, Martin is using her talent to move the needle on some of society’s most challenging social problems. Her ability to translate both sides of an issue, quickly overcome distrust, and move things forward helps her get things done. Her commitment to use communication as a bridge to unite opposing groups, diffuse conflict, and foster real human connection make her an invaluable asset to anyone seeking to bridge an insurmountable divide. But her fundamental belief in the universal human potential for rehabilitation and understanding pushes her towards her biggest goal to create practical pathways to progress for police and community.
A co-founder of Educated Exposure Foundation, a board member of Year Up Baltimore, Teach for American, Outward Bound, Baltimore Community Mediation Center, and Overcoming Poverty Together, Martin’s philanthropic endeavors reflect her commitment to advance social justice issues that directly impact the quality of life for historically underserved communities. A Leadership Maryland and Greater Baltimore Committee’s LEADERship program alumnus, Martin has been recognized in recent years by The Baltimore Sun in its Top 25 Women to Watch, The Daily Record in its Top 100 Women and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in its Top 40 Under 40 list.
