Robin has devoted her life to serving others, using her advocacy skills to enhance the lives of individuals in her community and beyond.
Robin has been a vocal and determined fighter for Illinois families, with a proven track record of delivering real results. The plague of gun violence, lack of economic opportunities and inadequate access to affordable healthcare motivated her to run for office. Instead of hearing politicians talk about problems, Robin wanted to focus on solutions that would uplift all communities, whether they’re urban, suburban, or rural.
Since coming to Congress, Robin has shone a spotlight on the issues affecting the Second District and secured resources for communities that have been neglected for too long. She has promoted job creation in the Second District, helping advance the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Build Back Better, and CHIPS Act job bills for working families and hosting annual job fairs that have helped employ thousands of our neighbors. She stood up to the gun lobby, authoring The Kelly Report on Gun Violence in America, and helped organize the Gun Violence Prevention Sit-In in Congress for stronger gun safety laws. Robin has worked across the aisle to pass common-sense health and consumer protection legislation into law while serving on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. Robin has brought back tens of millions of dollars in Community Project Funding and has secured thousands of books for local schools and libraries to promote literacy. Providing constituent services has been a cornerstone of her service, assisting Illinois families navigate the federal bureaucracy and recoup millions of federal dollars.
Robin began her career in public service as the Representative of Illinois’ 38th House District in the General Assembly (where she served from 2002-2007). In 2007, she became the first African American to serve as Chief of Staff to a constitutional officer in the state when she was selected to help lead the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office. There, she worked tirelessly to make Illinois a better place to live, work, and raise a family – promoting financial literacy, innovative small business strategies, and working to eradicate food shortage areas. Robin also served as the Chief Administrative Officer of Cook County, managing day-to-day operations and policy implementation for the county.
Robin previously served as Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, becoming the first woman and African American elected to that position. She is currently a member of the Democratic National Committee and serves on its executive board.
Robin received her B.A. in psychology and M.A. in counseling from Bradley University in Peoria and earned a Ph.D. in political science from Northern Illinois University. She is an active member of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.
Robin is the mother of two adult children, Kelly and Ryan, and grandmother of three grandsons.