Secretary of Revenue to address Southeastern commencement
Thursday, November 30, 2017 
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – Louisiana Secretary of Revenue Kimberly Lewis Robinson will address
Southeastern Louisiana University graduating students at commencement ceremonies on
Saturday, Dec. 9.
Robinson served on Governor John Bel Edwards’ transition team and was appointed
to serve his administration in the key role of Secretary of Revenue in 2015. She will
speak at the event scheduled for 10 a.m. at the University Center, where the university
will confer nearly 1,100 degrees on students who are graduating with bachelor’s, master’s
and doctoral degrees.
“I have had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Robinson on several occasions and have
been extremely impressed with her extensive technical knowledge and professional demeanor.
We strive to expose our new graduates to exemplary role models through our commencement
speakers,” said Southeastern President John L. Crain. “Her words of wisdom will be
invaluable to the graduates of the class of 2017.”
Before her appointment as Secretary of Revenue, Robinson was a partner in the
Taxes & Estates Practice Group at Jones Walker, LLP, focusing primarily on state and
local tax matters, economic development financing, incentives and government relations.
Prior to joining Jones Walker, Robinson served as special counsel for the Office
of the Governor of the State of Louisiana, where she provided legal counsel to Gov.
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and served as Senior Policy Advisor on Revenue, Economic
Development and Insurance Policy. She also worked for six years at the Louisiana Department
of Revenue, serving as assistant secretary for the Office of Legal Affairs and confidential
assistant to the secretary. From 1998-2000, she served as judicial clerk to the Honorable
Justice Bernette J. Johnson of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Robinson currently serves as a board member on the Federation of Tax Administrators
Board of Trustees. She was the 2016-17 President of the Southeastern Association of
Tax Administrators and is a highly sought-after speaker on matters involving income,
franchise, sales/use, severance, ad valorem property, and other tax issues.
Additionally, Robinson serves on the Board of Directors of the Foundation for
Woman’s Hospital and the BREC Foundation. She is a member of the LSU Law Alumni Board
of Trustees, LSU John P. Laborde Energy Law Center, the Chancellor’s Council, and
is a past member of the Law Center’s Young Alumni Leadership Council.
She was listed in The Best Lawyers of America 2015 in the area of tax law and
the 2014 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of tax. Robinson has chaired
the Section of Taxation for the Louisiana State Bar Association. In 2015, she received
the Distinguished Achievement award from LSU Law Center, and the “Diversity Journal”
recognized her as one of the “Women Worth Watching.” In 2016, the LSU E.J. Ourso College
of Business and Public Administration Institute Student Association honored Robinson
as the 2016 Distinguished MPA Alumnus.
