About Erwin Roberts
Erwin Roberts has worked hard his entire life to overcome adversity. An orphan at age eleven, he understood at an early age the importance of a good education and the value of community. He excelled in high school, where he graduated at the top of his class while achieving success athletically on the basketball court. 
After graduating from high school, Roberts attended Transylvania University on an academic, athletic, and financial aid scholarship. While at Transylvania, he was honored as the most valuable player of the men's basketball team and as male athlete of the year for his accomplishments on and off the basketball court. He received his undergraduate degree from Transylvania University majoring in history with an emphasis in education.
Roberts earned his law degree from the University Of Kentucky College Of Law and currently serves on the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. He began his professional career in public service as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in the Fayette County Commonwealth Attorney's office where he prosecuted state felony cases.
Roberts also served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky, where he prosecuted federal drug cases for two years. After September 11, 2001, he served as the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) (formerly the Anti-Terrorism Task Force) Coordinator and Chief Information Officer for the Western District of Kentucky. His main responsibility as the ATAC Coordinator was leading a collaborative anti-terrorism effort between federal, state, and local agencies with a focus on information sharing and homeland security training. During his service as ATAC Coordinator, its membership grew to over one hundred federal, state, and local agencies.
Serving as the first Director of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, Roberts built the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security and implemented a competitive grant process to ensure efficient use of millions of federal homeland security dollars. Former National Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge recognized Roberts' work as a model for the rest of the country.
Roberts served as Secretary of the Personnel Cabinet, where he administered a more than one billion dollar public employee health insurance program. Under his leadership, the health insurance program was efficiently managed maintaining employee benefit levels and low health insurance costs for employees.
Erwin currently serves his country in the United States Army Reserves Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG), where he provides legal assistance to his fellow soldiers and their families.
Erwin and his wife, Pheli, are proud parents of four children, Elijah, Emmeri, Cecelia, and JonCarver.
