Experience. Leadership. Results.

Rep. Kristin Robbins is a native of Crookston. Kristin’s dad owned what was then called the Stenshoel Funeral Home until her family moved to Upper Michigan, where her parents owned the Jacobson Funeral Home until they retired.

Kristin’s mom was an LPN at Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis and became a stay-at-home-mom when they moved to Crookston and Kristin’s sister was born.  As Kristin and her sister grew up, their mom took a much more active role in the funeral home.  The Jacobson family, like most family businesses or farms, all worked in the funeral home.  The girls helped with cleaning, setting up chairs and flowers, mowing the lawn, and answering phone calls.

Kristin attended Bethel University in St. Paul on a full scholarship, where she doubled-majored in Political Science and Economics.  After college, Kristin lived and worked in Washington, D.C. for three years, becoming the Legislative Director for a Congressman Harris Fawell (R-IL).  She also met her husband, Brent, a native of Portsmouth, NH, while working on Capitol Hill.

While working for Congressman Fawell, Kristin focused on taxes, trade, education and labor issues.  She also led the bi-partisan Congressional Porkbusters Coalition, co-chaired by Rep. Fawell and Rep. Tim Penny (MN), which cut millions of dollars of wasteful government spending from appropriations bills. 

Kristin received her M.A. in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis.  She and her husband then moved to Minnesota, where they have lived for the last 27 years.

Kristin and Brent have been married 31 years and have raised three daughters in the western metro.  She was a “soccer mom” and has spent countless evenings and weekends cheering on her girls in soccer, basketball, softball, gymnastics and trap shooting.  She has been an active school volunteer, coaching Destination Imagination and teaching Junior Achievement’s economic literacy program.  She also taught Sunday School, AWANA and VBS at her church.

Kristin has an extensive background in economics and public service.  She co-founded and served as the Executive Director of the Economic Club of Minnesota for 10 years.  The Economic Club is a non-profit focused on strengthening Minnesota’s economic competitiveness.

Prior to leading the Economic Club, Kristin was a stay-at-home mom, which she loved.  Before having children, Kristin was the Executive Director of a group that helped pass education tax credits in Minnesota.  The Wall Street Journal called this legislation “a model for the rest of the country.”  She also served on the State Commission to End Chronic Homelessness during the Pawlenty Administration.

Kristin was an active member of New Hope Church for more than 20 years and she served on the board of their HopeBridge food shelf for 10 years, where she and her family were regular volunteers.  Now empty-nesters, she and her husband Brent live in Maple Grove and attend Northwood Church.

At the Legislature:  Kristin is an Assistant Minority Leader, and she serves on three committees: Taxes, Higher Education and Rules.

She is also Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Civility Caucus, which works to build relationships and trust across parties and between the House and Senate so the Legislature can function more effectively on behalf of all Minnesotans.

Kristin is actively engaged in all of the communities she serves and prioritizes helping constituents navigate state government.