The daughter of a grocer, Robin Lynne Kelly was born in Harlem on April 30, 1956. Hoping to become a child psychologist, she attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority through the Zeta Phi Chapter. At Bradley, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in psychology (1977/1978) and her Master of Arts in counseling (1982). While in Peoria she directed a “crisis nursery” and worked in a hospital.

From 1992 through 2006 she served as a Director of Community Affairs in Matteson. She earned her Ph.D. in political science from Northern Illinois University (2004).

In 2002, Kelly decided to challenge a ten-year incumbent Illinois state representative in the Democratic primary. In November, she defeated Republican Kitty Watson 81%–19%

In 2004, she won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican Jack McInerney, 86%–14%. In 2006, she won re-election to a third term unopposed.

In January 2007, she resigned her house seat to become Chief of Staff to Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. She was the first African-American woman to serve as chief of staff to an elected constitutional statewide officeholder. Robin was appointed to become chief administrative officer for Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle in 2011.

In 2010, Kelly ran for Illinois Treasurer. In the Democratic primary, she defeated founding member and senior executive of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Justin Oberman, 58%–42%. She won most of the counties in the state, including Cook County with 59% of the vote.

On February 26, 2013, she won the Democratic primary in the heavily Democratic, black-majority district with 52% of the vote. In the April 9th general election, she defeated Republican community activist Paul McKinley and a variety of independent candidates with around 71% of the vote.

Kelly took office on April 9, 2013, and was sworn in on April 11, 2013.