Investigating crime, prosecuting corruption
As an assistant U.S. attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Katherine (Kate) Lewis focuses on white collar investigations with a heavy emphasis on prosecuting public corruption cases.
She began her career as a special assistant U.S. attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois. While there, she received awards from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for contributions to mail fraud prosecutions and for dedication to protecting consumers.
Lewis went on to work as a state court prosecutor then as a staff attorney for a legal aid organization, where she represented low-income clients in consumer protection and housing litigation. She later served as a judicial law clerk to three federal judges before returning to the Department of Justice. As a prosecutor, Lewis has tried jury and bench trials in state and federal courts and argued before both the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the United States.
Lewis credits Lincoln Land Community College with providing a foundation for her success.
She said her path into higher education wasn’t linear. “I needed time to figure out who I was, what I wanted and how to reconnect with learning in a way that felt meaningful to me. LLCC was the perfect place to restart academically in an accessible and supportive environment, and it ended up being exactly what I needed at that stage.”
Lewis said she loved her time at LLCC. “My two favorite classes were political philosophy taught by Chris McDonald and a class about the history of Vietnam taught by John Squibb. I loved every class I took with Professor McDonald and Professor Squibb. They challenged and encouraged me. Their classes were engaging and ultimately set me on a path to earning a B.A. in political science. My favorite activity was Model United Nations. The year I participated in it, we had a great group of people, and I have so many fun memories of preparing for the convention.”
“Kate is amazing — one of the brightest students I have ever had,” says Dr. McDonald. “She was insightful, challenging and clearly, from the start, destined for big things.”
From LLCC, Lewis transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to complete a bachelor’s degree and went to law school at Washington University.
"The foundation I developed at LLCC, and the mentorship I found in LLCC professors, made these transitions possible and set me up for long-term success. The role LLCC played in my own educational journey motivated me to come back and teach as an adjunct when the opportunity arose. The right teacher or right class at the right time can lay the groundwork for years of success.”
Lewis says she would wholeheartedly recommend LLCC to others. “Classes at LLCC can play an important role at any stage of life, whether someone is just out of high school and going straight into college or took some time away from learning. Also, it’s a welcoming environment for late-in-life learners and continuing education.”
She fondly remembers coming back to LLCC seven years ago to teach a course with her father.
“I had an amazing opportunity to design and teach a course about the history and evolution of civil rights in the U.S. from reconstruction through current times with my dad (Jim Lewis, former U.S. attorney for the Central District of Illinois). We had deep and thoughtful conversations each week with students ranging from their second semester of college through retirees, all of whom contributed unique perspectives and life experiences to our discussions. It was a truly special experience that I learned so much from and will treasure always.”