In recognition of her remarkable professional accomplishments, we are pleased to award Karen Kuhn (A&S ’82) with the 2025 Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professional Achievement Award.
As the Associate Chief Counsel (Miami), Karen A. Kuhn leads the CBP legal offices in Atlanta, Tampa, New Orleans, and San Juan. The Miami Region delivers legal services to CBP employees in nine states and the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bahamas, and Bermuda.
Ms. Kuhn’s early career highlights include service as an Honors Attorney with the Department of the Treasury which included a stint as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (criminal division) in the Eastern District of Virginia. Upon joining the U.S. Customs Service (USCS), she served as a staff attorney in various locations including Los Angeles, Sterline, VA, and Atlanta. During these assignments, she also twice served as a Special Assistant U. S. Attorney for forfeiture cases, first in the Eastern District of Virginia and later in the Northen District of Georgia. She was promoted to Assistant Chief Counsel (Tampa) for USCS in 1999. In September 2022, she reported to Miami as the Deputy Associate Chief Counsel for USCS.
When the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in March 2003, Ms. Kuhn served as CBP Counsel Liaison to the transition team in Washington, DC at ICE. She has been a member of the Senior Executive Service since 2005.
Ms. Kuhn received two Commissioner’s Awards, one in 2007 for her work on the Deferred Inspection Pilot Program and the second in 2010 for her work during the Haiti Earthquake. In 2020, she was recognized for her work in International Trade by World Trade Center Miami.
Ms. Kuhn earned her JD from the National Law Center at the George Washington University as well as her MA in International Affairs. She holds a BA in Political Science and a Certificate in Russian and Eastern European Studies from the Dietrich School. Ms. Kuhn also graduated from the “Senior Managers in Government” Program, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.