KENNISHA FIRSTLEY Secretary

Kennisha was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and attended McDonogh #35 Senior High School. Kennisha began her college career at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a major in accounting.  While in college, Kennisha worked in the banking and the and accounting field.  In 2003, Kennisha obtained a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of New Orleans. In 2005, she obtained a master’s degree in accounting with a concentration in taxation and a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) in 2006. Shortly after completing her MBA, Kennisha started law school at Southern University Law Center and graduated in 2010 with honors ranking in the top 10 of her graduating class. She was a member of Southern University Law Review and was the site coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program at the law center.

During her tenure as site coordinator, she trained law students in preparing income taxes for low-income members of the community and launched three mobile tax sites to enlarge the law center’s community reach. Kennisha has worked as a federal tax agent and attorney-advisor with the Internal Revenue Service. She has also prosecuted cases as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in D.C. Superior Court.  In 2018, Kennisha graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. with a masters degree in tax laws.

Kennisha currently practices as an attorney and currently holds bar licenses in Louisiana and Maryland. She is a practicing tax, bankruptcy, and real estate attorney. She is also a licensed Maryland realtor, certified federal mediator, certified fraud examiner, and CPA candidate.  Kennisha is married and has four children. In her spare time, Kennisha enjoys doing community service and outreach, reading, and participating in pageant competitions.

Kennisha would like to expand her law practice and utilize her talents to assist underserved communities with economic development through financial education and providing pro bono legal and accounting services to assist individuals and minority small business owners.