Roberts has served as the David B. Pittaway Executive Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences since 2026. Prior to leading the College she served as Senior Vice Provost of Academic Affairs and Vice Provost for Graduate Studies at the KU Lawrence Campus starting in 2020. She also served as Chairperson for the KU Department of Geology, where she is a Professor. She arrived at KU in 2001 as an Assistant Professor after completing a National Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the Water Research Division of the USGS. She earned a PhD in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BS in Geology with honors from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.