Biography
Dr. Kramer began her teaching experience in the elementary classroom and for nearly 40 years has worked as an educator in one endeavor or another: as an elementary teacher; as a Director of Education and school liaison for an adolescent behavioral health hospital; a corporate trainer; and an independent consultant for K-12 schools and districts. Since 2000 she has worked at Carroll University as a faculty member, director of graduate programs in education and in 2021 was named the founding dean of the School of Education and Human Services.
Kramer is the Co-Principal Investigator of the “Carroll University Pro-STEM Initiative: Promoting STEM Retention through Self-Efficacy” Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) National Science Foundation $1 million grant. Through her research and scholarship, she works closely with educators and community members to create schools and systems that are equitable and inclusive.
She is a co-creator and developer of several programs including the Carroll University Inclusive Teacher Residency Program (ITRP). The ITRP program was designed with school district partners to provide yearlong practicum and student teaching opportunities to enhance educator preparation.
As the founding dean, she now focuses on programs that advance education and human services professionals. The Master of Science in Behavioral Health Psychology launched in Fall 2021 as the inaugural program in the human services department. The program was designed to meet the need for culturally compassionate behavioral health practitioners and reduce disparities in mental health care across society.
Carroll's Office of Continuous and Lifelong Learning also falls within the School of Education and Human Services. The Office of Continuous and Lifelong Learning embodies Carroll University's support of ongoing learning through innovative opportunities and sits at the intersection of the liberal arts and rapidly changing workforce needs. Credentials meet the growing demand for non-credit-bearing learning that supports people's growth and capacity-building in our complex, global, and pluralistic world. This work includes collaboration with S.A.F.E. Communities and the Chicago Neighborhood Initiative to design and deliver Best Practice in Transformational Community-Centered Public Safety, a program focused on improved community-police relations, providing approaches for strengthening public safety partnerships and strategies for building trust through the community-centered public safety model.
Her work has led to grant support, continued research, and conference presentations including: the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE), the Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE), the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).
Areas of Specialization
Teacher Education, Special Education, Equity and Inclusion
Honors and Awards
Norman and Louise Allhiser Award for Excellence in Teaching, Carroll College, Waukesha, Wisconsin, 2006