Executive Director, Disability Resources | Interim Vice President, Student Life | Associate Professor of Practice, Educational Policy Studies and Practice | Member of the Graduate Faculty
Dr. Amanda Kraus is currently Assistant Vice President for Campus Life and Executive Director for Disability Resources at the University of Arizona. UA’s Disability Resource Center is one of the largest in the nation, and considered an international model of progressive service delivery, uniquely positioned to approach campus access systemically. Dr. Kraus is also Associate Professor of Practice in UArizona’s Center for the Study of Higher Education where she teaches courses on student services and reframing disability in higher education. She looks to disability studies to inform research and teaching that challenges deficit or tragedy rhetoric on disability and frame disability in the context of social justice, shaped by dynamics of power and privilege. Dr. Kraus is serves as President for the Association of Higher Education and Disability AHEAD) Board of Directors and previously chaired its committee on diversity and inclusion. Dr. Kraus’ personal and professional passion is to promote disability equity and meaningful inclusion. She has had the privilege of delivering keynote addresses and facilitating workshops at institutions and organizations such as Singapore Management University, Duke, Wake Forest, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, the National Collegiate Athletics Association NCAA) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities AAC&U) Dr. Kraus was recently invited to join a delegation convened by the US Department of State to engage in dialogue on disability access in education and employment in Beijing, China and again in Washington, D.C. Outside of work, Dr. Kraus is an avid wheelchair tennis player and served on the Board of the United States Tennis Association USTA) Southwest Section for many years to increase the visibility of wheelchair tennis. Currently, she serves on the Board of Visit Tucson to promote Tucson as an inclusive and welcoming center for hospitality and tourism for the disability community. Dr. Kraus earned her MA and Ph.D. at the University of Arizona in Higher Education.