Fall 2024 Anti-Hate Series Session 2

Ableism Keynote
featuring renowned disability scholar and CMU alumnus, Dr. Amanda Kraus
November 13th | 5:00-6:15pm
Simmons A

The second anti-hate series session from the Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Chief Diversity Officer examines how ableism appears in daily interactions and through systemic barriers–from subtle biases to broader societal challenges. Dr. Amanda Kraus, of the University of Arizona, will examine the impact of ableism on individuals and communities to raise awareness and foster understanding. Participants will learn to recognize and challenge ableist attitudes and practices to foster inclusivity and accessibility. The session will also emphasize the importance of allyship and individual advocacy for the rights, dignity and inclusion of people with disabilities.

Originally from the suburbs of New York City, Dr. Amanda Kraus has lived in Tucson, AZ and worked at the University of Arizona (UA) for over twenty years. Dr.  Kraus currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Campus and Executive Director of UA’s Disability Resource Center. One the largest in the nation, the Disability Resource Center is an international model of progressive service delivery, uniquely positioned to approach campus access systemically.  Through strategic outreach, the goal is to design campus environments and experiences to be usable and welcoming for a diverse range of individuals, thereby reducing the need for individual accommodations or modifications.  Dr. Kraus is highly involved in collaborative efforts with University personnel to foster the development of a seamlessly accessible campus environment and infuse disability into the campus community.
As Associate Professor of Practice in the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the UA, Dr. Kraus coordinates the M.A. program and instructs courses on student services and disability in higher education.  Borrowing from disability studies, Dr. Kraus studies disability identity, disability dynamics in the student veteran community, and disability-related biases and microaggressions. Through her research and teaching, she challenges the dominant deficit or tragedy narrative on disability and promotes models and tools to increase access and equity and ultimately reframe concepts of difference in higher education.

Dr. Kraus is President of the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and previously chaired its standing committee for diversity. She has had the privilege of delivering keynote addresses and facilitating workshops at institutions such as Singapore Management University, Duke University, Wake Forest University, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and 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.

Dr. Kraus completed her B.A. at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA and earned her M.A. and Ph. D. in Higher Education from the University of Arizona (UA).