Leila Kramer, interim assistant director
of the Disability Support Services Office.
By Kristen Mitchell
The George Washington University community is remembering the life of Leila Kramer, interim assistant director of the Disability Support Services Office—a colleague, friend and mentor known for her kindness, generosity and sincere desire to assist students.
Ms. Kramer died unexpectedly Tuesday. She was 52. Her colleagues in Disability Support Services shared the news with students this week.
"Leila was a compassionate professional who saw the work of supporting GW students as a vocation. She was deeply committed to ensuring that students with disabilities had equal access to educational opportunities. She worked tirelessly to advocate for students and did so with a warmth that made her colleagues appreciate having her as a partner," said Alisa Major, interim director of DSS, and Caroline Laguerre-Brown, vice provost for diversity, equity and community engagement, in a written statement.
Students who worked closely with Ms. Kramer are encouraged to reach out to GW’s Counseling and Psychological Services Office (CAPS) and the GW CARE team for support. Students with an immediate concern that was being addressed by Ms. Kramer should contact the DSS office for further support.
Ms. Kramer came to GW in 2016 with 20 years of experience in the field of learning disabilities. She held an M.S.W. in clinical social work from Barry University and an M.A. in special education, with a learning disabilities concentration, from American University. She was also a certified life coach.
At DSS, Ms. Kramer specialized in working with students on organizational skills, time management and study strategies, and overall executive functioning. She provided workshops to DSS students each semester titled "Get Back on Track" and "Get Ready for Finals." She also worked closely with faculty to effectively support students registered with DSS and provided workshops and presentations for other GW departments.
Ms. Kramer fostered an accessible and caring environment that helped her reach students and support them in accessing support services available to them at GW. She was skilled at breaking down complex information with care. Ms. Kramer’s guidance and support has allowed many GW community members to thrive in their educational environments, her colleagues said.
Ms. Kramer’s colleagues also said when she came to GW in 2016, her presence at DSS made an immediate impact—bringing a freshness and exuberant energy to the office. She was excited about helping students and, overall, made the office a more pleasant place to work. Mr. Kramer will be remembered by her colleagues as a wonderful and irreplaceable friend.
Outside of her commitment to GW, Ms. Kramer enjoyed gardening, reading, visiting museums, travel, photography, playing golf, supporting the New York Yankees and cheering on the New Orleans Saints.
Those who knew Ms. Kramer are invited to share memories of her on a tribute wall started by her family.