I am a teacher, politician, diplomat, wife of nearly 60 years, mother and grandmother. I am an author, public speaker and leadership consultant. I am especially interested in civility in public discourse and helping people to become stronger, better leaders in all phases of their lives.My experience as a former Republican Iowa State Senator serving from 1990 to 2003 gives me plenty to speak about. I was elected President of the Senate in 1997, becoming the first independently elected woman to fill the post. In 2003, I was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean; and confirmed by the United States Senate and served from 2004 to 2006.I have served on the Board of the Directors for the State Legislative Leaders Foundation and was the Chairman of the Board for the Senate President’s Forum. Also a member of the Reforming States Group of the Milbank Fund, a group dedicated to population-wide health improvement. Additionally, I have served as a member of the Board of the Des Moines Club, the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Central Iowa, the Polk County Child Care Resource Center, Brenton Bank, and Mercy Hospital. I am also a lifetime member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in Iowa and received the Society’s highest national award in June 1996. In August 2009, Kramer was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame.I have published 2 books:"More than a walk on the beach; Confessions of an unlikely ambassador""An Unlikely Ambassador and her Diplomatic Daughter" co-authored with Krista Kramer-Hartman