Deborah E. Kramer

Deborah E. Kramer is the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director, Center for Preparedness within the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

Her responsibilities include oversight and management of national programs designed to prepare the nation for 21st century health security threats. In her role as Director, Center for Preparedness, she leads public health and health care preparedness systems and activities with relevant federal, state, tribal, territorial, local and international communities under the National Response Framework.  She also provides oversight and guidance to the Medical Reserve Corps; the Critical Infrastructure Program; HHS Continuity of Operations; the Secretary’s Operations Center; security and intelligence; information management, data and analytics; and health care readiness programs.

Prior to joining ASPR, Ms. Kramer served as the Acting Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Support, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs. In that role she was the principal advisor to Under Secretary for Health, responsible for leading VHA’s health care environment and facilities programs, procurement and logistics, and health care technology management, in support of 1298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity. Before joining VA, Ms. Kramer was the Chief, Medical Systems Acquisition, at the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense, Department of Defense. In this role Ms. Kramer had oversight responsibility for the research development, acquisition, fielding and lifecycle support of biological, chemical and radiological medical countermeasures for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. 

Ms. Kramer is a former active-duty Army Medical Service Corps officer and served with the 85th Evacuation Hospital during the first Gulf War. She began her military career as an enlisted combat medic and operating room technician and earned her officers commission via Officers Candidate School while serving in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Ms. Kramer has several awards to her credit, including the Bronze Star and Army Commanders Awards for Civilian Service.  She was an Army medical logistician and Acquisition Corps member, federally certified in program management; information technology; acquisition logistics; and systems planning, research, development and engineering. 

Ms. Kramer is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute, holds a Master of Science in Biotechnology Management from University of Maryland Global Campus, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.