Kathleen Straus received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Hunter College, New York, in 1944 and pursued graduate studies at Columbia, American and New York Universities. She began her career as an economist for the United States Treasury Department in Washington DC, and with the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. Mrs. Straus came to Detroit in the 1960s and served as Executive Director for Keep Improving Detroit Schools (KIDS) in 1966. She worked in the administration of Detroit Mayor Jerome P. Cavanagh and for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. A member of many organizations, Mrs. Straus is a former president of the League of Women Voters of Detroit and the American Jewish Committee, Detroit Chapter. From the latter organization, she received the Distinguished Community Service Award in 1988, "for her outstanding devotion to the advancement of the quality of life for all people, and for her professional and civic contributions". Mrs. Straus retired as president of the Center for Creative Studies in 1991 to devote her time to running for political office. She was first elected to the State Board of Education in November 1992, and was re-elected in November 2000.
From the description of Kathleen N. Straus papers, 1968-2001 (Detroit Public Library). WorldCat record id: 555963478
