Studied art history, archaeology and theater and film studies at Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt/Main. She served as head of arts funding at the cultural department of the city of Ludwigshafen in which capacity she organized many cultural events. She wrote several publications for the Darmstadt monuments preservation office, among them a book about the history of the Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt and another about the area of the Bessunger Jagdhofes which today is home to the Jazzinstitut. Doris Schröder works for the Jazzinstitut since 1995. She is in charge of the visual archives and organizes regular exhibitions.