Originally from Boston, Lee moved to St. Paul in 2014 to pursue a degree in Geography and Urban studies at Macalester College. While there, she participated in the Urban Scholars Program with the City of Minneapolis and formed a deeper understanding of the role of government agencies in creating and preserving harm and inequities through the leveraging of political power and financial resources. Lee is passionate about supporting research that centers community knowledge and expertise to identify policies and practices that seek to remedy and reconcile this harm.
Upon graduating from Macalester in 2018, Lee pursued a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning at UCLA with a concentration in housing and community and economic development. Her capstone research analyzed the location and ownership characteristics of 1-4 unit rental properties in Minneapolis, and outlined program and policy recommendations for the City based on spatial analysis and qualitative interviews with local housing organizations and tenant organizers.
Lee’s prior work experience has focused on analyzing spatial and quantitative data to support affordable housing funding decisions, housing policy analysis, and program implementation and evaluation. She is passionate about using data visualization to communicate important trends to both technical and non-technical audiences, but understands the limitations of quantitative analysis and an over-reliance on data in decision making.
Outside of her professional life, Lee enjoys getting to know communities and geographies through their food, and loves learning about food origins and histories. After four years away, she is looking forward to becoming a regular again at her favorite restaurant: Ipho by Saigon in St. Paul.
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