Jessica Lee ’06

Jessica Lee
Jessica Lee ('06) was most recently Senior Manager and Chief Philanthropy Officer at The Asia Group, LLC, a strategy and capital advisory group to corporations and organizations with business interests in the trans-Pacific region.

Ms. Lee managed the day-to-day of company’s operations, business development, finances, human resources, and the hiring process during a time of significant expansion. She also provided consulting support to clients in the energy and environment sectors in Japan and Indonesia, drafting reports and strategy memos for clients in conjunction with the firm's team members throughout Asia. As Chief Philanthropy Officer, Ms. Lee developed the company’s charitable contributions throughout Asia, with a particular focus on programs that empower girls and identify young entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia.

From 2008 to 2014, Ms. Lee worked in the House of Representatives as a senior policy advisor specializing in international affairs. She served as Professional Staff Member to then Chairman Howard Berman from 2008 to 2011 on all legislative considerations related to the Asia-Pacific region referred to the full committee. She staffed the Chairman in meetings with heads of state, administration officials, and experts as well throughout the Chairman’s official visit to Beijing, Seoul and Hong Kong in August 2009. Ms. Lee prepared committee hearings, markups, floor speeches, and liaised with other committee staff on matters pertaining to appropriations and military affairs.

From 2011 to 2014 Ms. Lee was Senior Legislative Assistant at the office of Congressman Jim McDermott, serving as the subject matter expert on all issues related to authorization and appropriations bills related to foreign affairs, defense, trade agreements, and veterans’ issues for the senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Ms. Lee drafted more than a dozen stand-alone legislation and appropriation amendments as well as oversaw the implementation of public laws written by the Member, such as Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requiring technology companies to report to SEC products that contain minerals originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ms. Lee majored in Political Science at Wellesley College and participated in the Wellesley-in-Washington Summer Program in 2005. She received a master's degree in East Asian studies from Harvard University where she received the Joseph M. Fletcher Award for Excellence in Masters Thesis. She is fluent in Korean.