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Vice President for Neighborhood and Strategic Initiatives, University of Houston, Dr. Lee grew up in Houston’s Third Ward attending public schools including Yates high school. His last two high school years were at Phillips Academy in Massachusetts, after which he attended Yale College graduating magna cum laude. Following Yale Law school graduation, Lee joined WilmerHale, a large firm in Washington, D.C. Returning to Houston, he taught employment, personal injury, administrative and ethics law on his way to becoming the first tenured African-American law professor at UH Law Center.

Subsequently, Lee has served in several administrative positions: interim director of the African American Studies program; twenty years as Vice President for Student Affairs responsible for a comprehensive array of student and enrollment services; and his current vice presidential role, Executive Leader of the UH Third Ward Initiative, that collaborates with neighborhood stakeholders to address disparities in education, health, economic empowerment and art exposure. For two decades he worked with Change Happens in many ways including helping draft the application for the $750 thousand Wells Fargo grant won by Change Happens. He is active in several other Third Ward organizations such as the Super Neighborhood 67, Third Ward Complete Communities, EEDC, SHAPE Community Center, and Project Row Houses.

Edidiong Obot is a proud first generation Nigerian–American with strong cultural ties that impact her community and influences cultural awareness. Her enthusiasm to link communities with equitable resources while spreading cultural awareness, she is constantly connecting the dots in communities through advocacy, social impact, and engagement. Edidiong has served in various leadership roles impacting the presence of minorities in advocacy, cultural, arts, and S.T.E.M. arts spaces ranging from the Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals to the City of Sugar Land Cultural Arts Division. She is recognized as a global mentor and international speaker working with programs like the Global Mentorship Initiative and speaking at South Africa’s Dreams Academy Leadership Summit. Edidiong was recently recognized in the 2021 African-American Marketing Association’s 50+ Black Market on the Rise in Influencers and Media Innovators Category. Edidiong is an alumna of Texas Southern University where she obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry and a Master’s of Science in Environmental Toxicology. She currently serves as a Public Servant for Harris County Precinct One in Houston, TX as a Community Engagement Coordinator where she utilizes her training and experience to organize around various community issues centered on equity in underserved and marginalized communities.