Eun Jeong Lee, Ph.D

Eun Jeong Lee, Ph.D., is the founder and president of the Asian American Resources and Information Network (AARIN), a nonprofit organization that promotes community-based participatory research, develops research-based practices, and provides resources and information in Asian communities. In the past 25 years, Dr. Lee has accumulated extensive experience in serving older adults, women, the disabled, children, and victims of domestic violence through social services, program development, nonprofit management, and research. Prior to AARIN, she served as the Executive Director of the Korean American Scholarship Foundation which is the national nonprofit organization to serve college-aged Korean American descendants in need to support their academic and personal achievements. Previously, she served as National Director of the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging in Seattle, WA, and managed a federally funded employment program for low-income older adults in 7 states. In addition, Dr. Lee collaborated with academic institutes to conduct research studies about financial well-being, cancer prevention, elder mistreatment, caregiver, and heart health in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. One of her initiatives developed on evidence-based research, called “Healthy Eating Healthy Aging”, was recognized as innovative and awarded by the American Society on Aging (ASA) and Asian Pacific Islander Caucus for Public Health’s Community Organization Recognition Award (CORA). Her current research projects are mental health, anti-Asian and COVID-19 related studies among older Asian American adults and community-based organizations for their experiences and resilience during the post-pandemic.

Dr. Lee holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communication and an M.P.A. in social work policy from Hanyang University in Korea as well as a Ph.D. in social welfare from Yeshiva University in New York.