Prior to being CEO of NJ Labs, she worked in many scientific roles, including Pfizer, which Lee says was a turning point for her.
“I had such fortune dealing with different mentors, especially Dr.[Shouchin]Man—she was the one who taught me everything. And when I started working with her, I actually started to fall in love with the science. She was somebody who had been with Pfizer for a very long time, and I think as our group grew a little bit, there were not a lot of females in the company, the majority were male, and I had to watch her struggle through different areas in growth, and I learned so much from her. She taught me everything from people skills, to how to go for what you need, working with other people, complicated situations and watching her successfully work through the different difficulties and challenges of working in the corporate world was very inspiring. I think in general, this industry has been very difficult for women, and from women to women, we are supposed to be guiding each other, push each other up and help each other out,” said Lee.
Lee added that this guidance and mentorship isn’t just for work—it begins in the formative years. “I'm a mother of three kids, two of which are girls. And I believe I am a strong individual because of my own mother and I think it really starts at home,” said Lee. “I'm hoping that I can grow with my two girls and help them grow to be stronger individuals, not just as females, but to look at other people, like people, not the gender male or female, but to look at their talent and their ability.”
