Uncrowned Community Builders

laudia Lee is a native Buffalonian. She began her career in health as a Licensed Practical Nurse in 1964 after graduating from the former Fosdick Masten Vocational High School. Since then she has received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and Master's degree in health systems from the University at Buffalo.

Ms. Lee has a wide background in the health field and has served in many capacities. In addition to working in area hospitals and community health centers, she taught nursing at the E.J. Meyer Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and was instrumental in the development of the first minority recruitment program at the SUNY School of Nursing.

In 1983, she began her career as a Community Health Nurse Consultant at the New York State Department of Health. In 1987, she moved to Albany where she became Assistant Coordinator of the Family Planning Program for the Bureau of Reproductive Health. She joined the AIDS Institute in 1990 where she managed the HIV/AIDS Prison Program until 1993. At that time she became Bureau Director for the Bureau of Community Based Services. In 1996, she was appointed Director of the Local Health Services Unit and was responsible for the administration and management of more than $150 million in state aid to county health departments statewide. Her most recent position in Albany was as Acting Director of the Bureau of Child and Adolescent Health Services. Currently, she is the Assistant Regional Administrator for the New York State Department of Health, Western Regional Office located in Buffalo.

While in Albany, Ms. Lee was involved in numerous community and volunteer activities. She served on the United Way Allocations Committee, the Urban League Guild, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and the Albany Chapter of the Black Nurses Association and the Governor's Committee for the Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration. Since returning to Buffalo, she has become actively involved in her church and continues to serve on community boards and projects.

She is the recipient of the 1988 Black Achiever's Recognition Award, numerous New York State Department of Health Commissioner Recognition Awards, and the United Way of Albany Volunteer Award. More recently, Ms. Lee received a recognition award from a Buffalo-based CBO for her ten years of support and advocacy for HIV/AIDS Programs in the community.

She is the mother of one son and the proud grandmother of four grandchildren.