Board of Visitors Biographies
Thomas Lee
Director, Minority Affairs Office
City of Wausau
(Wausau)
As Director of Wausau's Minority Affairs Office, Thomas Lee works to enhance minority access to education, employment, housing and health-care services and to improve the community's understanding of cultural diversity. He and his staff achieve these goals by building collaborations among minority communities, local government, schools and the private sectors.
Lee is the founder and Executive Producer of the "Weekly Hmong TV News," broadcast on the local NBC affiliate. He is the founder of the Hmong Leadership Initiative and past Executive Director for the Wisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Assistance Associations.
He serves as a chairperson for the Minority Interagency Resource Group, and has served on the boards of the Marathon County Library Association, American Red CrossMarathon County Chapter, The Women's Community Inc., the Samoset Council, Boy Scouts of America and Family Planning Health Services. Additional community activities include memberships in the Marathon County Planning Council, Northcentral Technical College Multi-Cultural Committee, Hmong Professional Networking Group, and the Juvenile Justice Community Collaboration Committee.
In 2002, Lee provided assistance to UW-Extension by facilitating the Marathon County Hmong Educational Needs Assessment Project's focus-group sessions.
Lee received his bachelor's degree from Lakeland College in Sheboygan. He is a licensed insurance agent and graduate of Life Underwriter Training Council. During his free time, he likes spending time with his family, traveling, playing music and practicing his golf game.