Carol A. Lee

Chair | Vancouver Chinatown Foundation

With long-standing family ties to the history and development of Chinatown, Carol is deeply committed to the revitalization of Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside. She is the co-founder and chair of Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, a registered charity which is dedicated to building a more resilient and inclusive community while preserving its irreplaceable cultural heritage. Ongoing projects include affordable housing, seniors housing, and cultural and economic development. Carol is the chair of UBC Properties Trust and the Honorary Patron of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society. Carol serves on several other boards and organizations including the BC Achievement Foundation, National Coalition Against Anti-Asian Racism, and Harvard Business School Canadian Advisory Board. In 2021, she was awarded the Order of British Columbia. In 2022, she was the recipient of the YWCA Icon Award and the VPD Jim and Vicky Chu Community Safety Leader Award. In 2023 she was appointed to the Order of Canada, and the Independent Advisory Board Supreme Court of Canada Judicial Appointments. Carol is also the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the University of British Columbia and an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from BCIT and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Since 2024, Carol Lee has been recognized with a series of prestigious honours, including the UBC Alumni Achievement Award for Alumni of Distinction and the Business in Vancouver Influential Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award. In August 2024, she was also awarded the King’s Coronation Medal. In 2025, Carol earned the top spot on Vancouver Magazine’s “Power 50” list, marking her tenth consecutive year on the list.