Dr. Yun-hyang Lee is a strategic advisor and senior executive with over three decades of experience in global communications, brinksmanship diplomacy, and leadership decision-making at the highest levels. Her career spans the U.S. federal government, academia, international organizations, and private industry.
Dr. Lee is a former member of the U.S. Senior Executive Service, the corps of top career leaders responsible for the day-to-day management of federal agencies. As Director of the Office of Language Services, she oversaw the provision of interpreting and translating support in over 60 languages to the White House, State Department, cabinet members, and senior leaders of the U.S. federal government—requiring a 24x7, large-scale, mission-critical operation managing a global network of 1,000+ linguists.
A globally recognized diplomatic interpreter for Korean, Dr. Lee has supported U.S. Presidents, Secretaries of State, cabinet members, and senior leaders in some of the most sensitive international engagements, including the U.S.–DPRK summits between President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un of North Korea. These roles have required exceptional precision, discretion, and judgment in moments of significant geopolitical consequence.
Her advisory work spans both the public and private sectors across industries including government relations, energy, trade, defense, technology, and culture. She advises leaders on navigating high-stakes engagements involving complex geopolitical, institutional, and cross-cultural dynamics. Her expertise includes advocacy, business development, and strategy, as well as policy, program, and project management. She brings particular strength in translating policy into business reality and cross-cultural leadership experience, including international negotiations.
Dr. Yun-hyang Lee holds an M.A. from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea and a Ph.D. in Interpreting Studies from the University of Geneva, Switzerland.