Pajouablai Monica Lee

Born and raised in St. Paul, MN, Pajouablai Monica Lee is the proud daughter of her Hmong parents who came to this country as refugees from Laos. Guided by the values instilled in her by her parents, Monica’s personal and professional career has centered on the advancement of refugees, women, and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities.

Monica served as the most recent Fund Development and Strategic Initiatives Consultant with Everyday Impact Consulting (EIC) where she secured multiple grants for her clients who serve BIPOC communities throughout central and northern California. Prior to EIC, she served as the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Outreach for the White House Initiative on AA and NHPIs where she organized key stakeholders and partners to advance equity and opportunity for AA and NHPIs across the country. Prior to that, Monica spent a year of grantmaking at Made to Save (Civic Nation) where she oversaw a portfolio of grantees focused on increasing COVID-19 vaccinations among BIPOC communities, particularly Indigenous communities. Previously, Monica also managed and implemented several national programs at OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates which focused on the leadership development of AAPI professionals and youth. She is also a co-founder of the Not Your Average Mai podcast which was founded to empower the voices of Hmong American women and elevate progressive issues relevant to the Southeast Asian American community.

Monica holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She currently resides in Berkeley with her husband and two sweet doggos, Layla and Rori.