Karen Lee is an award‑winning leader in the disability services field, recognized nationally and locally for her innovation, advocacy, and transformational leadership. She has been honored with distinctions including the Daily Record’s “Most Admired CEO”, the Maryland AAMR Leadership Award, TASH’s Marc Gold Honoree and the Women Making History Award from the Montgomery County Commission for Women.
Under her leadership, SEEC has become a model for person‑centered, community‑based supports, pioneering Maryland’s Employment First practices and leading statewide initiatives that shape inclusive employment, direct support workforce excellence, and community integration. Karen’s influence extends nationally through her APSE Public Policy Advocate recognition and her service as a Subject Matter Expert to the U.S. Department of Labor.
She has guided SEEC through major milestones, including closing all facility‑based programs to become fully community‑based, launching innovative programs like Neighborhood Walks and the Moving Out Program, and earning national honors such as Top Workplaces USA. Karen’s vision continues to elevate SEEC as a leader in advancing equity, belonging, and meaningful lives for people with disabilities.
Karen holds a Master of Education degree in Special Education, Transition, and Secondary Education from the University of Maryland. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland where she and her husband raised their three boys.