Meet Linda

Linda Lee currently represents District 23 in Eastern Queens, serving the neighborhoods of Bayside Hills, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks, Hollis, Hollis Hills, Holliswood, Little Neck, New Hyde Park, Oakland Gardens, and Queens Village. In 2021 Council Member Linda Lee became the first Korean-American woman ever elected to City Council and the first woman to hold the seat. Linda currently serves as the Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions, the Vice Co-Chair of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus, and the Co-Chair of the Queens Delegation in the New York City Council. In 2021, Linda Lee became the first Korean American ever elected to City Council, and the first woman to hold office in District 23. 

Throughout her first year in office, Linda has passed impactful legislation including a historic bill to track and report on the opioid settlement fund to give New York City the blueprint for combatting the ongoing overdose epidemic. Linda has been committed to addressing a large variety of constituent issues ranging from COVID-19 preparedness, street flooding mitigation, neighborhood safety, and mental health awareness and resource initiatives. She has also allocated significant capital funding for district schools, parks, and libraries to ensure a high quality of life here in Eastern Queens.

A native New Yorker, Linda Lee is a 13-year resident of Oakland Gardens. She previously served as an active member of Community Board 11, a Commissioner of the New York City Civic Engagement Commission, and a leader of a nonprofit organization. Linda is the mother of two young boys and the daughter of immigrant small business owners. 

Linda Lee’s lifelong commitment to serving others and fighting for equitable access to resources began in college when she was a camp counselor for children. But it wasn’t until she pursued her Master’s degree in Social Work that she realized the most effective way to ensure impactful policies make it across the finish line is to have a seat at the table where important decisions are made. Working in the social sector, she saw firsthand the large gaps between well-intended policies and the negative outcomes they can have on the most marginalized New Yorkers. She’s devoted over 20 years to closing these gaps through her nonprofit work and leadership. 

As the President and CEO of Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York (KCS), Linda led the creation of community-informed solutions to improving the daily quality of life for thousands of community members through programming in education, senior care, mental health, healthcare access, economic and workforce development, and immigration services. She developed dynamic partnerships with policymakers, coalitions, New York City band State government agencies, and neighboring community organizations to ensure the needs of her community were accurately and adequately addressed. 

In 2014, KCS was named a “Champion of Change” by the White House for its work in advancing healthcare access in the Korean community. And in 2015, KCS became the first and only New York State-licensed mental health clinic operated by a nonprofit serving the Korean American community. In recognition of her work at KCS, Council Member Linda Lee received the Schneps Communications’ “Stars Under 40” Award and New York Nonprofit Media’s “40 Under 40” Award.