Thomas P. Holland Distinguished Professor, School of Social Work Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations, School of Social Work Dr. Hee Yun Lee is the Thomas P. Holland Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations at the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Her scholarship centers on digital and behavioral health innovations aimed at promoting health equity for underserved populations. Over the past two decades, she has led and collaborated on interdisciplinary teams that design, test, and implement technology-enhanced interventions—including AI-enabled and mobile tools—addressing cancer prevention, mental health, dementia caregiving, substance use, and health literacy. Her work bridges research and practice, emphasizing community-engaged, translational approaches that move evidence-based solutions into real-world settings. Dr. Lee’s research has been supported by major federal agencies such as the NIH, NSF, HRSA, CDC, SAMHSA, and the U.S. Department of Education. She has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and has been recognized among the top 2% of most-cited scientists worldwide in Public Health. Her teaching and mentorship emphasize grant writing, digital health applications in social work, and community-engaged research. Dr. Lee continues to foster cross-sector partnerships that connect social work, medicine, and public health to develop scalable, culturally responsive digital innovations that advance population health and equity. Education: Ph.D. University of California at Los Angeles, 2006 Department of Social Welfare, School of Public Affairs M.S.W. University of California at Los Angeles, 1999 Department of Social Welfare, School of Public Affairs M.S.G. University of Southern California, 1997 Leonard Davis School of Gerontology M.A. Seoul National University, 1994 Master of Home Economics, College of Agriculture and Life Science B.A. Seoul National University, 1988 Bachelor of Home Economics, College of Agriculture and Life Science Research Research Interests: Digital Health and Behavioral Health Innovation AI-enabled and Mobile Health Interventions Health Equity and Community-engaged Research Cancer Prevention and Screening Mental Health, Dementia Caregiving, and Substance Use Translational Research and Technology-enhanced Interventions
