2024
Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame
Honoree

Susan C. Lee was appointed as Maryland’s 72nd Secretary of State on January 18, 2023 by Governor Wes Moore. She previously served over 20 years in the Maryland General Assembly, having been elected to the Senate in 2014 and to the House of Delegates in 2002 representing District 16. Lee, an attorney, is the first Asian American to serve as Maryland’s Secretary of State, first Asian American elected to the Senate, and first Chinese American elected to the General Assembly.  During her time in the General Assembly, Lee was a leader the cutting-edge issues of cyber security, innovation, identity theft, online fraud, consumer protection, pay equity, gun safety, and championed laws to fight domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, child abuse, senior abuse, and hate crimes. Lee also led efforts to promote bioscience, nanobiotechnology, telehealth, IT, and emerging technologies.  Lee was the lead senate sponsor of the Maryland Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, True Freedom Act, and Anti-Exploitation Act and laws to ban ghost guns, require background checks on long gun sales, and to empower women, children, families, and all hardworking individuals. 

Lee served as the Senate Majority Whip, Member of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, Member of the Senate Executive Nominations Committee, Legislative Policy Committee, Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Biotechnology, Governor’s Council on Family Violence, Workgroup to Study Safe Harbor Policy for Youth Victims of Human Trafficking, and Workgroup to Study Child Custody Proceedings Involving Child Abuse or Domestic Violence Allegations. She also served as the Co-Chair of the Maryland Cybersecurity Council Law & Policy Subcommittee, Co-Chair of the Maryland Commission on Cyber Security, Innovation and Excellence, Co-Chair of the Maryland Identity Theft Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Nanobiotechnology Task Force, and Member of the Council on Open Data, Maryland Student Privacy Council, State Advisory Board for Juvenile Services, State Advisory Board on Administrative Hearings, Task Force to Study Bicycle Safety on Maryland Highways, and Task Force to Study Recording Deeds for Victims of Domestic Violence. Lee was the first and past Chairman of the Maryland Legislative Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus and past President of the Women Legislators of Maryland (Women’s Legislative Caucus). She also was a Member of the National Conference of State Legislatures Task Force on Immigration and Task Force on Cybersecurity and Member of the Communications, Technology & Interstate Commerce Committee, Member of the Maryland Council for New Americans, and a Presidential Elector.

Lee is the daughter of a World War II veteran of the US Navy and retired Washington Post artist. She is a product of the Montgomery County public school system, having attended Leland Junior High School, Herbert Hoover Junior High, and Winston Churchill High School. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of San Francisco School of Law. Having served in both the public and private sectors, Lee was an attorney with the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and Of Counsel with Gebhardt & Associates. She was appointed to serve on the United States Patent and Trademark Advisory Board during the Clinton Administration.  Lee was a member of the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board, Jewish Foundation for Group Homes Board, Progressive Maryland, Co-Chair of the Montgomery County NAACP Multicultural Community Partnership, President of Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Greater Washington Area, and Board Member of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies.

Lee is an inductee of the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame and the Montgomery County Women’s History Archives. She is the recipient of the Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women’s Legislative Leadership Award; Women’s Law Center Dorothy Beatty Memorial Award; Maryland NOW’s Leadership Award; Bethesda Magazine’s Women Who Inspire Award; Baltimore Sun’s 25 Women to Watch Award; The Daily Record’s Maryland Top 100 Women; Equality Maryland’s Out for Justice Award; National Center for Children and Families’ Spirit Award for Humanitarian Leadership; Baltimore Child Abuse Center’s Outstanding Community Hero Award; Maryland Health Information Management Systems Award, Village of Friendship Heights Community Service Award; Progressive Maryland’s Progressive Leader Award; Charles E. Smith Communities Chairman’s Award for Commitment and Support of the Elderly Community; Mothers Against Drunk Driving Merit Award; Chinese American Citizens Alliance’s George Frisbie Hoar Award; Korean American Senior Citizens Association MD Outstanding Senior Citizens Advocate Award and many.

“As a former state Senator and House Delegate and now as Secretary of State, I have been honored to have worked with outstanding advocates and leaders of women’s, people of color, LGBTQ+, disability, faith, immigrant, civil rights, and other organizations to pass and implement landmark laws and policies that have helped uplift and empower women, children, families, and people of all backgrounds. We still must continue to work to protect and build on the significant strides made by those whose shoulders we stand on to ensure we are moving forward together to fulfil the promise of America and make this a better world for all.” – Maryland Secretary of State Susan C. Lee