Lee Vue

Digital marketing / communications / photography / youth leadership

Lee Vue is a Hmong American photographer, creative consultant, and storyteller whose work flows from her lifelong relationship with rivers and the communities that shaped her. Born in Fresno, California, she grew up roaming farmlands while her parents worked alongside undocumented families in the fields. Those early experiences instilled in her a deep sense of resilience, interdependence, and care for both people and place.

Despite not knowing how to swim, Lee has paddled thousands of miles: from 50 days on the Kazan and Kunwak Rivers in the Canadian tundra, to 200 miles on the Illinois River, to thru-paddling the entire Mississippi River. In 2016, her team won first place in the Women’s Voyageur Division of the Yukon River Quest, racing 444 miles in just 53 hours. For her, water is both teacher and archive—holding memory, healing, and possibility.

Her artistry and consulting work are inseparable from her passion for climate and racial justice. She collaborates with environmental groups to teach BIPOC communities how to paddle, expanding access to wild spaces that have often excluded them. Whether behind the camera, in the canoe, or in the community, Lee seeks to illuminate resilience, honor memory, and expand the stories of belonging. She currently serves on the boards of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Camp Menogyn, the Ann Bancroft Foundation, and BMPP Giving Circle.

QUALIFICATIONS

Lee Vue is a nonprofit leader with extensive experience in strategic planning, facilitation, and organizational management. She specializes in data analytics, program evaluation, and writing impact reports that translate complex information into clear and actionable insights. With a strong background in communications, she develops strategies that align mission with message, strengthens community engagement, and advances racial equity. Her ability to guide teams, manage operations, and design long-term strategies demonstrates both her leadership capacity and her commitment to building resilient, effective organizations.

Alongside her executive leadership, Lee is an accomplished creative professional with expertise in photography, communication strategy, and digital design. She creates social media campaigns, web platforms, and graphic materials that are accessible, inclusive, and purpose-driven. Her skills span editorial photography, data visualization, branding, and content creation—tools she uses to amplify voices, drive impact, and tell stories that move communities toward justice and collective change.

SKILLS

  • Professional photographer

  • Pro-level multimedia software (Adobe Creative Suite)

  • Graphic design, web design

  • Communication strategy & digital marketing

  • Social media content creation

  • Data visualization

  • Digital archiving

  • Strategic planning & executive leadership

  • Facilitation & organizational management

  • Youth leadership training & mentorship

  • Administrative & project management

professional experience

  • Publicist for Qhia Dab Neeg Film Festival 2025 (In Progress)

  • Publicist for the Hmong narrative film, BITTERROOT

  • Co-executive director of a youth leadership organization

  • Freelance consultant for communications and digital marketing

  • Executive-level board service for nonprofits

LINKS