Dr. William K. Lee Elected Chair of the Board of New York Theological Seminary

William K. Lee, M.D., President of Cardiac Associates of North Jersey, Clinical Associate Professor at New Jersey Medical School, and the former Director of Cardiology at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey, was elected at the spring meeting of the Trustees to serve as the next Chair of the Board of Trustees of New York Theological Seminary (NYTS).  The first Korean-American to hold this office, he succeeds Dr. Diane T. Ashley, who is completing ten years of service as the first African-American woman to Chair the Seminary’s Board.

A member of the Seminary’s Board of Trustees since 2005, Dr. William K. Lee has a distinguished history of service in Christian higher education and other community non-profit organizations.  He is currently a Trustee of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia and serves as Chair of the Development Committee.  He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater New York.  At NYTS he has served as Co-Chair of the Campaign for NYTS from 2006-2010, and has been active on both the Development and Academic Affairs Committees of the Board.  Among his numerous awards Dr. Lee lists being a recipient in 2010 of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

Dr. Lee is well-known in ecumenical circles as a Senior Friend of the World Student Christian Federation.  Ordained in 1983 as an Elder in the Bedford Presbyterian Church in the Bronx, New York, he has served on the Judicial Committee of the Presbytery of New York (PCUSA).  He is currently an Elder in the Korean Presbyterian Church of Oakland, New Jersey.

“I have known Dr. Lee for many years and have long admired his commitment to excellence in theological education,” said Dale T. Irvin, President of NYTS.  “At NYTS he has come to command considerable respect not only from his fellow-trustees but from the wider community.  I am delighted to be able to work with him in his new capacity and look forward to his leadership.”

“The work of serving as Chair of the Board of NYTS has been an extraordinary experience for me over the last 10 years,” noted Dr. Ashley.  “I am confident that Dr. Lee will lead the Board to new heights in expanding NYTS’ mission and presence throughout the world.”

Dr. Lee is married to Dr. Hwain Chang Lee, past recipient of the NYTS Urban Angel Award and currently a Research Professor of Global Leadership and Spirituality in the Center for World Christianity at the Seminary.  They reside in Franklin Lakes, NJ.

For Contact Information:

Ms. Courtney Wiley-Harris
Development Office
New York Theological Seminary
cwiley@nyts.edu