Einstein Welcomes Dana Lee, Senior Counsel for Medical School Affairs
Einstein has a new senior counsel for medical school affairs. Dana Lee is responsible for all legal and compliance issues for the College of Medicine, including contracts, research agreements, institutional governance and compliance, regulatory compliance and issues relating to research, faculty and students, among others. In this capacity, she works closely with staff in the dean's office and with the general counsel's office at Montefiore.
Dana Lee, senior counsel for medical school affairs"Dana was recruited through a national search and comes to Einstein with a broad and deep portfolio of experience," noted Dr. Allen M. Spiegel, Einstein's Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean. "We're fortunate to have an individual with her talent, intelligence and high standard of professionalism in this key position on our team."
"I have been interested in health and medicine for a long time," said Ms. Lee, who considers coming to Einstein a highlight of her career. Her introduction to the field began when she served on the health-law and bioethics committees of the New York City Bar Association. She then segued into a position on the New York State Department of Health—New York State Task Force on Life and the Law, convened by then-governor Mario Cuomo "to work on health and bioethics issues of the day," with a particular concentration on assisted reproductive technologies, informed consent issues and end-of-life care. The position was funded by a Ford Foundation grant.
Her interest in medicine has a deeply personal dimension.
"When I was 12 or 13, my aunt was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease," she recalled. "I saw firsthand how that affected her life and how it was so devastating to the family. As a result, I became interested in how one goes about living a healthy lifestyle and in health issues that people face as they get older."
Central to her own health regimen is her daily practice of Vinyasa yoga. "I used to be a runner," she said, "but now I find that yoga makes me feel good and helps me mentally." She complements her high-powered professional responsibilities with her avocation as a Certified Specialist of Wine and as a certified French Wine Scholar.
Born in Hong Kong, Ms. Lee came to this country at age 8. She grew up in Brooklyn, where her parents owned a restaurant. A graduate of Cornell University, she received her law degree and a master's degree in public administration from New York University.
Before coming to Einstein, Ms. Lee served for nearly 11 years as associate vice president for legal affairs at New York Medical College, in Valhalla, where she was involved with student and faculty issues, compliance, contracts and governmental relations. Prior to that, she worked as a litigation associate at two New York-based law firms.
At Einstein, she has enjoyed the collegial and collaborative atmosphere. "That's a nice thing to be a part of," she reflected. "And it's wonderful to be in an environment where people are doing cutting-edge research on genetics, cancer, Alzheimer's and other areas of medicine that are so important and in which there is still much work to be done."
Posted on: Wednesday, October 19, 2016