Photo of Terri T. Lee, OE-1.1, Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Business Operations

Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Business Operations

In the capacity as Chief Operating Officer (COO) in the Office of Electricity (OE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Ms. Lee provides executive direction for program-wide financial management, enterprise architecture, communications, and human capital and contract management. 

Prior to her current position as COO, Ms. Lee served as the Director for External Coordination in the Department of Energy’s Chief Financial Office from 2002 to 2008 where she was responsible for working directly with and representing the DOE on all appropriations-related matters before the United States Congressional House and Senate Appropriations Committees. She received the Secretary of Energy’s Appreciation Award for her leadership and dedication in promoting and helping to achieve the Department’s goals and objectives through her work as the Director for External Coordination.    

Ms. Lee has 28 years of experience at the Department of Energy, including energy policy development, budget analysis, Congressional liaison, international relations, and nuclear non-proliferation. Before transitioning to financial management, Ms. Lee led the management of DOE’s U.S. – North Korea Nuclear Spent Fuel Canning Program. She was responsible for negotiating and implementing the difficult tasks of collecting, cleaning, and safely securing North Korea’s spent fuel elements. 

From 1995 – 1997, Ms. Lee supported the implementation of the Vice President’s U.S. - Binational Commission initiative where she served as the Executive Secretariat for the Secretary of Energy’s U.S. - South Africa Binational Commission. In this role, she was responsible for coordinating over 120 U.S.-South Africa sustainable energy initiatives and working closely with the DOE program offices, US private industry and the South African government to promote long-term partnerships that would aid in the restructuring of South Africa’s energy/regulatory policies.  

Ms. Lee began her career with the DOE’s Office of Congressional Affairs working on the BTU/energy tax legislation, Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, the National Policy Act of 1992 and DOE’s implementation of the contract reform initiative. 

Ms. Lee holds a Bachelor and a Master degree in International Studies from the George Mason University.