For District I director: Katherine L. Lee

Northeastern Section. Pfizer, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Academic record: Yale University, BS, 1991; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD, 1996; University of Texas at Austin, Postdoctoral Fellow, 1996–98.

Honors: Henry A. Hill Award for Outstanding Service to the Northeastern Section, 2020; Invited Panelist, 5th Annual Advancing Women’s Leadership Conference, 2020; ACS Fellow, 2017; Invited Speaker, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, First-Time Disclosures, 2016; ChemLuminary Award for Best Industry Event, Northeastern Section, 2015; Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research, Predoctoral Fellowship, 1991–94.

Professional positions (for the past 10 years): Pfizer, Scientific Planning and Operations, Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit, Executive Director, 2022–present, Senior Director, 2019–22; Pfizer, Inflammation and Immunology Medicinal Chemistry, Research Fellow, 2018–19, Associate Research Fellow, 2011–18.

Service in ACS national offices: Board of Directors/Ex Officio Councilor, 2019–present; District I Director, 2019–present; Committees of the Board/Professional and Member Relations, Chair, 2024, Member, 2019–present; Standing Committees of the Board/Strategic Planning, Member, 2020–present; Board Working Group on Structure and Representation, Member, 2022–23; Industry Member Advisory Board, Member, 2022–23; Committee on Executive Compensation, Member, 2022–present; Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs, Member, 2017–18, 2014, Committee Associate, 2013.

Service in ACS offices: Northeastern Section: Board of Publications, Chair, 2020–present, Member, 2016–present; Councilor, 2016–18, 2012–14; Immediate Past Chair, 2016; Chair, 2015; Chair-Elect, 2014; Nominating Committee, Chair, 2022–23, 2016; Program Chair, 2014; Process Chemistry Symposium Committee, 2014–18; Host Local Section Committee, Chair, 2010; Organic Chemistry Division: Chair, 2018; Chair-Elect, 2017; Member-At-Large, 2011–16; Technical Achievements in Organic Chemistry Award Committee, Chair, 2015, 2013; Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Committee, Co-Chair, 2016, 2012–13; Northeast Regional Meeting: Organizing Committee, 2023; ACS Pharma Leaders: Organizing Committee, 2022.

Member: Member of ACS since 1992. ACS Divisions: Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Professional Relations.

Related activities: ACS Career Consultant; Empowering Women in Organic Chemistry, Boston Chapter, New England Women in Science Executives, Member; Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, Mentor, 2009–10; published 16 peer-reviewed journal articles; 18 patents or published patent applications.

Lee’s statement

I am honored to be a candidate for re- election for District I director and share my vision for the American Chemical Society.

Clearly communicate the value of ACS. Perhaps you joined ACS as I did, as a graduate student, and enjoyed receiving discounts for journal subscriptions and books, reading C&EN, and attending ACS meetings. As the parent of a recent college graduate, I am keenly aware of the challenges of capturing the attention of the next generation of scientists. Why should one be an engaged member of ACS, our technical divisions and local sections? As an active volunteer and past-chair of my local section, the past-chair of the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry, and the current District I director, I believe it is imperative that we concisely communicate through our web presence, outreach, and social media the benefits of engaging with ACS.

Advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR). We have an opportunity to “walk the talk” on DEIR. I shared specific ideas in a Comment, Creating a culture of inclusion, in the April 23, 2022 issue of C&EN and in an oral presentation honoring Henry A. Hill at the 2023 Northeast Regional Meeting in Boston. From 2022–23, I served on the Board Working Group on Structure and Representation, which led the effort to bring international representation to the ACS Board. I am proud that the petition we brought forward was ratified by ACS members in the 2023 fall election.

Support ACS members in all stages of our careers. After working as a medicinal chemist at Pfizer for many years, I made a career change to become the Head of Scientific Planning and Operations for Pfizer’s Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit. My experience as an ACS member and volunteer was instrumental in preparing me for this leadership role. ACS should be the go-to resource for chemists at all stages of our education, career, and retirement. In my Comment in the May 9, 2020 issue of C&EN, How ACS can help chemists grow in their careers, I dispelled some potential misconceptions while highlighting diverse ACS career resources, many of which are exclusively for ACS members. I have coached dozens of ACS members, including students and mid-career scientists, on professional options and how to sharpen up their curricula vitae.

Advance excellence in chemistry. As District I director, I have provided input in strategic discussions with leaders of ACS Publications and CAS. As a scientist, I have gained valuable experience from presenting at ACS national meetings and reading and publishing papers in ACS journals, most recently in ACS Med. Chem. Lett. 2024, 15, 540, In Retrospect: Root-Cause Analysis of Structure-Activity Relationships in IRAK4 Inhibitor Zimlovisertib (PF-06650833) (acs.org). As a dedicated volunteer, I have enjoyed helping to shape organized symposia for technical sessions at ACS meetings. What does ACS mean to you, as a scientist? With a nod to the ACS mission, how should ACS advance the chemical enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people? Can we creatively demonstrate the beauty and relevance of chemistry?

Apply the resources of the ACS wisely. Serving on the ACS Board of Directors necessitates fiscal acuity and responsibility in implementing the mission and vision of the ACS. As the 2015 chair of the Northeastern Section, I gained firsthand experience in influencing decisions for our more than $300k annual operating budget. I have similar responsibilities in my day job at Pfizer. Likewise, I recognize that time and energy are resources that we should commit intentionally: ACS volunteers and staff must be confident that what we all are working on is clearly defined, not redundant, free from unnecessary process, and relevant to our mission.

In closing, I thank you for your consideration for my re-election for District I director. With your support, I will continue to serve effectively in the role of ACS District I director, applying my experience in the ACS as a local section and technical division leader, as a leader in the pharmaceutical industry, and as a person who fosters clear communication and team engagement in her endeavors.