Early Life and Education
Debra Lee was born on August 8, 1954 in Fort Jackson, South Carolina and was raised in Greensboro, North Carolina. There, she attended James B. Dudley High School. For her higher education, Lee first went to Brown University, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. She subsequently went to graduate school at Harvard Kennedy School, where she earned a master’s degree in public policy. Lee went on to obtain a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.
Career Beginnings
In the late summer of 1981, Lee worked as a law clerk for Barrington Parker, a district judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia. She subsequently spent over five years as an attorney with the Washington, DC-based corporate law firm Steptoe & Johnson.
BET
In 1986, Lee joined the television company BET as vice president of the legal affairs department and as general counsel. She later served as president of the company’s print publishing division, which published such magazines as Emerge, YSB, and Heart & Soul. In 1996, Lee succeeded BET network co-founder Robert L. Johnson as president and COO of BET. She went on to become CEO in 2005. Under Lee’s leadership, the BET network increased its budget by 50% and introduced several new original shows. It also put a greater emphasis on supporting families and showcasing new talent.
Other Ventures
In 2009, Lee launched the entertainment network CENTRIC, which features reality shows and films. The next year, she founded the annual Leading Women Defined Summit, an invite-only event that provides black female executives with a supportive space to network and sort through their career challenges. Lee continues to bolster black executives and women with the consulting firm the Monarch’s Collective, which she co-founded in 2021. The firm works to increase diversity on corporate boards and leadership teams. In 2023, Lee published her memoir “I Am Debra Lee.”
Boards of Directors
Lee is a member of the boards of directors of Marriott International, Procter & Gamble, Warner Bros. Discovery, and WGL Holdings. Previously, she sat on the boards of Twitter, Revlon, Burberry, and the Ad Council, among other companies.
Honors and Accolades
Lee has been the recipient of numerous honors for her contributions to the entertainment industry, specifically in relation to black entertainment. She has been listed on the Billboard Power 100 in multiple years, and was named by the Hollywood Reporter as one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment” in 2013. Lee has also received awards from Ebony, Promax, the American Advertising Federation, the Africa America Institute, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles. In 2017, she became the first woman ever to be given the Recording Academy’s Salute to Industry Icons Award. The following year, Lee won the BET Ultimate Icon Award.
Personal Life
With her ex-husband Randy Coleman, Lee had two children named Quinn and Ava. Quinn, a DJ and A&R executive, passed away in 2020.
Real Estate
In 2015, Debra paid $3.195 million for a home in Beverly Hills. She sold this home in 2020 for $3.495 million. In 2016, Debra listed her Washington D.C. mansion for $13.5 million. She ultimately accepted $8.75 million in May 2019.
