Hi, I’m Mike Lee, and I’m running to be your next County Commissioner.

I’m a dad, a business leader, and an advocate for public education, and I’m excited to bring my experience to the Durham County Board of Commissioners.

I grew up in a military family, and my parents and grandparents taught me the values of hard work and continuous learning. I moved to Durham in 1997 and have made this community my home. My wife and I are raising our three kids here in Durham Public Schools, and I’ve been involved locally as a youth mentor and sports coach for over 20 years.

I’m running for the Board of County Commissioners because I believe if you’re here in Durham, you belong—and we need to invest in high-quality programs, services, and infrastructure to ensure you can live well here. My track record in public service is already extensive. I served for eight years on the Durham Public Schools Board of Education. I was a champion for equity and accountability, increasing funding for DPS and implementing increased budget transparency. I helped hire Dr. Pascal Mubenga, who has led the district for 7 years. Student performance improved across the district.

Now, I direct customer success at Avalara, a tax and compliance software company. I ensure our 25,000 customers across the United States succeed, and I manage a multi-million dollar budget. 

In 2023, I earned my Doctorate in Business Administration from UNC Charlotte and gained new expertise in dissecting data, research, customer success, marketing, and finance. 

As your new County Commissioner, I’ll bring unique finance and business expertise to the Board, deep care for Durham families, and a desire to do right by all County residents.