With her extensive background and vibrant personality, Cynji Lee began her new role as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at America's Favorite Airport this June, ready to make a significant impact at TPA.
As a graduate of Yale Law School and the daughter of immigrants, Lee's story is one of resilience and inspiration. Her journey to Tampa International Airport has been filled with fascinating experiences and a rich personal history.
FROM THE BRONX TO ORLANDO TO ATLANTA
Both of Lee's parents emigrated from Jamaica – her father arrived in New York City in the early 1940s, around the time the United States was gearing up for World War II. After quickly finding work, he established his career as an electrician. Later, he met Lee's mother, also an immigrant from Jamaica.
“My parents always raised me with a strong belief in the Jamaican phrase, ‘Out of many, one people,'" Lee said.
She was raised in the Bronx, known as the birthplace of hip hop music and home to the New York Yankees. During her high school years, her father's health deteriorated and his doctor recommended a move to a warmer climate. Before long, Lee's family packed their bags for the suburbs of Orlando, where she experienced a major cultural shift.
“When my sibling and I went to our new school in Winter Park, we doubled the upper school’s Black population from 2 to 4 people,” Lee said.
The changes didn't stop her from becoming one of her high school's most involved students. An avid athlete, she excelled in basketball, volleyball and softball, serving as captain of several teams and leading one of them to a state tournament. Lee also participated in the drama club and engaged in Brain Bowl, using school as an opportunity to explore her passions.
“School was my chance to have freedom,” she said.
In the year before graduation, as students began to commit to colleges and universities, Lee was still undecided about which school she would attend. She traveled to Spelman College in Atlanta, an HBCU (Historically Black College or University), on a weekend that coincided with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.
“The campus was just buzzing,” Lee recalled. “I decided on the spot that I would apply for admission and before I knew it, I had been accepted and earned a scholarship."
A LAST-MINUTE DECISION
Lee double majored in political science and philosophy, quickly falling in love with the intellectual process and thriving under the guidance of her professors.
“Those years at Spelman were some of the best of my life,” she said.
As she entered her senior year at Spelman, she again felt the pressure of her peers who were quickly preparing for the next step in their life journey. Her father encouraged her to consider going to law school, even though Lee was working in her free time at a local bank and had just missed the summer LSAT exam. She decided to go for it, taking a crash study course and hoping for the best – and passing the test with a respectably high score.
Before long, Harvard, Yale and Columbia came calling. Lee ultimately chose Yale Law School and arrived on campus at a tumultuous time.
“Things at Yale were a bit bumpy when I first arrived," she said. “There was a strike taking place amongst the workers – and everyone was glued to the TV absorbing the O.J. Simpson case.”
But before long, the experience at Yale became smooth sailing for her. She learned the value of inquisitive thought and holding your ground while leaving space for diverse viewpoints. Lee also was heavily involved in campus life, participating in simulated cases in moot court and gaining experience with an externship.
She eventually accepted a two-year federal clerkship for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, and after graduation, moved to the 305 full-time.
A CAREER WITH ONLY THE SKY AS THE LIMIT
Lee's career in Miami soon soared, quite literally. She took a job in downtown Miami with the Miami-Dade County Attorney's Office in 2001, where she worked for the next 24 years, and moved to their satellite office at Miami International Airport in 2003. Lee became a Division Chief and Co-Lead Attorney for all legal, regulatory and legislative matters at MIA and the county’s five general aviation airports.
In 2018, she joined the Steering Group for the Legal Affairs Committee of Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), helping to shape national airport legal policies and collaborating with legal peers from major airports across the country, including the team at Tampa International Airport.
“I've had the privilege of watching TPA grow by leaps and bounds while I've served on that committee,” she said. “I really became a fan girl of the Airport. At MIA, we often looked to TPA as a benchmark for everything from revamping our concessions program to our relationship with rideshare products like Uber and Lyft.”
Her wealth of experience attracted TPA's attention: After then-General Counsel Michael Stephens was promoted to TPA's CEO, Lee was quickly identified as one of the top candidates for the job.
She couldn't say no.
Now she leads TPA's Legal, Records Information Compliance, Business Diversity and Government Affairs & Community Relations teams.
SETTLING INTO LIFE IN TAMPA BAY
Lee has quickly settled into her life in Tampa Bay while keeping a close relationship with friends and a very special someone – her fianceé, Sam.
“My fianceé and I met all the way back in 2005,” she said. "He now lives in DC and I live here, but we've been doing the long-distance thing for years and there's no stopping us."
The secret sauce to making a long-distance relationship work? Sharing downtime together is the key.
In her free time, Lee loves to stay active. Most mornings, you'll find her meditating or at the gym working out. She prioritizes her health and well-being and encourages others to do the same. Lee also is an active dancer, board game enthusiast and reader, frequently swapping books with her nieces and nephews. Her adventurous spirit has taken her all over the world, from Bali to the Bahamas. She and Sam are committed to seeing each other every month, often meeting up for trips and cruises.
Her advice to someone looking to move up in life?
“Go somewhere where you are wanted and feel accepted," she said. "Never be afraid to speak up for yourself and have a little fun while doing so."
https://news.tampaairport.com/employee-spotlight-cynji-lee-tpas-chief-legal-officer-and-general-counsel/?__s=6djcb87reaor5zun8cmc
