Rita Chow Lee was born on the Indian Ocean aboard an Italian ocean liner. That means her birth is connected to three places: physically, the Indian Ocean; technically, the nation of Italy; and officially, At Sea.

She grew up in Sri Lanka and spent vacations going to the tea estates, and exploring the jungles and beaches all over the island. Rita also lived four years in Hong Kong.

Rita joined Rotary in 2009, but was involved with our club for over 20 years with her late husband, Randy Lee. She chaired the LA5 International Committee for three years, overseeing humanitarian projects around the world, and currently co-chairs the International Dinner Committee. In addition she is a member of the Grants Committee, and serves on the committee to organize the visual arts competition for the Rotary District Art Competition.

Rita says, We are a fishing family, and that is literally true. For many years the Lee’s have traveled to Sitka, Alaska for deep-sea salmon and halibut fishing. They also participated in many of the famous LA5 fishing trips in the past. Rita regularly visits Hong Kong and Penang, Malaysia, two of her special locations.

Professionally Rita works as an illustrator, where she creates advertising and editorial art for many different organizations. She has taught fashion illustration and model drawing at Otis College of Art & Design. Her specialty is people, focusing on sports and fashion illustrations.

She has created art for accounts such as Major League Baseball, World Cup Soccer, Coach, Clairol, MasterCard Global Marketing, Race for the Cure, Disney, Mattel, Paramount Pictures, Jergens and CBS, to name a few.

Rita is also Vice President of Lilly Enterprises, Inc., the family investment real estate firm. Her 20 year-old daughter, Magdalena, is following in her Mother’s footsteps. She is a student at Otis College of Art & Design, majoring in fashion design.