When Grace Lee first arrived in California from Taiwan at age 17, she had no roadmap. She bounced between three high schools in seven months, worked early shifts flipping burgers at Jack in the Box, and struggled to find her footing in a country that felt both full of opportunity and overwhelming in its uncertainty.
Decades later, Lee has built not just a career, but a mission: helping others navigate the same challenges she once faced.
After graduating from UCLA with a degree in economics, Lee co-founded Logic Solutions in Ann Arbor, Mich., transforming it from a two-person startup into a 250-employee global software company with offices in the U.S. and Asia. She chose Ann Arbor deliberately: the city’s vibrant mix of innovation, creativity, and cultural diversity made it an ideal place to grow a company, and it didn’t hurt that her business partner already called Ann Arbor home. But as technology advanced, she saw firsthand how automation threatened to widen the gap for underserved communities.
“I noticed that so many people, immigrants, refugees, and even native-born job seekers, didn’t know how to put together a résumé, how to interview, or how to present themselves,” Lee recalls. “I felt like I had paid the tuition for learning it all the hard way. And I wanted to make it easier for others.”
That vision led her to launch Ashford Connex in 2020, a workforce solutions company designed to connect employers with diverse talent while helping job seekers overcome barriers to employment. The timing couldn’t have been tougher; the world was reeling from COVID-19, but Lee pushed forward, convinced that Michigan needed both the skills and the perspectives immigrants bring.
Her work quickly caught the attention of Global Detroit, an organization that advocates for immigrants and international students as critical contributors to the state’s economic future. Ashford Connex has since been a strong supporter of Global Detroit’s Michigan Global Talent Initiative (MGTI), participating in job fairs and even contributing to a recent panel discussion on best practices for résumés. Michigan’s population is aging and shrinking, Lee notes, and diversity is a key ingredient for revitalization.
“New blood brings new ideas,” she says. “Different cultures bring different perspectives. That’s how communities grow stronger.”
Lee has become a tireless advocate, serving on five boards, including Global Detroit and the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce, and positioning herself as a bridge between cultures. Her leadership has not gone unnoticed: in 2021, she was named one of Crain’s Detroit Business Most Influential Women in Michigan, a recognition that underscores both her business success and her commitment to community impact.
Fluent in Mandarin and English, she understands the hesitation many immigrants feel about engaging with mainstream institutions, as well as the skepticism employers sometimes have about international hires.
“I can go out and explain to corporations why immigrants matter to our economy,” she explains. “And I can also reassure immigrant communities that opening up isn’t something to fear. Sometimes you just need a trusted voice who understands both sides.”
Her service has extended to the national level. During the pandemic, Lee worked on policies to ensure small and minority-owned businesses weren’t left out of relief programs. For her, it wasn’t about politics; it was about service.
“I never imagined that the girl flipping burgers at 6 a.m. would one day serve as a commissioner helping small businesses,” Lee says. “But that’s what I believe in: if we don’t speak up, we’re overlooked.”
Ask Lee what she’s most proud of, and she doesn’t point to titles or positions. Instead, she talks about optimism, the enduring trait she sees in immigrants who face daunting odds yet keep moving forward.
“If you are going to write the story of your life,” she says with a smile, “don’t let anyone else hold the pen.”
It’s advice she lives by, and a reminder that Michigan’s future will be written by the voices it chooses to welcome.
