Soomi Lee is a Professor in the Department of Public Administration and is the Director of the Master’s program in Public Administration (MPA) at the University of La Verne. Her academic journey culminated in a Ph.D. in Economics and Political Science from the Claremont Graduate University in 2011. Driven by a passion for interdisciplinary research and teaching, she traverses multiple disciplines, including public policy, public finance, and urban/regional economics. Her research centers on how public services are funded through the tax system and how institutional structure influences the distribution of economic outcomes. She integrates theory and practice to advance the understanding of these intricate subjects. Her scholarly contributions have been published in well-regarded journals such as Urban Studies, Urban Affairs Review, Regional Studies, Journal of Socioeconomics, State Politics & Policy Quarterly, Public Finance Review, Basic Income Studies, and others. For her latest research endeavors, please visit her website.