Lee was born in Ban Houei Kouang, Muong Mok, Xieng Khouang, Laos.
"I chose social work because every time I came home, there were all these poor, starving refugees with nowhere to go, and no food," said Lee in a 2005 interview.
As a result, Lee pleaded with his brother-in-law and his uncle Touby Lyfoung to help him stay in Australia to earn a master's degree in community development.
Thousands of Hmong people, including members of Lee's family, fled to Thailand, most of them were placed in the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp.
While applying for asylum, seeking to get information about his family, and trying to persuade the Australian government to accept Hmong refugees, Lee met William Geddes, an anthropologist teaching at Sydney University.
Along with scholarly writing, Lee has also published several works of fiction including the novel, Dust of Life: A True Ban Vinai Love Story.