Dr. Lee's Philosophy: Education > "School of Hard Knocks"

Armed with numerous degrees and certifications in business administration, diverse leadership, legal, and Bible studies, Dr. Lee Davenport is an award-winning, MBA adjunct professor, international real estate educator, business strategy coach and thought leader.

Motto 21: "You can never be overdressed or overeducated." -- attributed to Oscar Wilde

Dr. Lee is known for being generous with all of her resources and "book learnings" because she believes we don't have to "reinvent the wheel" as we make widely available best practices. She believes our industry (as well as our communities) is only enriched by high-quality information sharing (vs. hoarding from a scarcity mindset).

Motto 19: Collaboration over competition.

As a result of her generous and energetic nature, Dr. Lee speaks internationally at various business meetings (including ToastMasters and Fortune 500 companies), universities and colleges, real estate associations, realty firms, and real estate conferences.

RRC/CRS members enjoy Dr. Lee's webinars.

Motto 77: "(S)he who learns, teaches." -- Ethiopian proverb

In that spirit of generosity, Dr. Lee has partnered with The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change to grant scholarships to real estate professionals (along with other organizations in her network) to participate in their impactful online school, which details the ardent struggle for fair housing (and other human/civil rights) for which Dr. King’s life work and tragic assassination were the catalysts.

Motto 101: “We must take the profit out of prejudice.” --Coleman A. Young, Detroit’s 70th mayor

Dr. Lee, who has been affectionately dubbed “The Fair Housing Equalizer”, has a provocative monthly column on race and real estate in Inman News (which is the top-rated online real estate news site for real estate professionals with over 2 million page views per month). Her column has spurred industry changes [like this where her local REALTORS® association issued its first formal apology for its role and complicity in discriminatory housing and created its first membership survey on inclusion]. She also documented local instances of appraisal bias, which was later covered by ABC News (a local affiliate) and included in testimony on Capitol Hill as a direct result of her advocacy work.

"I look up to you and I admire the work that you are doing. Keep going!" --Richard Rothstein, author of the New York Times best-sellers The Color of Law and Just Action

Motto 99: “Look at the world around you. It may seem like an immovable, implacable place. It is not, With the slightest push — in just the right place — it can be tipped.” --Malcolm Gladwell

Furthermore, Dr. Lee, who has been affectionately dubbed "The Fair Housing Equalizer", is a nationally sought-after fair housing educator. As just one example, in the wake of the Newsday Long Island Divided expose report, she was one of the first educators invited to train for the Long Island Board of REALTORS® (the fourth largest local REALTOR® board in the nation with over 30,000 agents at the time), where she has been warmly and excitedly invited back.

"I loved the [training] you gave our members titled, 'Is Fair Housing in Your Blind Spot?' – such valuable information and so grateful for your perspectives." --L. Inzerillo, Long Island Board of REALTORS® Young Professionals Network Liaison

"I cannot say enough...what wonderful storytelling you used to drive home important points." --T. Hultz, Long Island Board of REALTORS® CEO (at that time)

Motto 8: "Problems of great importance cannot be worked out in a day. Questions of great moment must be met with far-reaching plans." --Carter G. Woodson

Plus, Dr. Lee’s books are used by REALTOR® associations, esteemed colleges and individuals alike:

A REALTOR® gushed that Dr. Lee would be a speaker at a REALTOR® YPN event.
"Dr. Davenport’s readable, and concise text addresses the serious topic of unfair housing in a manner that engages the learner, breaks down barriers, and elicits genuine dialogue... The text invites the reader to think critically about the issue and offers legal and historical perspectives... I intend to use some of her materials for my online course... Thank you, Dr. Davenport, for your excellent text!" -- Dr. Jackson, Spelman College professor and former evaluator with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, reviewing Fair Housing DECODER©

SIDEBAR: FAQ -- “Fair Housing can be a tough topic to emote excitement. What makes the Fair Housing DECODER© workshops different?”

If you've ever had the pleasure of attending one of Dr. Lee's dynamic workshops (no matter the topic), then you've experienced firsthand her innovative game-based, multimedia approach to learning. Her teaching style is so captivating that she is frequently invited to be the opening AND closing keynote speaker at conferences, as her infectious energy sets the tone for the entire event.

Motto 7: ⁣⁣"To begin, the professor must genuinely value everyone’s presence... the classroom should be an exciting place…sometimes even ‘fun’.⁣ As a classroom community, our capacity to generate excitement is deeply affected by our interest in one another, in hearing one another’s voices, in recognizing one another’s presence...⁣ Teachers are not performers in the traditional sense of the word in that our work is not meant to be a spectacle. Yet it is meant to serve as a catalyst that calls everyone to become more and more engaged, to become active participants in learning." --bell hooks

Motto 51: "History is not simply the study of the past but an explanation of the present."-- The Holdovers

Specifically, by making the journey towards fair housing advocacy engaging and interactive, Dr. Lee aims to create open learning communities that inspire and empower real estate professionals to (continue to) be enthusiastic, lifelong champions of access and opportunity for all in housing.

Gamified 'Learning with Dr. Lee®'

Don't Just Take Our Word for It (Testimonies):

"I wanted to reach out and say thank you for presenting to us during the fair housing mini conference a week or so ago... I really enjoyed your presentation and the personality behind it. You took a subject that's usually presented so blandly and gave it the personality it needs to ensure it resonates." —David W., S.C. & G.A. Managing Broker

“I am more confident when talking about fair housing with clients and the community shareholders. Thank you. I wish the class were in person. We would love to have your energy in the room.” —Roseline C., REALTOR®, Fair Housing DECODER© online participant (learnwithdrlee.today).

“EVERYONE raved about Dr. Lee! She rocks! Even our venue/techie said, 'She’s more lively virtually than a lot of our other guests are in person!'" —Lee Cooley, Director of Marketing & Communications at Scottsdale Area Association of REALTORS®

Ready to Chat?

We have been repeatedly told that Dr. Lee's books (click here to peruse) and virtual/online courses (featured on this website) rock but we get it, you too may prefer in-person workshops. Contact us to learn more about in-person options:

What Else Should I Know About Dr. Lee?

Dr. Lee has article features in both a peer-reviewed publication (The Journal of Real Estate Practice and Education) and consumer reads including Forbes Magazine, Yahoo! Finance, Kiplinger, Huffington Post, South Philly Review, the Detroit News, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution along with various others.

"Thanks again for all your writing and research! We appreciate you more than you know!! I've had many readers reach out and say that they appreciate our fair housing education coverage."⁣ –Rachael Hite⁣, Assistant Service Editor, Inman News

Moreover, as a thought leader, Dr. Lee has been a contributing writer (with over 250 industry-influencing article bylines) to and/or award recipient from numerous trade and news publications, including (to name just a few):

Business Insider,
Yahoo! Finance,
REALTOR® Magazine,
Kiplinger Personal Finance,
Training Magazine,
RealTrends.com,
HousingWire.com,
Real Estate Magazine,
Atlanta Agent Magazine,
RE Technology,
Arizona Realtor Voice,
KatieLance.com,
Reclaim Magazine,
Follow-Up Boss (named a top 30 real estate coach),
RealEstateBees.com (named a top 25 real estate coach),
ActiveRain,
RESAAS (named one of the top 5 bloggers and top 6 real estate coaches),
Inman News (named one of the top 25 real estate coaches and top 50+ with a provocative monthly column on race and real estate that has spurred industry changes like this),
Agent Advice (named one of the best real estate coaching programs).

Plus, Dr. Lee has been a local speaker and member for years of the International Coach Federation ("the gold standard of coaching"), the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high, ethical standards. As she has evolved from solely coaching to holistically educating, her ICF peers affectionately call her a "coach-like" educator/corporate trainer, going above and beyond the basic definition of a business coach.

As a "coach-like educator", Dr. Lee has been recognized by Inman News and numerous real estate organizations as one of the top 30 U.S. national real estate coaches.

Also, Dr. Lee was honored to be one of the inaugural (and returning) Strategy Coaches for the University of Michigan’s MPact Diversity Equity and Inclusion Certificate Program and an inaugural Circle Practitioner and Facilitator for Emory University's Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Initiative.

Last but not least, her informative YouTube channel has attracted over 7 MILLION views and growing.

“All too often, when we see injustices, both great and small, we think, That's terrible, but we do nothing. We say nothing. We let other people fight their own battles. We remain silent because silence is easier. Qui tacet consentire videtur is Latin for 'Silence gives consent.' When we say nothing, when we do nothing, we are consenting to these trespasses against us.” ―Roxane Gay

As you can tell, Dr. Lee is surely not silent.

How Did Dr. Lee Get Started? Here's Her Back Story

Dr. Lee, a Lifelong Learner (Photographer Kelley Raye)

Randomness about Dr. Lee that's very "on brand":

Dr. Lee got her college merit scholarship by writing an op-ed that was published in the local newspaper while she was a middle school student. Yes, she was in pigtails and eyeglasses, still playing with Cabbage Patch dolls and roller skating. Yet, at that same time, she wrote about the ramifications of an impending teacher's strike in the local news (The Detroit News). That's heavy for a 'tween. In other words, she was oddly outspoken as a kid. She believes there is no changing her outspokenness now, ha!

Fast forward: during the aftermath of the 2007 housing market crash, Dr. Lee (already a 4th generation educator and real estate investor) desired to better serve those devastated by the crash. As a result, she obtained REALTOR® certifications as an Affordable Housing Specialist and a Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource. She helped numerous families emerge from "The Great Recession" with their housing needs met.

Motto 3: "Competition is no handicap" --Carter G. Woodson

Motto 4: “But today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change. The large house in which we live demands that we transform this world-wide neighborhood into a world – wide brotherhood. Together we must learn to live as brothers or together we will be forced to perish as fools." --Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Motto 5: “Rising tides lift all ships” –JFK

Furthermore, she has served as managing broker and mentor for one of Atlanta’s top RE/MAX franchises at the time, RE/MAX Around Atlanta. Despite "The Great Recession" when real estate pros were jumping ship and offices were shrinking and/or filing bankruptcy, she managed three growing offices of some of Georgia’s most successful real estate agents who averaged over $140,000 in sales commissions at a time when the industry average was just around $40,000.

At that same time, Dr. Lee was honored with a position on the advisory board at Kennesaw State University’s Center for Professional Selling, allowing her to impart to the program and its students during her management tenure with RE/MAX.

Now, Dr. Lee weekly helps real estate professionals and organizations use today's technology plus their unique personality to work smarter while encouraging ethical and fair housing. She is honored to have training clients throughout the U.S. that have been recognized as RealTrends/HousingWire's Top Thousand salespeople in the nation, making over $500,000 in income.

Motto 16: “Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve." -- Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Jr.

Personally, Dr. Lee has volunteered with her local REALTIST and REALTOR® associations in several capacities, having been awarded the Five Star Circle of Service for exemplary service.

Included in her service, Dr. Lee is one of the four founding hosts for the official podcast of the Atlanta REALTORS® Association, the Atlanta REALTOR® Rundown podcast. Notably, her episodes on Digital Real Estate in the Metaverse and Code of Ethics in Conversation with Leigh Brown were the top two downloads of the podcast's inaugural year.

She has been a volunteer director for the globally recognized Social Media Club (Atlanta Chapter).

Also, Dr. Lee is a licensed minister who has served in the ministry since she was a teenager in various capacities, including volunteering as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, Talking Politics facilitation writer and small group leader, a Be the Bridge small group leader, Equity Council member at Buckhead Church, and Vacation Bible School (VBS) leader both locally and abroad.

What Makes Dr. Lee's Coaching & Training So Uniquely Effective?

It is easy to see Dr. Lee is a lifelong learner and community advocate!

Specifically, to obtain her doctorate, Dr. Lee studied some of the top 1000 real estate agents in the U.S. and scientifically identified some key traits of top producers.

From this innovative scientific research, Dr. Lee has developed personal and group coaching training classes and programs to help audiences grow their businesses based on today's technology and their unique personalities while upholding fair housing practices.

Dr. Lee's groundbreaking doctoral research has been published in the peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Real Estate Education and Practice (check out the abstract by clicking here). A less technical version of her inspiring research, available for everyday readers, can be found in the 5-star rated book, Profit with Your Personality: Learn How Top Producers Win at Lead Generation, and How You Can Too.

Dr. Lee adamantly believes: "Your business needs your personality!"

Motto 13: "Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It's beyond me.” --Zora Neale Hurston

You are ultimately the key ingredient to your differentiation and success; and, Dr. Lee helps you manifest the best you in business.

Motto 20: "Don't change the goal, change how you get there" --AT, Peloton instructor

Even More Testimonies About Working with Dr. Lee

"I was searching for coaches and I came across Dr. Lee's name; thus I researched her personally and how she approaches her coaching. I will admit what attracted me was her assessment test and the results. I will admit prior to deciding to obtain a coach, I had been doing a lot of googling on REALTORS® who are introverts, their approach to selling real estate and how successful are they in selling real estate. So when I did my research and came across the various personality types that Dr. Lee is familiar with/worked with in her business, I was amazed. I interviewed several coaches, including Dr. Lee and the fact that she understands/has a recommendations/process for someone who is insanely introverted like me, was music to my ears." -- L. Harris, returning REALTOR®

Nominated yearly for coaching excellence by various publications

Praise from Mortgage Lenders/Teams

Praise from REALTOR® Associations

Praise for tackling difficult topics

Praise from other Real Estate Coaches

Praise for CE courses

Praise for Dr. Lee's book

On the Road with Dr. Lee

Gamified 'Learning with Dr. Lee'®

Seattle/Washington REALTORS® Profiting with Their Personality

Dr. Lee served as an inaugural Strategy Coach for the University of Michigan’s MPact Diversity Equity Inclusion Certificate Program

"#Realtoring" in Times Square: Dr. Lee moderating the millennial panel including the second gen. of one of the nation's top-producing teams, The Jills.

Jim Fitzpatrick interviewing Dr. Lee