Azadeh Valanejad-Lee

Azadeh Valanejad-Lee is a journalist and media entrepreneur dedicated to amplifying diverse voices in media. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and started her career working at legacy publishers including Hearst and Condé Nast, contributing to publications such as Vanity Fair, Glamour, and Allure as a video producer, on-air host, and writer. Throughout her career, she has led digital content strategy, produced viral videos featuring A-list talent, and collaborated with global brands on impactful storytelling initiatives. She’s a sought-after voice on founder journeys and diaspora storytelling, and has been invited to speak at Morgan Stanley, the Serica Initiative, NYU, and Gold House.

Azadeh started EnVi after years of mentoring aspiring journalists. Having spent her own career as the only woman of color in the room, she saw firsthand how much talent was being overlooked, and how narrowly “Asian diaspora” was being defined, with Central and West Asia continuously left out of the conversation. She decided to stop waiting for the industry to change and build the platform herself.