Karen Lee

Karen believes that patient services can never be too great. Having worked primarily in customer service for luxury companies, she knows how to listen and respond to people’s needs.

A desire for change brought her to the Raby Institute, which she says is exactly the environment she was seeking after years sourcing gems and working directly with customers in the jewelry industry. In her current role, Karen goes above and beyond to help patients feel calm and cared for when they walk through the doors of the Raby Institute.

“Integrative medicine gives me hope that we can all live a better, healthier, conscious life,” says Karen, who has seen the power of alternative medicine in her own family. Karen’s grandparents were Chinese herb exporters, and her aunt is a Chinese medicine doctor.

Outside of work, Karen spends time eating her way through Chicago—and documenting it on her popular Instagram account @ChicagoFoodStories. She initially began using social media to stay connected to her relatives and friends scattered all over the country, but ended up growing a major following.

And just as she puts patients first at the Raby Institute, Karen puts others first with her Instagram account, too. She decided to make people in need a priority and registered ChicagoFoodStories as a non-profit 501c3. Money she makes from sponsored posts, she donates to food-based charities in Chicago.

“My Instagram was a place for me to dump my food photos, and it turned into something much bigger than I imagined. Now, I’m trying to use it to benefit others,” Karen says.