Judy Le

When Judy Le came to America as a Vietnamese refugee, she saw firsthand the need for leadership at all levels of society. It shaped her approach to helping others develop their own authenticity in how they lead — to embrace uncertainty, get clarity around what matters most, and build community. Le sees leadership as an activity that ignites moral courage and imagination for the common good. This belief has shaped her 25-year career in leadership development in higher education, corporate, and non-profit sectors.

Le started her career at Deloitte Consulting as a change leadership practitioner and then became program director for Leadership Houston. With a passion for teaching and coaching, Le then spent seven years as the director of Leadership Rice at Rice University. She continues to teach at Rice as the instructor for the Leadership Certificate through the Glasscock School.

In 2015, Le started TakeRoot, Llc, a leadership development firm. As president of TakeRoot, Le works with clients to create meaningful change in their work and communities. TakeRoot’s approach to leadership development is anchored in the belief that leadership starts with trust, requires empathy, and is in service to positive change. Her wide array of clients includes the Houston Food Bank, Boston Consulting Group, TotalEnergy, the Governor’s Task Force for Sexual Assault Survivors, and the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam.

Le is a lead facilitator for the American Leadership Forum Houston. She serves on the boards of Emerge, Post Oak School, LeaderShape, and the National American Leadership Forum, as well as the advisory boards of the Asia Society and the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. She has been featured on a national broadcast of Chicken Soup for the Soul’s “Hidden Heroes” and recognized as an honoree for World Refugee Day by Mayor Sylvester Turner. She has shared her insights on leadership and personal development in speaker series hosted by Houston Public Media, the Center for Houston’s Future, and OpenRice.

Le is trained in adaptive leadership through a master class program at Harvard Kennedy School, completed the Social Justice Institute’s training program, and is a Board Certified and Team Performance Certified coach. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Rice University and her graduate degree at the University of Texas.

Le has called Houston home for over forty years. She vigorously practices optimism through her seasonal attempts at gardening. Her idea of a treasure hunt involves exploring Houston’s rich and diverse food scene for the perfect bite. She weight trains and kickboxes for her health (and to fight the patriarchy). She enjoys gathering people in her kitchen around food and conversation, embarrassing her three kids with really witty/bad puns, and cuddling with her very charismatic dogs.