Being an advocate for diversity and its value comes naturally to Lee Thoresen.

Of Korean descent and adopted by a white family, she spent much of her youth in Vermont. She experienced how race, gender, religion, ethnicity and socio-economic status can make people feel like outsiders. And she also has seen how organizations can benefit when outsiders can be made to feel like insiders.

“If there were more outreach, we could move the needle, and that needle needs to be moved in terms of enabling people to succeed,” she said.

Thoresen’s own path to success was unusual. Set to attend the University of Vermont, she left for San Francisco a week before school started and worked at a variety of odd jobs, eventually attending community college. She transferred to University of California at Berkeley and attended its prestigious law school — “all at cheap, in-state rates” — and took part in an exchange program with Harvard.

Thoresen practiced corporate law and joined RBC in 2006. She is an active member of the firm’s Diversity Leadership Council and recently finished two terms as chair of its Multicultural Employee Alliance, where she revitalized the employee resource group.

Outside work, Thoresen serves on the board of a nonprofit that works to combat homelessness in the Twin Cities.

“Recently, I realized that I’ve gone from being mentored to being responsible for mentoring others and helping companies realize diversity’s value. My goal is to make sure I’m making the best of that role,” she said.