President and Publisher,
The OBSERVER Media Group, The Sacramento OBSERVER Newspaper
Larry (Lawrence) Lee stands at the forefront of ethnic media, expertly blending editorial excellence with innovative new media strategies. As President of The OBSERVER Media Group and Publisher of The Sacramento OBSERVER Newspaper, he leads a powerful multimedia voice dedicated to serving and empowering the African American consumer.
Larry inherited a deep sense of quality, community, and dedication to excellence from his parents, the late Dr. William H. Lee and Kathryn C. Lee, founders of the award-winning Sacramento OBSERVER. Since 1962, The OBSERVER has earned more than 800 awards for journalistic excellence and community service.
The OBSERVER has received the prestigious John B. Russwurm Award as the best Black newspaper in the country eight times — most recently in June 2025. This is the second time in the last three years the organization has received the honor.
A graduate of San Jose State University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Lee is a national leader in the evolving local media landscape. He currently serves on the boards of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, Local Media Foundation (where he is the immediate past Chair), Local Media Consortium, and Visit Sacramento.
In recent years, he has been recognized as the NNPA Publisher of the Year, one of Sacramento’s Most Admired CEOs by the Sacramento Business Journal and has been honored with the Robert T. Matsui Community Service Award by U.S. Congresswoman Doris Matsui and the American Leadership Forum’s Exemplary Leader Award.
