Lee Welborn is a graduate of the Georgia Tech College of Design with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Certificate in Building Construction. She is also a USGBC LEED Accredited Professional. 

Lee has forged a non-traditional career path that combines her educational background with deep expertise in federal tax codes and regulations related to real estate assets. This combination of skills creates a unique perspective on the intersection of design, construction, and tax strategy.

Currently, she serves as the Managing Director and Head of Cost Segregation at Stout, where she leads a talented team specializing in engineering-based analyses of newly constructed buildings, renovation projects, and acquired properties. Their work includes construction cost segregation, fixed asset capitalization, and tangible property regulations (TPR) analyses, supporting a wide range of clients across industries and geographies. Throughout her career, she has led studies resulting in multi-million-dollar tax adjustments and successfully defended tax positions under IRS scrutiny.

Prior to joining Stout, Lee spent more than 20 years with Ernst & Young (EY), where she held leadership roles in their national cost segregation and construction advisory practice. During her time at EY, she led teams performing various analyses of single buildings and large real estate portfolios for some of the world’s largest companies. She also managed international studies for facilities located in Ireland, Sweden, Macau, and China. Her technical expertise spans industries such as high-tech data centers, casino/hotel resorts, large office/medical campuses, multi-family developments, and theme parks.

Lee’s early career included roles at firms such as Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, SawHorse, Inc., and H. Lloyd Hill Architects, Inc., providing her with a strong foundation in building construction cost estimating that continues to inform her work today.

Beyond her professional work, Lee has held leadership roles with national nonprofit organizations. She served a three-year term on the foundation board of directors for Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), and currently holds both national and local advisory positions with Alpha Chi Omega.