She holds a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from the Ohio State University and a Master’s degree in Regional Economics from Beijing Normal University in China. Dr. Li has worked as an Assistant Professor for two years at Western Kentucky University and has taught various courses in Statistics, Geography and Urban Planning. She has actively participated in the plan-making process of local communities, and served on multiple advisory committees on planning in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She has led and involved in projects in adaptive reuse of historic buildings and Habitat for Humanity eco-village conceptual plan.