Iris “Rainbow Trout” Yee

Iris first came to Burning Man in 2008, beginning a decades-long journey into the culture and community it inspires. After relocating to Beijing, she connected the Burners scattered across the city, volunteered remotely for Media Mecca, and found that the culture had already taken root – it just needed tending. That work eventually became her role.

As Head of the Regional Network, she supports more than 230 volunteer Regional Contacts across 36 U.S. states and 34 countries, and leads global leadership gatherings, including the Burning Man European Leadership Summit. She also co-led 25 to Thrive: Regional Network Evolution, a strategic initiative to shape the network’s next chapter.

Her background spans sociology, marketing, communications, and event production, with experience across film, tech, and civil rights organizations – all of which she brings to the work of building and sustaining culture at a global scale.