An NBC News investigation discovered that Mina Chang, who is currently an official with the State Department, not only made some misleading claims in her CV, she also faked a Time magazine cover of herself. We believe funding to counter violent extremism must specifically target the root drivers of instability; - Advocating for wide-scale collaboration between diplomatic, political, and military arms of the US government in order to ensure partner governments uphold their commitments and continue to build trust by investing in marginalized and vulnerable communities; - Assisting the US government and lawmakers in updating mandates and priories that are currently in existence in regards to multilateral institutions and platforms that help to counter violent extremism. Similarly, the Army War College program she attended was a four-day seminar that does not have any graduates. Both institutions confirmed this. Mina Chang Assistant United States Attorney at United States Attorneys' Offices Henderson, Nevada, United States 240 followers 238 connections Join to connect United States Attorneys' Offices. She earns a six-figure salary in a bureau with a $6 million budget. Chang showed up with stuff to give out at a bunch of locations around . Meet The Trump Staffer Caught In A Web Of Resume Lies", "Senior Trump official embellished rsum, had face on fake Time cover", "State Department staffer resigns after allegations she inflated her resume", "Trump names Korean-American woman as USAID assistant administrator", "Singer-Turned-Activist Mina Chang Now Faces the Biggest Challenge of Her Life", "Senior Trump admin official Mina Chang resigns after NBC News report", "Mina Chang falsified resume with UH degree", "How did Mina Chang get a State Department job in the first place? After publication of this article, Linking the World removed the "Donate" button and the video with the TIME cover from its website. Showing 115 results . Mina Chang sports a subtle smile on the cover of a Time magazine "Special Edition," with a swaggering headline that reads, "We change the world: Modern humanitarian in the digital age." The. By first helping others recognize why a stable and strong America is vital for global security, we will be able to make the case for a proactive national security, defense policy, and foreign policy rather than the more traditional reactive approaches of the past. However, her LinkedIn profile provides details of her inflated career history. In fact, Chang attended a short course at Harvard Business School that costs $82,000, although it does allow those who take it to call themselves alumni. Ambassador to the Philippines? Several key claims in Changs official government biography were refuted. So happy to be with Mina Trinity Chang and Trinity. "She spent almost two decades building herself out of thin air.". According to papers from her divorce case in 2011, she was due to receive nearly $1,400 a month in child support and $500 in alimony per month for a year from her ex-husband, a real estate developer. Also Read:Melissa Cohen Wiki, Facts to Know About Hunter Bidens New Wife. U.S. State Department official and former, Become a member to support the independent voice of Dallas However, a spokesperson for Time confirmed to NBC News that the cover is not authentic.. Thats absolutely correct, in a year when we were pivoting our organization from extensive programming to becoming a thought-leader that tested cutting-edge technologies. Our belief is that these factors cause nations to weaken all the way down to the community level, which subsequently increases their likelihood of conflict and security challenges. Mina Malik is a Lecturer on Law and Senior Advisor to Harvard's Fair Punishment Project. Akin Gump is consistently ranked as one of the top government relations practices in Washington, D.C.both by publications and peersthe public law and policy practice draws on the considerable governmental and bipartisan political experience of their lawyers and advocacy professionals, including former Members of Congress, congressional staff and other lawyers with considerable experience in government service, many of whom also engage in outside political activities. The U.S. embassy in the Philippines at the time dismissed the rumor as inaccurate. There, Chang only listed the University of the Nations, an unaccredited Christian school born out of their Youth With a Mission movement that, according to its website, was founded to train students in ministering the love of Christ and teaching others according to the command of Christ to make disciples of all nations.. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Peer Reviews . Our aim is to ensure lessons are being learned, innovation is prioritized, and the true reality of violent extremist situations is being reported rather than political rhetoric and individual agendas. The nature of our work requires that our analytical and planning processes must encompass a careful evaluation of how governmentlocal, state, federal or internationalcan, should and will impact our desired objectives. Admission: 2017, New York. Her biography on the State Department website says she is a "graduate" of a program at the Army War College. If you choose to retract allegations that are patently false, e.g. "If you take a look at it, the vetting process for the White House is very good," the president told reporters. 3 credit (s) M, T 10:15am - 11:45am. Chang hired a succession of public relations consultants to help craft a convincing picture for her non-governmental organization, Linking the World, even though there was not much to go on. That does not make sense to me," said Jane Searing, an expert on nonprofit tax forms and an accountant at the accounting firm Clark Nuber in Washington state. In public remarks in 2015 she said her group worked in 40 countries: "We have in-house K9 search and rescue teams, we have testified in front of hearing committees on Capitol Hill, we've done things like lectured at West Point, brief chiefs of staff at the Pentagon.". In this politicized climate, if this is what we have become, then we have much work to do. Today, Chang's colleague Ian Dailey says the Dallas charity was spawned from a Korean international relief organization that worked in 40 countries and started in 1998. Facebook banner picture for defense contractor Automotive Management Services(AMS) featuring Mina Chang. Mina Chang, the 35-year-old deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stability Operations, allegedly falsely claimed she was a Harvard Business School graduate . The questions were not seeking to profile Mina or the organization, as any objective reporter would have done. [2][3], Chang, a Korean-American,[4] claims to be the child of two Salvation Army officers and allegedly spent her childhood in Atlanta. Mina E. Khalil is a legal and social historian of the modern Middle East. Our advocacy strategy is composed of creating awareness and promoting common-sense policies, laws, and regulations across the legislative and executive branches of the US government. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. But there's no record backing up her claim and a source with knowledge of the matter said she was not part of the "panel," which was a single public roundtable. We create broad awareness of Americas unique role in the world. But wait, theres more: Chang was originally being considered for an even more senior government post in which she would have overseen the U.S. Agency for International Developments work in Asia. According to a wild report from NBC News,State Department deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Conflict and Stability Operations Mina Chang, 35, lied about graduating from Harvard and severely embellished her work experience as the CEO of a nonprofit organization called Linking the World. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. In past administrations, White House staff carefully checked a potential appointee's education and work bona fides, as well as any court cases or criminal records that could be damaging, said Pfiffner of George Mason. The charity responded, "No.". Ian Dailey, former chief of staff of Linking the World, defended how the organization has presented itself publicly. Harvard Business School spokesperson Mark Cautela said the school grants "alumni status" to anyone who attends certain executive education programs, even without having earned a degree there. So, in advance, I apologize for the length of what follows, but I want to address each point that has been raised, to the best of my ability. Her website conveyed dynamic activity and on-the-ground aid operations, even though the reality often had Chang traveling to a location on trips paid for by defense contractors, former colleagues said. She served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of State's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations from April 2019 until her resignation on November 18, 2019, after NBC News reported that she had falsified her resume with multiple false or misleading claims . "One of the great mysteries of life for me has always been the question of why bad things happen to great people? Surely, Im never one to question the work of God, still when I see the obstacles he puts in the path of someone like, Mina Chang, I become even more convinced that each such challenge is a window into a bigger opportunity. She is based in Washington. During the interview, the screen cuts to a shot of the magazine cover with Changs face on it as the interviewer asks her how [the cover] came to be.. After the cadet program collapsed, West Point asked Chang's charity to stop using West Point's logo and the logo of the academy's Center on Civil and Military Operations in her materials. But in Chang's numerous public speeches she did not mention the Korean organization, saying instead that she was CEO of an "international relief organization" based out of Dallas that works in 40 countries. She was an ambassador for Linking the World in Seoul, South Korea. Our research efforts blend together traditional approaches of a think tank with modern and future-leaning tools of a high-tech business intelligence firm. He was fired last year after a Washington Post report brought public attention to his meteoric rise. https://www.linkingtheworld.org/hill-briefings, Episode On 33voices, Inc. with Moe Abdou, Like all admired leaders, she anticipates that problems in the world will never cease, they will only change; and its how you respond to them that will determine your fate. IE 11 is not supported. Simply, LtW was first founded in South Korea, so that time period would not be covered by U.S. IRS reporting. Well, we started using drone technology in disaster response and so that was when the whole talk of how is technology being used to save lives in disaster response scenarios, I suppose I brought some attention to that, Chang responded. Posted by Rick Allen onFriday, June 22, 2018, Posted by Jake Harriman onSunday, January 21, 2018. Nationality: American Religion: Christianity Famous for: Deputy Assitant Secretary, Singer, Activist and Former Chief Execuitve Officer. Rest assured, we will not stop our work, whether that be at the State Department, Linking the World, or as individuals. https://www.linkingtheworld.org/ltw-brief-history-2001-2015. A potential political appointee to a State Department post is vetted by the department, including an elaborate questionnaire, before the White House ever screens the candidate. Minas resume, profiles, and statements have been reviewed by 4 separate bodies, including the FBI and State Department Investigators. Click here to read the latest CNN article. She was raised in inner-city Atlanta, which shaped her beliefs about the importance of education. Farayi Chipungu, Scott Westfahl. She lived in an affluent neighborhood in Dallas in a high-end apartment building, former colleagues and acquaintances said. To provide some context, State Department officials are not allowed to respond to reporters, regardless of the content of the stories being published. I can also confirm that no donations were received / accepted over the notification period. You wonder why the media isnt trusted? Peter Chang #245846 License Status: Active Address: 8251 La Palma Ave, # 414, Buena Park, CA 90620-3205 Phone: Not Available | Fax: Not . Some required paying a steep fee. We must continue to work together, sharing information and acting as leading voices to elevate diplomacy and development alongside defense to build a stronger, better, and safer world for all. There was one for the event production company she started at age 24, another site for her recording career. Again, anyone who reviewed her recent past, with work in Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Somalia, would know that this decision makes absolute sense. Mina Chang Claims She Is a Harvard Alumna Mina Trinity Chang (born 1984) has deleted or switched to private her social profiles in the wake of the NBC News investigation. Briefings on the Hill are not verifiable. Simply, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been rather busy with other activities and all nominees were subject to extensive delays. Susan Posnick and other people who came into contact with Chang over the years said they had lingering suspicions about how she promoted and presented herself, and wondered when things would catch up with her. In April 2019, she assumed office as the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Departments Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. Chang did not respond to a request for comment. Mina has never claimed to have a degree from Harvard. "It was like trying to weave a narrative out of whole cloth," said someone familiar with Chang's nonprofit. She has spoken about her work at various events, including D Magazines D CEOs 2017 Womens Leadership Symposium. . Attending SMU, we will be following up with that institution, as we have pictures of Mina receiving her certificate of completion from the Center of Non Profit Management. A senior State Department official in President Donald Trumps administration reportedly landed the role after falsifying numerous aspects of her professional and educational background, including creating a fake Time magazine cover with her face on it. . Mina Chang on Geospatial Intelligence in Proactive Development GEOINT 2018 Keynote Speaker Read the article here: http://trajectorymagazine.com/marshaling-data-for-the-greater-good/ The annual GEOINT Symposium is the nation's largest gathering of industry, academia, and government to include Defense, Intelligence and Homeland Security Communities as well as commercial, Fed/Civil, State and Local geospatial intelligence stakeholders. Brian Bulatao, a top figure in the State Department and longtime friend of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, attended a fundraiser for her nonprofit in Dallas and once donated $5,500 to her charity, according to a former colleague of Chang's. But before her humanitarian and government career, she was a singer. Tax filings for her nonprofit show an organization with a budget of less than $300,000, and few staff, despite her statements about the vast scope of her group's work. According to a wild report from NBC News, State Department deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Conflict and Stability Operations Mina Chang, 35, lied about graduating from Harvard and severely embellished her work experience as the CEO of a nonprofit organization called Linking the World. Since this news broke, the Donate button on the site has been turned off and any sign of the fake cover has been taken down. Faculty Type. Marocco, who served in the Marine Corps, is now at the Pentagon as senior official overseeing Africa affairs. Chang, who resigned after NBC News revealed holes in her rsum, had ties to two State Department officials and a staffer for Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas. Tell me about this cover and how it came to be?" Year of First Admission: 2017. She stepped down from her Dallas-based nonprofit. It . Marocco helped circulate her rsum and vouched for her as she sought out a post at State, three sources familiar with the matter said. That year the organization reported to the IRS that it had only one employee. Discussion with Assistant", "Who Is Mina Chang? She also showed up at a 9/11 commemoration that McCaul attended and had coffee with members of the lawmaker's staff, the sources said. A former West Point faculty member and a source familiar with the matter said the program was quickly scrapped, after it became apparent the nonprofit was not doing much work and the interns were sitting in a mostly empty office. Dailey said the organization did submit its tax forms but that the IRS could not locate them. Brad Johansen Leaving NBC4 Columbus: Where Is the Anchor Going? The month and date can be found on this Instagram picture published by Chang on her birthday: Last edited on 20 November 2022, at 22:14, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, United States Agency for International Development, United States Ambassador to the Philippines, "Mina Chang on Instagram: "Spent my birthday at Stanford University giving remarks about the importance of resiliency and positive peace. At first glance, Changs body of work appears impressive. . https://www.exed.hbs.edu/advanced-management-program/. To suggest that we didnt file is incorrect. She told an audience in 2014 that she worked with world leaders, saying, "Linking the World provides hunger relief medical aid, we have operated schools, we have built schools in places like Afghanistan, Myanmar, Kenya, Haiti. To be clear, we have operated in 43 countries, built schools, medical clinics, and countless other activities serving thousands upon thousands of those most in need. That issue related to receipt of our 2016 and 2017 returns. [9] NBC News accused her of falsely claiming to be a former chief of staff of a nonprofit (INGO), to have had a role on a UN panel, and to have appeared on the front cover of Time magazine. At the time, Chang had multiple websites promoting her work. Chang also failed to mention that her non-profit had its status revoked. Update your Profile ; Education & Credentials. She says she "addressed" both the Democratic and Republican national conventions in 2016, but videos and documents show she instead spoke at separate events held in Philadelphia and Cleveland during the same time periods. The gap between Chang's actual qualifications and her claims appears to be the latest example of lax vetting by the Trump administration, which has become known for its many job vacancies and appointments made without thorough screening. After Ratcliffe's nomination flamed out, Trump defended his administration's screening of job candidates, saying the news media helped the White House filter nominees. The report accused Chang of lying about graduating from Harvard, lying about a position she held at the. We take real scenarios based on concrete data to address the root drivers of instability and to effectuate action. Another NDA was signed by a freelance journalist who was planning to accompany Chang on a 2015 trip to Afghanistan that was sponsored by the defense contractor AMS. When Chang was mentioned as a possible candidate for ambassador to the Philippines in local media in Manila, newspapers wrote incorrectly that she was a "Harvard graduate." She was appointed to the State Department post in the interim. Mina Chang, US State Department deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, has extensive experience in conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia. "[7][3], Mina Chang is married to Jake Harriman. I thank whatever gods may be. "Well, we started using drone technology in disaster response and so that was when the whole talk of how is technology being used to save lives in disaster response scenarios, I suppose I brought some attention to that," Chang said. NBC has destroyed a good womans reputation, and an organization's good works. The Time cover is not the most serious fabrication of Changs accomplishments. In a 2017 video posted on her nonprofit's website, Chang can be heard describing her work while a Time magazine cover with her face on it scrolls past. In retrospect, she should have clarified the origins of the coverin that moment, instead, she answered the question she was posed, more broadly. Heres a glimpse of her approach to solving the worlds most pressing issues. Ari Sen is a freelance journalist and former investigative unit intern at NBC News currently studying at UC Berkeleys Graduate School of Journalism. Mina Chang Net Worth Estimated Net Worth of her is $600k USD as of 2019. The spokesman also said that the State Department vetted her background, approved her security clearance along with the FBI, and signed off on her bio for the department's website. [2][17][18] The NBC News report also states that she claimed to have spoken at both Democratic and Republican national conventions, and that her resume implies she had testified before Congress. Chang's trips to conflict areas in Afghanistan and Iraq were paid for by the defense contractor AMS. [5], In January 2017, Chang spoke at the Asia Society Texas Center's Women's Leadership Series as a featured guest. Link copied Nov. 18, 2019, 10:50 PM UTC . Her information from the State Department mentions she is an "alumna" of Harvard Business School. Pierre-Yves Daygot, an artist whose work depicts paintings of individuals superimposed on popular magazine covers, created a piece with her on a Time Magazine cover and sent it to her, and was commissioned, unknowingly, by a friend Olivier Chavy. The event will featured leaders from government, military, journalism, academia, and the private sector exploring questions of international security and defense, bringing together interdisciplinary experts working to develop new paradigms for understanding and addressing the changing nature of armed conflict and systematic violence.====================================New America is dedicated to the renewal of American politics, prosperity, and purpose in the digital age through big ideas, technological innovation, next generation politics, and creative engagement with broad audiences. ", In the Trump administration, rapid turnover and uneven vetting instead creates opportunities for people who might not otherwise be considered, said Pfiffner. Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime.