A profile in June 2014 by the Dallas Observer reports Chang, who is described as once having "a flourishing career as an international pop singer," is the child of two Salvation Army officers. Brad Johansen Leaving NBC4 Columbus: Where Is the Anchor Going? 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. Chang was originally being considered for an even more senior government post in which she would have overseen the U.S. Agency for International Development's work in Asia. Chang has a daughter named Trinity from her previous marriage.[24]. She earns a six-figure salary in a bureau with a $6 million budget. A fake Time magazine cover with her face on it added credibility to her bio for at least some people who found it online. Chang also claimed to be a graduate of the United States Army War College National Security Seminar, a Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive in National and International Security, and a former International Security Fellow at New America. Mina Chang, a Trump . ", In the Trump administration, rapid turnover and uneven vetting instead creates opportunities for people who might not otherwise be considered, said Pfiffner. Since Chang's resignation, former colleagues, social acquaintances and government officials have reached out to NBC News, providing more information that helps explain how Chang made it as far as she did. She didnt give up singing entirely. Our goal with research is simple: if we can identify those who are most at risk, we can share this expert knowledge and employ development and advocacy efforts to help win the hearts and minds of these communities before radical groups are formed. [9], Prior to 2010, Chang performed as a pop singer, touring internationally and recording albums in both English and Korean. An old profile on her states that she split time between her pop star life and humanitarian work. Mina loves her position at State and decided to withdraw herself from the process to focus on stabilization operations. 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. She stepped down from her Dallas-based nonprofit. But it was discovered that Chang doesnt have an actual degree from Harvard, though she claims to be an alumna. The interviewer in the video told NBC News that Chang brought the fake cover to the interview to illustrate the significance of her work. WASHINGTON Mina Chang figured out how to work the levers in Dallas and in the nation's capital, making connections with key figures and cultivating an online image, until her overblown. Her prior experience includes roles in university admissions, event coordination, office management, staffing, and non-profit . "If you take a look at it, the vetting process for the White House is very good," the president told reporters. 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. "They could be partnering with another organization, but then they should say that and not claim those accomplishments as their own.". Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. Faculty Type. We are stronger, we are more determined, and we are forever dedicated to serve others and to make this world safer, from all threats, foreign and domestic. Charlotte Greco grew up in the Boston area and joined the Harvard Law School community in 2022 as the Program Manager for the Program on Biblical Law and Christian Legal Studies. For those who know us, for those who have overwhelmed us with your love and support, we thank you. For my unconquerable soul. W.E. Mina Chang, 35, was appointed the deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations in April. Mina Chang and Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, on June 6, 2018. "Most administrations are very thorough about that. Our research efforts blend together traditional approaches of a think tank with modern and future-leaning tools of a high-tech business intelligence firm. Marocco helped circulate her rsum and vouched for her as she sought out a post at State, three sources familiar with the matter said. The only educational institute NBC was able to find was not mentioned in Changs government biography, but was mentioned on her LinkedIn account. Mina Khalil Visiting Fellow. 3 credit (s) M, T 10:15am - 11:45am. However, I am not so constrained, and when I communicated with the reporter, I raised this issue with him, and asked him to expand the questions being directed towards me. https://www.exed.hbs.edu/advanced-management-program/. The Humanitarian UAV Network UAViators does not mention Chang or Linking the World on a list of advisers. It turns out that Chang does not hold a degree from Harvard and only attended a seven-week course at the institution in 2016. Chang seems to have followed in the footsteps of President Trump and fabricated a Time magazine cover of herself, which she showed off as a testimony to her work. Mou Abdou, Founder and Host of 33voices, Cover for the Observer 'People of the Year' Issue, In the third People Issue for the Observer Magazine, Linking the World CEO Mina Chang was named as one of the 'People of the Year.' McCaul, through a spokesperson, said he now has a different perspective on Chang's qualifications. "I signed an NDA regarding all conversations," she told NBC News. Shame on you NBC for not requiring your reporters to do basic research. Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, was also in attendance. Even a cursory online search would provide evidence of our activities since 2001, and I have summarized 2001 2015 here: https://www.linkingtheworld.org/ltw-brief-history-2001-2015. A lot of people are guilty of embellishing a detail or two on their rsum, but a top Trump administration official reportedly took it to a whole other level. Mina Chang Wiki Full Name: Mina Chang Nick Name: Mina DOB: 1984 Born: Washington, D.C. McCaul cited her experience as a "seasoned field practitioner" and her work in "academia." He is the founder of Nuru International, a social venture that primarily works in Kenya, Ethiopia, and the USA. Heres a glimpse of her approach to solving the worlds most pressing issues." "To not file with the IRS for three years is really being a scofflaw," Eve Borenstein, a lawyer with Harmon Curran law firm and a prominent expert on nonprofit tax law, told NBC News. He said, "I realized this is 100 percent bulls---. U.S. State Department official and former, Become a member to support the independent voice of Dallas [21][22] In response to the interviewer's question: "Here you are on Time magazine, congratulations! NBC News was unable to find any record of her or her organization ever testifying before Congress. By 2014, she had set up Linking the World under the umbrella of a local foundation in Dallas, according to the foundation. Mina Trinity Chang (born 1984) has deleted or switched to private her social profiles in the wake of the NBC News investigation. 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"How are they accomplishing so much without spending at least $10,000 in those countries? Editor Joe Tone introduces the issue writing, "Their stories, as usual, are paired with intimate portraits, this year from acclaimed photographer Can Turkyilmaz. Also Read:Douglas Emhoff Wiki, Facts To Know About Kamala Harris Husband. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Trump administration has consistently failed to thoroughly screen candidates for senior posts. I thank whatever gods may be. Tell me about this cover and how it came to be?" A deputy assistant secretary usually has a top secret security clearance. Shame on you every outlet that picked up this story without doing your own research and merely surmised the erroneous positions of the original. [13][18], On November 18, 2019, Chang resigned from her role at the United States Department of State. Chang says in her official biography that she is as an "alumna" of Harvard Business School. The fake Time cover is attributed to her job as the CEO of the nonprofit Linking the World, which seems to be relevant to her job in the State Department. She was being considered for an even bigger government job, one with a budget of more than $1 billion, until Congress started asking questions about her rsum. An old profile, published on the parenting website DFWChild,states that she has a degree in international development from the University of Hawaii. Mina Chang, the U.S. State Department's deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, is learning this lesson the hard way. The report highlights a 2017 video posted to Linking the Worlds website, which shows Chang being interviewed about the nonprofits work. There was one for the event production company she started at age 24, another site for her recording career. 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. An international K-pop singer! 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. Her Instagram account, with 42,000 followers, includes selfies with celebrities and Washington luminaries like former President Bill Clinton, retired Gen. David Petraeus, former Defense Secretary Bob Gates, Karl Rove, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Buzz Aldrin. 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. ", In another speech in 2015 she told the story of a courageous woman in Myanmar, adding, "We hired her to set up a mobile library in Myanmar." Attorneys/ Law Firms Search; Newest Law Firms and Attorneys; Law School Alumni Search; . Click here to read the latest CNN article. Animals and Pets Anime Art Cars and Motor Vehicles Crafts and DIY Culture, Race, and Ethnicity Ethics and Philosophy Fashion Food and Drink History Hobbies Law Learning and Education Military Movies Music Place Podcasts and Streamers Politics Programming Reading, Writing, and Literature Religion and Spirituality Science Tabletop Games . https://www.linkingtheworld.org/ltw-brief-history-2001-2015. Dailey, Changs former colleague at the nonprofit, said the group did operate in 40 countries over two decades, including when the organization was registered in South Korea. 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 about her education, charity work, and that she had appeared on a Time magazine cover. Research | Development | Advocacy Data-driven humanitarian initiatives in the context of national security. NBC has destroyed a good womans reputation, and an organization's good works. In a 2014 video she described her charity to a room full of Texas college students. As CEO of the NGO, Linking the World, her work expands the globe to alleviate suffering, inspire hope and to break the cycle of poverty thats impacting almost half the worlds population - or over three billion people. She often asked those who performed work for her to sign nondisclosure agreements, the former associates said. [5], In January 2017, Chang spoke at the Asia Society Texas Center's Women's Leadership Series as a featured guest. WASHINGTON A senior Trump administration official has embellished her rsum with misleading claims about her professional background even creating a fake Time magazine cover with her face on it raising questions about her qualifications to hold a top position at the State Department. Emeritus Professors. State Dept. Dont Miss:Chasten Glezman Wiki,Facts About Pete Buttigiegs Husband. By: Caroline John - Published: November 13, 2019 at 5:43 am | Last Updated: After crafting a public image as a humanitarian "thought leader" with help from paid media and public relations consultants, she ingratiated herself with prominent Republicans in Dallas and former military officers, former colleagues said. That bio is still posted on the State Departments website at the time of this publication. It reflects, and has always reflected, that Linking the World operates an in-country volunteer and donation model, that requires minimal U.S. staff and no local offices or employees. For example, Changs biography states that Mina is an alumna of the Harvard Business School, and a a graduate of the United States Army War College National Security Seminar. However, Chang actually only attended a seven-week course at Harvard in 2016 that does not offer a degree. To secure her job at the State Department in April, Chang leveraged social connections to senior officials who could help open the doors to the administration, including Brian Bulatao, a close friend and deputy to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; a State Department official and former defense contractor who she succeeded as deputy assistant secretary, Pete Marocco; and a congressional staffer for key GOP lawmaker Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, multiple sources said. He said he has resubmitted the forms and expects the "administrative issue" to be resolved soon. 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. Program Priorities; Pro Bono; Legal Aid Grants; Donate to Legal Aid; Search Website. Some required paying a steep fee. "The White House goes into very great detail 'Have you ever been divorced, have you ever been arrested?'" . Needless to say, all of this is raising a lot of questions about how exactly the Trump administration goes about vetting job candidates. MC . Mina obtained her position at the State Department on her own merit, at no time was Brian Bulatao part of her nomination / recruitment / review process. However, a spokesperson for Time confirmed to NBC News that the cover is not authentic.. So, shame on you Mr. De Luce. Before she resigned last week and took it down, her Facebook account had 77,000 followers. "We have operated schools, we have built schools in places like Afghanistan, Myanmar, Haiti, Kenya.". 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. "They want to see talented people with integrity appointed to senior positions. 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.. ", As to Chang's job history, he said, "I would expect that they would check all of the claims made in the bio, most of which would be relatively easy to check.". Chang does not cite any undergraduate degree in her biography, but her LinkedIn account mentions the University of the Nations, an unaccredited Christian school with volunteer teachers that says it has 600 locations "on all continents.". 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. When the 2010 Haiti earthquake struck, she decided against renewing her contract with her label and joined Linking the World as president and CEO. Her information from the State Department mentions she is an "alumna" of Harvard Business School. The organization then chose to cease development of the effort.. In addition to her event production company, she publicly claimed a connection to Vissero Partners LLC, a company that sought investments from wealthy foreign nationals who invest at least $250,000 in U.S.-based projects in exchange for visas through the federal EB-5 program. She didnt stop she faked her education and career status. After this, an enthusiastic fan online took one step further and used an app to make a fake magazine cover with Minas actual image superimposed on the cover andit wassubsequentlycirculatedonline. Emailus. official government biography were refuted. [2][11][12], On April 29, 2019, Chang was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations,[13] and stepped down from her president and CEO positions at Linking the World. IE 11 is not supported. Legal Guides; Lawyer Referral Service; Problem with a Lawyer; Attorney Profile. Mina Chang (born October 29, 1984)[1] is an American singer, activist, and former government official. She claimed to be an alumna of Harvard Business School, which the school verified as correct, through the completion of a non-degree certificate course. So apparently if you want a job with the Trump administration you make Fake News literally. This is the world we so desperately need to counteract. Dailey said the organization did submit its tax forms but that the IRS could not locate them. 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. Turner High School, Rep. Nate Schatzline, Under Fire for 'Drag' Video, Accused of 'Doxxing' Keller ISD Mom, A Carrollton High School Claims Employee Gave Student Prescription Drugs, Texas Bill Would Make Illegal Voting a Felony, City Council To Discuss Allowing Neighborhoods To 'Opt-In' for Short-Term Rentals in Dallas. Im proud that we have achieved so much, with so little except the love and time of our volunteers and supporters around the world. 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. The research efforts we employ consist of utilizing a resiliency index in combination with big data to identify vulnerable communities at risk for violent extremism. Changs nomination to the USAID job, which would have required Senate confirmation, was withdrawn on Sept. 9 without public explanation, after the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations asked her for more documents and details about her nonprofit organization and her work experience. Ian Dailey, former chief of staff of Linking the World, defended how the organization has presented itself publicly. Her bio from 2013 read: "Her desire to alleviate suffering and inspire hope and joy around the world motivated her to retire from the music industry in order to work full time with disaster response teams and Linking the World.". Her Instagram account shows international food donations featuring Linking the World logos. Link copied Nov. 18, 2019, 10:50 PM UTC . After obtaining our data and analyzing it, we go a step further than a traditional think tank by actively engaging and working with partners on the ground to effectuate long lasting change. 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. "[7][3], Mina Chang is married to Jake Harriman. Linking the World was the first international NGO to receive such an exemption. While Chang was listed in public records as a "managing member" of another company called "Concinnity Management," she failed to disclose that on a financial disclosure form filed in 2018 to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. 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."