She stepped down from her Dallas-based nonprofit. In 2015, her charity received tax exempt status from the IRS, according to public records. 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. Dallas' independent source of 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. As an example of the support Akin Gump provides to Linking the World, the firm petitioned the FAA for our Section 333 Exemption, which qualifies us to fly UAVs in domestic airspace in support of disaster operations. Showing 115 results . 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. 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. [5] In a May 2014 interview, Chang claimed to hold a degree in international development from the University of Hawaii, concentrating on mission work and aid practices. Her Instagram account, which has 44,000 followers, was filled with pictures of her with big names in national security and politics like former CIA director and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, retired Gen. David Petraeus and former President George W. Bush's adviser Karl Rove. One such thing she claimed is having been on a U.N. panel discussing the use of drones in humanitarian efforts. Whatever her qualifications, Chang had a key connection in the Trump administration. "I'm someone who gives someone the benefit of the doubt but everyone around me was questioning it," Posnick said. My hope is that youll re-read that article now, and see it for what it is, a classic hit-job.I received some of that reporters questions, and it was clear from the outset, that he had already made up his mind. Writer Kimberly Chuck called Chang a "renowned humanitarian". But he added that Bulatao had no role in the organization. Unlike the path that other humanitarians typically follow, Chang pursued connections with military contractors. She was appointed to the State Department post in the interim. Both groups bestow membership through fees, according to Scott Gerber, the CEO of the Community Company, who manages both organizations. Simply, LtW was first founded in South Korea, so that time period would not be covered by U.S. IRS reporting. Fifteen years ago Mina Chang lived in Dallas and went by her first name, Sharon, attending a flurry of charity events and making social connections with affluent Republicans and retired military officers working in the defense industry. 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. A deputy assistant secretary usually has a top secret security clearance. Mina did not invent a role on a U.N. panel. Chang has denied having any role in creating the magazine cover and her spokesperson said an "enthusiastic fan" created the picture and circulated it online. Her resume was a shining list of stellar credentials, even including a Harvard diploma. Chang also failed to mention that her non-profit had its status revoked. Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, was also in attendance. In her State Department post, Chang, 35, from Dallas, helps oversee efforts to prevent conflicts from erupting in politically unstable countries. President Trump was found to have fake copies of himself on the cover of Time hanging in at least five of his golf clubs. Update 11/14: I can imagine an independent person reading this and wondering who is telling the truth, how can these media organizations get it so wrong? Mina Chang, 35, the deputy assistant . McCaul, through a spokesperson, said he now has a different perspective on Chang's qualifications. The Womens Leadership Steering Committee is chaired by Dr Anne Chaoand Paula W Hinton. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. While not a paid position, the fellowship provided her a credible platform and a title that could be listed on her rsum and open more doors. The State Department vetting is supposed to examine tax returns, any unexplained wealth, social media accounts, the status of domestic staff, any inappropriate or worrisome track record in the workplace and any potential questions about integrity, said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, former director general of the foreign service and director of personnel at the State Department. 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. Chris Riva Leaving FOX19 NOW: Where Is the Cincinnati Anchor Going? Nationality: American Religion: Christianity Famous for: Deputy Assitant Secretary, Singer, Activist and Former Chief Execuitve Officer. 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. Ambassador to the Philippines? "It was like trying to weave a narrative out of whole cloth," said someone familiar with Chang's nonprofit. The Dallas residents LinkedIn mentions that she studied Development/Aid Practices at the University of the Nations, Executive Nonprofit Leadership at Southern Methodist University, Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, and National and International Security at the Harvard Kennedy School. Update your Profile ; Education & Credentials. "But you're part of the vetting process, you know? 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. https://www.exed.hbs.edu/advanced-management-program/. 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. Attorneys/ Law Firms Search; Newest Law Firms and Attorneys; Law School Alumni Search; . Tell me about this cover and how it came to be?" [5] During this time she did volunteer work in relief efforts, which led to her joining the Korea-based nonprofit "Linking the World". But she had no track record in academia or published research. While I share her beliefs and passions, Im far more willing to confront those with naive and ill-informed positions. 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. He is the founder of Nuru International, a social venture that primarily works in Kenya, Ethiopia, and the USA. He said he has resubmitted the forms and expects the "administrative issue" to be resolved soon. 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. The interviewer in the video told NBC News that Chang brought the fake cover to the interview to illustrate the significance of her work. Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime. Posted by Sony Chang onSunday, June 16, 2019. The program permits people who have finished the program to call themselves alumni, and creates an opportunity for them to tap into the Harvard alumni network. She was writing songs for other artists before she was signed to a label and recording albums in both English and Korean. My superiors at the Department refused to defend me, stand up for the truth or allow me to answer the false charges against me. By the time Rep. McCaul issued the recommendation letter, Chang's nomination was moving ahead thanks to her own contacts in the administration, said a spokesperson for the congressman, Kaylin Minton. She was raised in inner-city Atlanta, which shaped her beliefs about the importance of education. I will no longer participate in this grievous misrepresentation, where the truth is discarded for spin. 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. November 13, 2019 The McCaul staffer "was one of many social connections she had in D.C., and she was well on the way to obtaining a position when the letter was sent," Minton said. This is the world we so desperately need to counteract. 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.. 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. ", Mina Chang with Natalie Solis of Fox 4 News discussing the Boko Haram and her recent participation at the World Economic Forum, ABC award winning host Melanie Lawson and Mina Chang interview. 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. At one of those events he bid on an auction item, which accounts for the donation in its totality," Dailey told NBC News. Two Other Money Laundering Indictments Unsealed as Part of Operation "Phantom Bank" Federal authorities today arrested 11 defendants named in a sweeping racketeering indictment alleging a series of money laundering schemes that revolved around the former head of Saigon National Bank, based in Westminster, California, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice . After hearing concerns from a cadet working as an intern at the nonprofit, the faculty member, who did not want to be identified, looked up the organization's website and concluded the charity was not worthy of a West Point association. 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. State Dept. Dailey said the organization did submit its tax forms but that the IRS could not locate them. This . The Panel in question was the Expert Panel for Humanitarian UAVs convened on November 14, 2014 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. An old friend who knew her in Dallas and did not want to be named said, "It's like Leonardo DiCaprio in that movie 'Catch Me If You Can,' I've been saying that for years," she said. Mina Chang, the deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stability Operations, falsely claims to be a Harvard grad, and exaggerated the scope of her. An NBC News investigation found that Mina Chang, the deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stability Operations, has inflated her educational achievements and exaggerated the scope of her nonprofit's work. Dan De Luceis a reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit. While advocacy efforts include making our opinion known in regards to proposed policies, laws, and regulations, we also promote very specific policies. Details about Chang's nonprofit and how it operated remain unclear partly because at least three former contacts told NBC News they could not speak due to nondisclosure agreements they were required to sign. At first glance, Chang's body of work appears impressive. Marocco declined to comment through a Pentagon spokesperson. Government watchdogs, former officials and members of Congress have accused the White House of failing to thoroughly vet appointees and nominees for senior-level offices. Photo blurred by NBC News. He founded Nuru International. Discussion with Assistant", "Who Is Mina Chang? Anyone that clicked the donate button received a personalized message, that clearly outlined our position, and the IRS regulations about donations under those circumstances, such that donors/supporters were fully informed. "They want to see talented people with integrity appointed to senior positions. She also established contacts with the U.S. military. 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." We take real scenarios based on concrete data to address the root drivers of instability and to effectuate action. This discovery raises questions about her qualifications to work in the U.S. State Departments Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. Law School Regulation; Access to Justice. Pfiffner said. Also Read:Melissa Cohen Wiki, Facts to Know About Hunter Bidens New Wife. "She spent almost two decades building herself out of thin air.". I thank whatever gods may be. Simply, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been rather busy with other activities and all nominees were subject to extensive delays. Farayi Chipungu, Scott Westfahl. ", In the Trump administration, rapid turnover and uneven vetting instead creates opportunities for people who might not otherwise be considered, said Pfiffner. Henley. Her Instagram account shows international food donations featuring Linking the World logos. https://www.linkingtheworld.org/ltw-brief-history-2001-2015. Shame on you every outlet that picked up this story without doing your own research and merely surmised the erroneous positions of the original. Research | Development | Advocacy Data-driven humanitarian initiatives in the context of national security. Chang claimed that she is "an alumna of the Harvard Business School" who has "addressed . Linking the World, and specifically Mina Chang attended the meetings on the Hill, to brief about our work, specifically proactive development, and the use of drone technology, you can find the schedule here https://www.linkingtheworld.org/hill-briefings. Career officials at the State Department and across the federal government take vetting seriously "because they care about maintaining a high standard for the civil service and the foreign service," Thomas-Greenfield said. Linking the World has never usedeither pieceandthey werenever part ofanymedia packageusedfor Mina. We have never inferred this was a real magazine cover, nor that we were the creator of it. (Photo by Chance Yeh/WireImage). Video from that time, posted on her YouTube page, promotes her holiday album. at 12:23 pm, Mina Chang attends 2017 Women's Entrepreneurship Day at The United Nations on November 17, 2017 in New York City. Mina Malik is a Lecturer on Law and Senior Advisor to Harvard's Fair Punishment Project. That issue related to receipt of our 2016 and 2017 returns. Mina has never claimed to have a degree from Harvard. She is not the first White House official to put their face on a fake Time magazine cover. But the program she attended was a four-day seminar on national security, according to the college. Daily said it is a small nongovernmental organization (NGO) that does not run large-scale programs, and instead tests new technologies including drones and new approaches to humanitarian relief. Tell me about this cover and how this came to be?" After publication of this article, Linking the World removed the "Donate" button and the video with the TIME cover from its website. As some of you will have seen, on November 13, NBC News published an article that questioned our former CEOs character, background and education, alongside the work of Linking the World. Facebook banner picture for defense contractor Automotive Management Services(AMS) featuring Mina Chang. The U.S. embassy in the Philippines at the time dismissed the rumor as inaccurate. He was fired last year after a Washington Post report brought public attention to his meteoric rise. It turns out that Chang does not hold a degree from Harvard and only attended a seven-week course at the institution in 2016. She showed up at international conferences, including a 2015 event in the German city of Stuttgart with defense contractors that carry out work in Africa. By 2014, she had set up Linking the World under the umbrella of a local foundation in Dallas, according to the foundation. 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. According to the university, Chang attended a seven-week course in 2016, and does not hold a degree from the institution. She did not end up going on the trip. We do not just provide rhetoric and philosophical thought; in fact, we go light on the philosophy. NBC reported last week that Chang had misleadingly claimed in her official bio that she was an "alumna" of Harvard Business School when in fact she only attended a seven-week course there.