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. Pfiffner said. She would have been responsible for a budget of more than $1 billion. [10], On January 16, 2019, the Trump administration nominated Chang to be the Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. [21][22] In response to the interviewer's question: "Here you are on Time magazine, congratulations! This discovery raises questions about her qualifications to work in the U.S. State Departments Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. So apparently if you want a job with the Trump administration you make Fake News literally. Her biography on the State Department website says she is a "graduate" of a program at the Army War College. Mina Chang, 35, was appointed the deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations in April. Briefings on the Hill are not verifiable. On her path to Washington, Chang pushed some tenuous connections too far. 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. Before she resigned last week and took it down, her Facebook account had 77,000 followers. . 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. It. ", 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." Tell me about this cover and how this came to be?" 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. Chang did not respond to a request for comment. We have never inferred this was a real magazine cover, nor that we were the creator of it. We are proud and privileged for Akin's support on a pro-bono basis. 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. 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. The organization recently removed Chang's bio from its website noting, "The content of this page has been deleted due to questions raised about its accuracy.". Accordingly, Ms. Chang absolutely addressed convention attendees. The U.S. embassy in the Philippines at the time dismissed the rumor as inaccurate. Tell me about this cover and how it came to be?" The fake cover seems to highlight that side of her, with the main headline reading: We Change the World: Modern Humanitarian in the Digital Age., The cover was displayed in a video posted on the Linking the World website, featuring an interview of her talking about the organizations work and being featured on Time. By also researching the history of various regions and what has not worked, has not countered, and has not built resilience against violent extremism in the past, we can create solutions with the greatest probability of success. 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. Chang had no apparent ties to President Donald Trump's political campaign, but Brian Bulatao, a former West Point classmate and business partner of Secretary of State Pompeo, was invited to fundraising events for her charity, according to Ian Dailey, the former chief of staff of her nonprofit. Similarly, the program at the . Henley. [23], Chang's State Department biography remained unchanged following the NBC News report until it was removed on November 18, 2019. By: Caroline John - Published: November 13, 2019 at 5:43 am | Last Updated: President Trump was found to have fake copies of himself on the cover of Time hanging in at least five of his golf clubs. Mina E. Khalil is a legal and social historian of the modern Middle East. 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 has spoken about her work at various events, including D Magazines D CEOs 2017 Womens Leadership Symposium. Dailey said the organization did submit its tax forms but that the IRS could not locate them. For 2015, the organization listed spending just $44,645 on salaries but more than $60,000 on "advertising and promotion" and $50,298 on travel. At first glance, Chang's body of work appears impressive. Lecturers. Mina Chang, a Trump . She was an ambassador for Linking the World in Seoul, South Korea. She was being considered for another government position overseeing a major budget when Congress began asking about her rsum. 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. Mina has 1 job listed on their profile. 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. Michelle Muscatello Leaving WPRI: Where Is the Rhode Island Meteorologist Going? Whatever her qualifications, Chang had a key connection in the Trump administration. One House staffer who met her in Washington found the Time cover when Googling Chang's name and assumed it was real, "That made me think she was legit," the former staffer said. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Chang also failed to mention that her non-profit had its status revoked. 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. He started from a place of negativity. Peer Reviews . He was fired last year after a Washington Post report brought public attention to his meteoric rise. 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. Chang says in her official biography that she is as an "alumna" of Harvard Business School. Marocco declined to comment through a Pentagon spokesperson. "They want to see talented people with integrity appointed to senior positions. We have at least one geotagged photograph of Linking the Worlds participation on that Panel, along with its working documents. Our unique research efforts provide the accurate and tested knowledge necessary to then engage local, state, federal, and international stakeholders to promote our mission and to advocate for policies that will not only make our country safer, but will help lift up vulnerable communities abroad. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. MC . Another Carrollton Fentanyl Arrest and an On-Campus Overdose at R.L. Dan De Luceis a reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit. The only educational institute NBC was able to find was not mentioned in Changs government biography, but was mentioned on her LinkedIn account. 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. While I share her beliefs and passions, Im far more willing to confront those with naive and ill-informed positions. 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. [13][18], On November 18, 2019, Chang resigned from her role at the United States Department of State. We did file, and copies of those filings have been resent to the IRS. Mina Malik is a Lecturer on Law and Senior Advisor to Harvard's Fair Punishment Project. Mina Chang. The allegations against Chang, 35, first appeared in an NBC News report on November 12. In retrospect, she should have clarified the origins of the coverin that moment, instead, she answered the question she was posed, more broadly. Chang says in her official biography that she is as an "alumna" of Harvard Business School. NBC News also found that her claims that she addressed both the Republican and Democratic conventions in 2016 are false. State Department staffer got job with embellished resume, fake Time magazine cover. Mina did participate at both the RNC/DNC conventions through an event called Global Oval, one of many events that are side bars to the main convention. But it was discovered that Chang doesnt have an actual degree from Harvard, though she claims to be an alumna. Also Read:Douglas Emhoff Wiki, Facts To Know About Kamala Harris Husband. 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 . [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. Dont Miss:Ashley Biden Wiki,Facts About Joe Bidens Daughter. Marocco endorsed her for the job and McCaul wrote her a recommendation letter. Attorney at Law offices of Mina Chang Huntington Beach . "We have operated schools, we have built schools in places like Afghanistan, Myanmar, Haiti, Kenya.". At least one trip that yielded pictures of Chang in war-torn Kurdish areas was coordinated by the U.S.-Kurdistan Business Council, according to AMS company documents. Mina Chang, 35, the deputy assistant . Just before lunch, NBC News posted a triple-bylined investigative piece outlining how Chang. There was one for the event production company she started at age 24, another site for her recording career. She was appointed to the State Department post in the interim. Needless to say, all of this is raising a lot of questions about how exactly the Trump administration goes about vetting job candidates. Chang lists just $12,000 in income before she took the State Department job and listed no salary from her charity. A deputy assistant secretary usually has a top secret security clearance. Admission: 2017, New York. The index we have created monitors social, economic, political, and military indicators that also encompass demographic pressures, poverty, human rights, uneven economic development, state legitimacy, and the security apparatus. Chang also paid to be a member of Ellevate, a women's networking group, which helped Chang place articles promoting herself and her charity in Forbes and the Huffington Post, according to its marketing coordinator, Nazli Tamer. He said, "I realized this is 100 percent bulls---. But her focus soon shifted to presenting herself as a passionate humanitarian. She is not the first White House official to put their face on a fake Time magazine cover. An old profile on her states that she split time between her pop star life and humanitarian work. A 24-year-old former Trump campaign volunteer, Taylor Weyeneth, rose to a senior job in the White House drug policy office without any relevant professional experience. While advocacy efforts include making our opinion known in regards to proposed policies, laws, and regulations, we also promote very specific policies. 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. We pilot new technologies, testing their practicalities, and seek to identify the 'unintended consequences' that are rife in our industry," Dailey told NBC News. Chang, who assumed her post in April, also invented a role on a U.N. panel, claimed she had addressed both the Democratic and Republican national conventions, and implied she had testified before Congress. At a 2018 awards dinner of defense contractors in Washington, Chang made a point of introducing herself to an official who she eventually would succeed at the State Department as a deputy assistant secretary, said a source who attended the event said. Linking the World CEO, Mina Chang, was invited as the keynote speaker for the Women's Leadership Series at the Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theatre. ", 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.". I give out a name to the press, and they vet for me. Mina Chang Global Business Strategy, Senior Manager at CJ corporation South Korea CJ corporation, +5 more Yonsei University, +2 more Mina Chang Assistant United States Attorney at United States. "How are they accomplishing so much without spending at least $10,000 in those countries? . It turns out that Chang does not hold a degree from Harvard and only attended a seven-week course at the institution in 2016. Program Priorities; Pro Bono; Legal Aid Grants; Donate to Legal Aid; Search Website. (Photo by Chance Yeh/WireImage). "While Congressman McCaul offered a recommendation letter based on her previous work and advocacy on issues like global fragility and countering violent extremism, it is clear now she was not entirely forthcoming with the State Department and others," said Kaylin Minton, spokesperson for McCaul. Naval Academy and served in the Marine Corps. An old profile, published on the parenting website DFWChild,states that she has a degree in international development from the University of Hawaii. The Trump administration has faced criticism for its lax vetting, inadequate screening, and lack of thorough security clearance investigation of top officials. Mina Chang at Ground Zero event on Sept. 11, 2017. It . 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. Showing 115 results . official government biography were refuted. Chang's 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. Screenshot of Mina Changs Linked In Profile. 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. [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. [6] The university, however, publicly stated days later that it does not have a Mina Chang of her age in their records and does not offer a "degree in international development. Documents and videos prove she had spoken at separate eventsin Philadelphia and Cleveland during the same time as the conventions. Video from that time, posted on her YouTube page, promotes her holiday album. New York, NY 10036-6518; Peer Reviews. However, her LinkedIn profile provides details of her inflated career history. University Attended: Harvard Law School. Rest assured, we will not stop our work, whether that be at the State Department, Linking the World, or as individuals. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Chang's biography says she was part of a panel on drones in humanitarian relief efforts convened by the U.N. Featured in the issue are notable community leaders such as Police Chief David Brown, NHL athlete Jamie Benn, and Historian Bonnie Jacobs. Dont Miss:Britainy Beshear Wiki,New Kentucky Governor Andy Beshears Wife. Applying Adaptive Leadership to Thrive and Lead Change in Uncertain Times. Lax vetting, Mina has undergone 4 independent agency reviews, including the FBI, and ultimately garnered both Top Secret and Sensitive Compartmented Information clearances. 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. She has boasted about her work in multiple talks and speeches, which are shared on the website. I can also confirm that no donations were received / accepted over the notification period. "[7][3], Mina Chang is married to Jake Harriman. We take real scenarios based on concrete data to address the root drivers of instability and to effectuate action. As terrifying as that was, working with her nonprofit served as a distraction and it appears that she has overcome the disease. 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. Mina Khalil Visiting Fellow. 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. 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. View Mina Chang's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Mina loves her position at State and decided to withdraw herself from the process to focus on stabilization operations. 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. ", "Chang eyed as next US envoy to Philippines", "Trump official inflated rsum, report reveals and created fake Time cover", "Senior Trump official Mina Chang 'faked Time magazine cover and inflated claims in CV', "Unfortunately, I Love the State Department Scammer", "How To Tell a Fake TIME Cover From a Real One", "Global Outlook Interview with Mary Sit, January 2017", "Mina Chang Wiki, Age, Husband & Facts About the State Department Official with the Fake Time Cover", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mina_Chang&oldid=1122959723, This page was last edited on 20 November 2022, at 22:14. Mina Chang is a deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stability Operations (US Department of State) A senior State Department 's impressive resume appears. 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. Naval Academy and served in the Marine Corps. Chang was previously married. If you choose to retract allegations that are patently false, e.g. The organization's tax-exempt status was revoked by the IRS earlier this year. 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. But before her humanitarian and government career, she was a singer. "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. Shame on you every outlet that picked up this story without doing your own research and merely surmised the erroneous positions of the original. When asked about her comments, her former chief of staff, Ian Dailey, said the charity had one dog "onboarded" but the dog was "diagnosed with seizures" and "retired." She also established contacts with the U.S. military. 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. Harvard Law School Reunions Pound Hall 1563 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 617-384-9523 reunions@law.harvard.edu Register Today On this page On this page Up to date as of October 24, 2022 The names in this list are published by consent and, therefore, may not include all attendees Modal Gallery Chang touted her membership in the Young Entrepreneurs Club and the Forbes Nonprofit Council. 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. Mina Trinity Chang (born 1984) has deleted or switched to private her social profiles in the wake of the NBC News investigation. 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? Editor Joe Tone introduces the issue writing, "Their stories, as usual, are paired with intimate portraits, this year from acclaimed photographer Can Turkyilmaz. We create broad awareness of Americas unique role in the world. Mina Chang, who served as the deputy assistant secretary in the State Department 's Bureau of Conflict and Stability Operations, came under scrutiny last week after NBC News reported that she had misrepresented her academic credentials and created a fake Time magazine cover with her face on it. NBC has destroyed a good womans reputation, and an organization's good works. 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.. In April 2019, she assumed office as the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Departments Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. Similarly, the Army War College program she attended was a four-day seminar that does not have any graduates. Both institutions confirmed this. Marocco, who served in the Marine Corps, is now at the Pentagon as senior official overseeing Africa affairs. Click here to read the latest CNN article. "We are not implementers of programs. Chang received no compensation from the nonprofit, according to the group's tax filings. 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. McCaul cited her experience as a "seasoned field practitioner" and her work in "academia." The University of the Nations school she attended is an unaccredited institution with volunteer teachers in its branches all over the world. 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. Some required paying a steep fee. Im proud that we have achieved so much, with so little except the love and time of our volunteers and supporters around the world. So, to remove any and all suggestion of inappropriate action, the donation mechanisms have all been completely removed. But tax filings for her organization offer no concrete information about overseas projects and show a budget of less than $300,000 with a handful of staff. The questions were not seeking to profile Mina or the organization, as any objective reporter would have done. The Panel in question was the Expert Panel for Humanitarian UAVs convened on November 14, 2014 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Linking the World was the first international NGO to receive such an exemption. that she made up a [U.N.] panel, wasnt entitled to call herself an alumna of HBS, or actively brought a picture to an interview, then, perhaps, Ill consider participating in a fair process.". "Brian was one of approximately 400 to 500 individuals regularly invited to our fundraising events. 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 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. Mina Chang, the State Department's deputy assistant secretary to the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, has made misleading claims about her education at Harvard Business. [5] During this time she did volunteer work in relief efforts, which led to her joining the Korea-based nonprofit "Linking the World". Nationality: American Religion: Christianity Famous for: Deputy Assitant Secretary, Singer, Activist and Former Chief Execuitve Officer. 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 administration announced an intent to nominate her in late 2018. Have a tip we should know? Emeritus Professors. [2][3], Chang, a Korean-American,[4] claims to be the child of two Salvation Army officers and allegedly spent her childhood in Atlanta. "The White House goes into very great detail 'Have you ever been divorced, have you ever been arrested?'" 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. 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. But it's unclear precisely what contributions her organization made to relief efforts. We as a people need to be better than this, we need to hold reporters, politicians and ourselves to account. She has correctly stated that she is an alumnus of the school, and that is an absolute right conferred from the Advanced Management Program she attended, that is categorically proven by the Harvard Business School here: (https://www.exed.hbs.edu/advanced-management-program/). Mina Changs husband, Jake Harriman, is a graduate of the U.S. She stepped down from her Dallas-based nonprofit. Simply, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been rather busy with other activities and all nominees were subject to extensive delays.