Farewell to our CEO

Mina Chang appointed to Senior Executive post at State Department for Conflict and Stabilization Operations

Dallas (April 26, 2019) – Mina Chang, CEO of Linking the World, has been appointed to the United States Department of State as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO).

 CSO’s mission is to anticipate, prevent, and respond to conflict that undermines U.S. national interests. The Bureau implements this mission through data-driven analysis and forward deploying stabilization efforts to conflict zones. The objective is to inform U.S. strategy, policy, and programs on conflict prevention and stabilization.

In her new role, DAS Chang will be responsible for leading CSO East Asian and Pacific Affairs, South and Central Asian Affairs and African Affairs (EAP-SCA/AF) with focus on three key lines of effort: 1) political instability; 2) security sector stabilization; and 3) countering violent extremism (CVE). CSO collaborates with regional and functional bureaus, DOD, and USAID, and details stabilization advisors to posts and Geographic Combatant Commands (COCOMS) requiring specialized expertise.

She has extensive on the ground experience in conflict areas such as in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Nigeria, and the Philippines, designing and implementing strategies to address critical vulnerabilities that non-state actors exploit to further their agenda. She has been an advocate for proactive stabilization as a strategic tool of foreign engagement and an investment in a stronger America abroad. We are pleased to know that Mina will bring her experience and expertise to support the national security strategy.

Prior to joining the Bureau, Ms. Chang served as the Chief Executive Officer of Linking the World.  Under her leadership Ms. Chang transitioned the international organization from traditional humanitarian assistance to a more proactive methodology.  Applying insights gleaned from a broad range of civilian and military data sets, data analytics, social science and geo-spatial intelligence capabilities to identify and assist vulnerable communities, the organization worked to isolate root causes of instability, and direct development initiatives to remove exploitation points used by violent extremist groups.

Mina is an alumna of the Harvard Business School, a graduate of the Unites States Army War College National Security Seminar, a Harvard John F. Kennedy Senior Executive in National and International Security and a former International Security Fellow at New America.  Ms. Chang has been published in CNN, Fortune, Foreign Policy Journal, Forbes, Defense One and The Hill, writing on issues of policy, humanitarian aid, development, the application of emerging technologies and data science capabilities by the sector and its role in the context of national security and global stability.  She has addressed the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, as well as the United Nations, and has assisted in the development of academic programs tied to humanitarian aid and disaster response at the United States Department of Defense and the United States Military Academy at West Point.