History of Mina Chang in Timeline

Mina Chang is a former US government official who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. Her tenure ended abruptly in November 2019 following a scandal involving fabrications on her resume. NBC News reported that Chang had made false claims about her education, charitable work, and even an appearance on a Time magazine cover. The controversy also revealed her charity had lost its non-profit status, a detail omitted from her resume.

October 29, 1984: Birth of Mina Chang

Mina Chang was born on October 29, 1984.

2010: Mina Chang Transitions From Pop Singer to Humanitarian Work

Before 2010, Mina Chang was a pop singer touring internationally. After 2010, she shifted her focus to humanitarian work, which led her to join "Linking the World".

2012: Mina Chang's Involvement With "Linking the World" Deepens

Between 2012 and 2014, Mina Chang became the president and CEO of "Linking the World", relocating its offices to Dallas.

May 2014: Mina Chang's Educational Claims Disputed

In May 2014, Chang's claims of holding a degree in international development from the University of Hawai'i were publicly disputed by the university. While she attended the University of the Nations, it is unaccredited.

2014: Mina Chang Assumes Leadership at "Linking the World"

By 2014, Mina Chang had solidified her role as the president and CEO of the nonprofit "Linking the World".

January 2017: Mina Chang Presents Fabricated TIME Magazine Cover

During a January 2017 interview for Houston Community College's "Global Outlook", Mina Chang displayed a fabricated TIME magazine cover featuring herself, falsely claiming it was genuine and discussing her alleged contributions to disaster response using drone technology.

January 2017: Mina Chang Speaks at Asia Society Texas Center

Mina Chang was a featured guest at the Asia Society Texas Center's Women's Leadership Series in January 2017, where writer Kimberly Chuck referred to her as a "renowned humanitarian".

January 16, 2019: Mina Chang Nominated for USAID Role

On January 16, 2019, the Trump administration nominated Mina Chang for the position of Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.

April 2019: Mina Chang Appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary

Mina Chang was appointed as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations in April 2019.

April 29, 2019: Mina Chang Appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary, Steps Down From "Linking the World"

Mina Chang was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations on April 29, 2019, leading her to step down from her positions at "Linking the World".

July 2019: Speculation Surrounds Mina Chang's Potential Ambassadorship

In July 2019, there was speculation that Mina Chang might become the next United States Ambassador to the Philippines, but this did not materialize.

September 9, 2019: Mina Chang's USAID Nomination Withdrawn

Mina Chang's nomination for the USAID Assistant Administrator role was withdrawn on September 9, 2019.

November 12, 2019: NBC News Reports on Mina Chang's Resume Embellishments

On November 12, 2019, NBC News published a report revealing that Mina Chang had embellished her resume with misleading claims about her professional background prior to joining the U.S. Department of State, including false claims of appearing on the cover of TIME Magazine.

November 18, 2019: Mina Chang Resigns

On November 18, 2019, Mina Chang resigned from her position as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations after allegations of resume falsification surfaced.