Chang eyed as next US envoy to Philippines

MANILA, Philippines —  The second female United States ambassador is expected to be named as Washington’s next top diplomat in the Philippines.

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 and Nigeria. She is reportedly the choice to succeed US Ambassador Sung Kim.

Chang will be the second female US ambassador to the Philippines after former counselor of the State Department Kristie Kenney, who served as ambassador to Manila from 2006 to 2009. Prior to joining the bureau, Chang served as chief executive officer of an international non-government organization (INGO).

“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 drivers of instability and direct development initiatives to address critical vulnerabilities that non-state actors exploit to further their agenda,” the State Department described Chang’s INGO in its website.

The State Department added that Chang has been an advocate for proactive stabilization as a strategic tool of foreign engagement and an investment in a stronger America abroad.

She is an alumna of the Harvard Business School, a graduate of the US 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. 

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 served as Civil-Military UN-CMCoord Advisor contributing to the current Common Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Standards.

She was appointed by the United Nations to serve on the Expert Panel for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Humanitarian Response.