About the Lecture

About the Speaker

Mina Chang is CEO of Linking the World. With extensive, on-the-ground experience in countries including Afghanistan, Somalia, and Iraq, Chang has experienced first-hand the toll conflict and instability takes on vulnerable communities.

Chang is an acknowledged thought leader who has been published in distinguished periodicals including Foreign Policy Journal, Forbes, the Huffington Post and as a guest contributor in The Hill. She has addressed assemblies at various foreign embassies, the Center for Peace, the United Nations, the Department of Defense, the United States Military Academy at West Point, and NATO.

Chang has been appointed by the United Nations to serve on the Expert Panel for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Humanitarian Response, as well as the advisory group tasked with creating Common Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Standards.

In 2015, Chang was named the UNESCO Cross-Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. Federation. She formerly served as a Fellow with the Center for the Study of Civil-Military Operations at West Point, assisting in the development of academic programs tied to the community of practice in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response.

The proud mother of a daughter, Chang resides in Dallas, Texas. Together they share their home with Rony, a retired 5-year-old Belgian Malinois “military working dog” adopted from U.S. Forward Operating Base Fenty in Afghanistan.

About the Moderator

ABC’s award-winning journalist Melanie Lawson currently serves as co-anchor of Live at 5, and Channel 13's midday show, Eyewitness News at 11am. Melanie has covered virtually every city, state, and national election during her career. She has traveled to Cuba, Panama, and Africa, among other places. She has won numerous awards for her reporting, including an Emmy for her coverage of President Clinton's visit to South Africa, the only local reporter in the nation to make that trip. Melanie has interviewed a wide range of notables, including three U.S. Presidents, Henry Kissinger, the Dalai Lama, poet Maya Angelou, Grammy Award winners Destiny's Child, and former heavyweight champion boxer George Foreman, among many others. She received her undergraduate degree in Politics from Princeton University, and a joint degree in Law and Journalism from Columbia University. She is admitted to both the Texas and New York State Bars.

About the Women's Leadership Series

The Women’s Leadership Series (WLS) celebrates influential, diverse women making a substantive impact in both the business and culture arenas, locally and globally.

Previous programs:

Women's Leadership Panel Addresses Female Representation in the C-Suite

Former Secretary of Labor Credits "Strong Families, Education, and Hard Work" For Success

Local Leaders Share Personal and Professional Successes at Inaugural Women's Leadership Program

The Women’s Leadership Series is made possible through generous support from presenting sponsors ExxonMobil, United Airlines, and Vinson & Elkins LLP. Lead funding provided by Nancy C. Allen, BP America, Inc; Nancy T. Chang; Anne and Albert Chao; Eagle Global Advisors; and Wells Fargo. Funding also provided by Cathay Bank; EastWest Bank; Dr. Alice Brams and Diana Sun; the Mandy Kao Foundation; Sultana and Moez Mangalji; Michelle and Catherine Herrera; Amegy Bank, and an anonymous Friend of Asia Society Texas Center.

The Women's Leadership Steering committee is chaired by Dr. Anne Chao and Paula W. Hinton. Members include Nancy C. Allen, Ming Chen Burdette, Donna Cole, Kathy Goossen, Michelle Herrera, Kay Ikawa, Mandy Kao, Rosine Matthews, and Y. Ping Sun. Henrietta Holsman Fore serves as an honorary member. Incoming FY17 – 18 Members: Shirley Kwan, Sultana Mangalji and Vani Rao.

Related Links

The Dallas Observer: Singer-Turned-Activist Mina Chang Now Faces the Biggest Challenge of Her Life
33 Voices: Mina Chang; Making an Impact