Ben Chang Email & Phone Number

Currently returning to my roots in international affairs, I am helping position and promote the Council on Foreign Relations – the premier foreign policy think tank in the United States – its experts, and its products as the VP of Global Communications as we expand the Council’s reach and seek to have an even greater impact.I arrived at the Council with a foundation in public service, having served in the State Department’s Foreign Service for almost two decades, with postings overseas and in the White House National Security Council and U.S. Mission to the United Nations across three presidential administrations.As the son of Chinese immigrants, I was instilled at a young age with a sense of the principles and promise of the United States – that in turn has fueled my drive to communicate about those values, whether in government, the private sector, or higher education.Previously, I worked in higher education, helping lead communications at Columbia and Princeton, serving as spokesperson and cultivating diverse teams overseeing media relations, executive positioning, social media and content channels, as well as building internal communications capacity. I helped lead institutional response through several crises of intense national and international focus, from COVID-19 and college rankings to affirmative action and war in the Middle East.During my tenure as an FSO, I served as the senior advisor for strategic planning and crisis communications at the State Department, spearheading the creation of a new crisis communications capacity. While in the White House, I served as the NSC director for press and communications, engaging with U.S. and international media and preparing and executing communications plans in support of presidential initiatives, working across the full range of national security agencies.I also honed my communications skills in the private sector while remaining mission-driven. As a managing director in the Public Affairs and Crisis Practice of Burson-Marsteller, I focused on expanding the firm’s engagement with foundations and non-profits.A graduate of Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, I serve on the board of directors of Global Ties U.S., the country’s largest and longest serving citizen diplomacy network supporting international exchange across the United States. I also sit on the board of the Council for a Livable World and am co-chair emeritus of Meridian International Center’s Rising Leaders Council. Alongside my professional pursuits, I am an active DJ, photographer, and soccer fan.

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  Georgetown University School Of Foreign Service

  International Secuity, Justice & Peace Studies