Biography: Carl Chan, Executive Director

Mr. Carl K. Chan is the executive director of the Commission. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mr. Chan is a former senior Foreign Service officer. His foreign postings included Israel, where he was press attaché and embassy spokesman; Pakistan, where he was cultural attaché; and China, where he reestablished the United States Information Service (USIS) operations in the city of Guangzhou after a 33-year hiatus. 

He also did press and cultural work in Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. In domestic assignments, he worked on international trade and security issues and served as a member of the Foreign Service Board of Examiners, which administers the Oral Examination to Foreign Service officer candidates. 

Before entering the Foreign Service, Chan was a radio and television writer and producer. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Dakota and a master’s degree from Northwestern University, both in mass communications.