Tell me about your business or specialty.
I wear a lot of different hats. I’m not sure I have one particular specialty but I do think of myself as a strategic thinker, and a lot of the work I do is in big-picture concepts, planning, and strategic communications. My professional expertise is in national security, defense policy, and intelligence, and I have regional expertise in East Asia, particularly China, and also in Afghanistan. My “business” broadly speaking is public service. Working for the public good and to create a better future is what inspires and motivates me, and has impelled my service in federal government, the military, academia, and my extensive volunteerism in a wide variety of non-profits and advocacy initiatives. Currently, I'm Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College.
How'd you get to where you are now?
By a path with a lot of zig-zags in it. With the larger intent of helping people from different backgrounds and cultures interact peacefully and enjoy learning from each other, my sense of adventure and duty and my desire to challenge myself have combined to lead me into a lot of fascinating situations.
I have lived all over the United States and also in Spain, China, Afghanistan, and Belgium. I have visited every continent except Antarctica. I have studied many languages. I did not have a specific plan for how I was going to accomplish my goals, but I knew the kinds of work and impact I wanted to have, and I jumped at unusual opportunities. For example, on a month’s notice I moved to a different continent in order to take a unique job that I felt was important. I had no idea where it might lead me afterwards - the job was only for one year. I think it’s imperative not to mistake the anxiety of uncertainty for actual risk. I would have missed out on a lot of formative experiences if I had allowed my nerves about lingering unanswered questions to dissuade me from saying yes to good opportunities. I think it’s in human nature to be risk averse, so we have to be deliberate and careful to overcome that instinct in situations where it holds us back from truly considering the merits of every possibility in front of us.
What surprises you in your work, now or in the past?
This is a hard one to answer. I am sure I have been surprised in my work many times. But I don’t tend to dwell on or study those moments – I am about getting things done, and ensure that regardless of surprises we keep moving forward. Remaining flexible and innovative is important so that surprises don’t turn into delays or roadblocks. Surprises aren’t necessarily good or bad (although I do love surprise parties!).
I guess if I have been surprised by anything, it is on those rare occasions when I encounter people who don’t think it is necessary to put forth their best effort in high-stakes or high-profile situations. It is impossible to be 100% all the time, but in key moments we should exert ourselves to put our best foot forward. I am surprised if people choose to put forward something lackadaisical instead. It is a strange choice to choose such a moment to represent yourself as lackluster, and also puts a huge burden on your colleagues who probably have to make up for your lack of effort at the last moment and without proper preparation.
Any other interests or pursuits (big or small)?
I love music and have belonged to many different choral groups throughout my life. I also play piano and love hosting Christmas caroling parties every December. I am an avid hiker and enjoy backpacking as well.
What drives you crazy?
I find myself becoming instantly indignant if someone expresses disrespect, directly or indirectly, towards me or a colleague. Disrespect can take many forms. It could be keeping someone waiting instead of starting or ending a meeting on time. It could be talking down to someone, or being condescending in some other manner, disregarding someone’s training and expertise. It could be rude behavior. We are all deserving of dignity – to have our own acknowledged and to see it in others.
Who inspires you? (it can be anybody you know, or don't know)
I am inspired by people who follow their passions, and by people who practice the virtue of selfless service. The former category includes artists, musicians, poets and also scholars and athletes – anyone who has a dream that they dedicate themselves to pursuing, even if it seems improbable or unlucrative. The latter category includes people who find their chief purpose in serving others – this includes teachers, members of religious orders, first responders, Red Cross volunteers, and many others.
You're a trailblazer - what are some career highlights to date?
I have been an unintentional trailblazer. I did not always realize that I was the first to do something. I didn’t wait to see if there was a precedent or other example - if I saw something interesting, I went in that direction and often ended up going places that nobody had gone before. I was the first person to major in Chinese language at Bard College. In my first job, as an English teacher at Zhongshan University in southern China, I founded the Foreign Teachers’ Association. I was the first Defense Intelligence Agency intern to serve overseas. I was hired as the inaugural Director of Strategy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. I am the first Chief of Staff at Bard College. A lot of my professional experience includes me developing new roles.
My favorite roles to date are: Officer in Charge of Analysis at the Joint Intelligence Operations Center-Afghanistan in Kabul and my current job as Chief of Staff and VP for Strategy and Policy at Bard College. Both jobs are multi-faceted, with new issues, challenges, and opportunities arising every day. They provide daily opportunities to meet new people and interact with an extensive international network of colleagues, and also to serve as the face of the organization.
Words of wisdom or advice...final thoughts, anything else?
It’s a beautiful world and we all have something unique to contribute.
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Malia K. Du Mont is Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College, where she also teaches political studies and leadership. Previously, she was co-president of Amur Equipment Finance. A national security and defense strategist, Malia has spent most of her career serving in policy and intelligence roles in the Pentagon and on deployment in Europe and Asia. She also previously managed executive programs at Harvard and worked as a Chinese military analyst at a think tank. Malia was the first person to earn a BA in Chinese language from Bard College. She also studied in the Hopkins-Nanjing program and earned a masters degree from Harvard Kennedy School. An Army Reserve officer and Afghanistan veteran, Malia chairs the NY-18 Veterans and Military Families Advisory Board for Congressman Pat Ryan, and serves on the boards of the American University of Afghanistan, Arts Mid-Hudson, and the World Affairs Council Mid-Hudson Valley. She is a frequent panelist on Northeast Public Radio/WAMC's The Roundtable morning program. You can find her online on LinkedIn.
(published 2024)
