Editing Elaine Chao (section)

===Post-Bush administration (2009–2017)===
In 2009, Chao resumed her previous role at a think tank,<ref name="know" /> and she contributed to [[Fox News]] and other media outlets.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/2016/11/29/85d42438-b64b-11e6-a677-b608fbb3aaf6_story.html|title=Trump picks Elaine L. Chao for transportation secretary|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 27, 2017|archive-date=March 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327173142/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/2016/11/29/85d42438-b64b-11e6-a677-b608fbb3aaf6_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

She also served as a director on a number of corporate and non-profit boards,<ref name=bb/><ref name=cepr>{{cite web|title=Elaine Chao: Director of the Day|url=http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/director-watch/elaine-chao|website=Center for Economic and Policy Research|access-date=February 18, 2015 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719072314/http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/director-watch/elaine-chao|archive-date=July 19, 2014}}</ref> including the [[Harvard Institute of Politics|Institute of Politics]] at [[Harvard Kennedy School]], [[Wells Fargo]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Elaine L. Chao, director since 2011 |url=https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate/boardofdirectors/chao|website=Wells Fargo|access-date=February 18, 2015|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310004319/https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate/boardofdirectors/chao|archive-date=March 10, 2015}}</ref> [[New York–Presbyterian Hospital]], [[News Corp]], [[Dole Food Company]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://investors.dole.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=231558&p=irol-govBio&ID=196144|title=Dole &#124; Company Info &#124; Biography |publisher=Dole|access-date=February 4, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712154659/http://investors.dole.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=231558&p=irol-govBio&ID=196144|archive-date=July 12, 2012}}</ref> and [[Protective Life Corporation]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.protective.com/about-us/board-of-directors.aspx |title=Protective Life: Board of Directors |publisher=Protective Life |access-date=February 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226113141/http://www.protective.com/about-us/board-of-directors.aspx|archive-date=February 26, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.gyro.com/#/igniting-now/news/bush-cabinet-member-will-advise-gyro | title= Bush Cabinet Member Will Advise Gyro | publisher= Gyro | access-date= February 4, 2012 | archive-date= January 25, 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210125054153/https://www.gyro.com/#/igniting-now/news/bush-cabinet-member-will-advise-gyro | url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Rick |last=Segal |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/gyro/2011/10/27/cmos-explore-work-life-balance-and-brands |title=CMOs Explore Work-Life Balance and Brands |work=[[Forbes]] |date=October 27, 2011 |access-date=February 4, 2012 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308101615/https://www.forbes.com/sites/gyro/2011/10/27/cmos-explore-work-life-balance-and-brands/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to financial disclosure forms, Chao was slated to receive $1–5{{spaces}}million as compensation for her service on the board of Wells Fargo.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Olen|first1=Helaine|title=Elaine Chao Will Have a Second Income Source When She's Transportation Secretary: Millions From Wells Fargo|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2017/01/17/elaine_chao_will_get_millions_from_wells_fargo.html|access-date=August 3, 2017|magazine=Slate|date=January 17, 2017|archive-date=October 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007115126/http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2017/01/17/elaine_chao_will_get_millions_from_wells_fargo.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2011, she was awarded the [[Woodrow Wilson Award]] for Public Service.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://legacy.wilsoncenter.org/awards/index.cfm?groupid=A5DC6B2D-ECA5-E29D-967AFF94067BE0FB&fuseaction=Welcome.welcome&id=4EB9BFCC-9AE1-F50A-A39FA0185BA2673D |title=Louisville 2011 Woodrow Wilson Awards |publisher=Wilson Center |date=June 24, 2011 |access-date=February 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712084030/http://legacy.wilsoncenter.org/awards/index.cfm?groupid=A5DC6B2D-ECA5-E29D-967AFF94067BE0FB&fuseaction=Welcome.welcome&id=4EB9BFCC-9AE1-F50A-A39FA0185BA2673D |archive-date=July 12, 2012}}</ref>

In January 2015, she resigned from the board of [[Bloomberg Philanthropies]], which she had joined in 2012,<ref>{{cite news | title= Bloomberg Family Foundation Announces Four New Board Members | url= http://www.mikebloomberg.com/index.cfm?objectid=831FF5A3-C29C-7CA2-F0A365AB715C98FE | work= Bloomberg Philanthropies | date= April 5, 2012 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150218183559/http://www.mikebloomberg.com/index.cfm?objectid=831FF5A3-C29C-7CA2-F0A365AB715C98FE | archive-date= February 18, 2015}}</ref> because of its plans to significantly increase support for the [[Sierra Club]]'s "[[Beyond Coal]]" initiative.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Youngman |first1 = Sam |title = Elaine Chao resigns from Bloomberg board as it increases 'Beyond Coal' investments |url = http://www.kentucky.com/2015/01/21/3652848/elaine-chao-resigns-from-bloomberg.html |work = [[Lexington Herald-Leader]] |date = January 21, 2015 |access-date = February 18, 2015 |archive-date = March 25, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150325094259/http://www.kentucky.com/2015/01/21/3652848/elaine-chao-resigns-from-bloomberg.html |url-status = live }}</ref>

In February 2017, the [[Associated Press]] reported that Chao was paid by a speaker's bureau to give a speech regarding women's empowerment to an organization later found to be linked to the [[People's Mujahedin of Iran]] (aka Mojahedin-e Khalq or MEK), a group exiled from Iran after actions in the 1970s against the Shah of Iran and the Ayatollah Khomeini.  Similar speeches were delivered by former Joint Chiefs of Staff General [[Hugh Shelton]], Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps General [[James T. Conway]], former National Security Advisor General [[James L. Jones]], former CIA Directors [[Porter Goss]] and [[James Woolsey]], former FBI Director [[Louis Freeh]], former [[NYC]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]], and former Governors [[Howard Dean]] of Vermont and [[Ed Rendell]] of Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mek-lobbying_n_913233 |title=Dozens Of Former U.S. Officials Make Millions Advocating For Terrorist Organization |first=Christina |last=Wilkie |date=August 8, 2011 |website=HuffPost |access-date=November 7, 2020 |archive-date=April 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404152510/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mek-lobbying_n_913233 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/f8cd86c1a6de470781c8b5f37ef70f5f/trump-cabinet-pick-paid-cult-iranian-exile-group |title=Trump Cabinet pick paid by 'cult-like' Iranian exile group |last=Gambrell |first=Jon |date=February 5, 2017 |website=[[ap.org]] |access-date=February 5, 2017 |archive-date=February 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205104852/http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/f8cd86c1a6de470781c8b5f37ef70f5f/trump-cabinet-pick-paid-cult-iranian-exile-group |url-status=dead }}</ref>