About ATAA

Alev Wieland has Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from University of Cincinnati, OH. Worked for Balcan Engineering at Proctor of Gamble as Project Engineer for 7 years. She retired from PepsiCo, Inc-AMEA Capability Director in 2012. Alev has extensive experience in Lean Manufacturing, Lean Product Life Cycle Management, Equipment and Processes Development. Project Management, Construction Management, Food Manufacturing, Paper Converting, Cosmetics and Laundry Soap Industries. She has solid understanding of Engineering, Manufacturing and Operations Processes. She is an expert in ISO 9001 and GMP Certifications and Standards. Alev is the CEO of Manufacturing Excellence Technical Services and Alev Cosmetics. Alev has been serving as the President-Elect of ATAA since May 2024. She served on the ATAA Board of Directors as the Southwest Region Vice President from 2020 to 2024 and as First Vice President from October 2023 to May 2024. Alev also serves as the co-Chair of the ATAA UN Relations Committee and Chair of the ATAA Newsletter Committee. She is the Secretary General and NGO Relations Director Contemporary Education Foundation (COEDFO) since 2013, has been responsible for organizational communication, meetings management, documentation, website management. As the Trustee and active member of the Turkish American Association of Northern Texas (TURANT), she has been providing organizational operations support to its elected board members and helping with executions of projects since 2000. Since 2008, Alev takes active role at her local Main Street Organization and International Community, helps with organizations of the major festivals that is proven to become the key events that provides income to the city. She served as President of Cincinnati Turkish American Association (CTAA) from 1994 to 1996. Since March 2024, Alev is serving Dallas Turkish Businesswomen’s Network as the Advisor. Association of Northern Texas (TURANT), she has been providing organizational operations support to its elected board members and helping with executions of projects since 2000. Since 2008, Alev takes active role at her local Main Street Organization and International Community, helps with organizations of the major festivals that is proven to become the key events that provides income to the city. She served as President of Cincinnati Turkish American Association (CTAA) from 1994 to 1996. Since 2023 Alev serves as the Trustee of the Turkish American Visual and Performing Arts (TAVPA). Since March 2024, Alev is serving Dallas Turkish Businesswomen’s Network as the Advisor.

Erkan Demirağcı was born and raised in İzmir-Karşıyaka, Türkiye. He graduated from Dokuz Eylül University with a degree in Business Administration and moved to the US in 1994 to continue his graduate studies. After working in various companies in management positions, currently, he has been working as a Senior Mortgage Loan Consultant & Real Estate professional since 2003. Erkan resides in the Orange County, CA and has been an active member of the Turkish American community since 2012. He has been serving on the board of Orange County Turkish American Association (OCTAA) and the Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California (ATASC). He has served as the president of OCTAA between 2018-2023. He is passionate about social entrepreneurship, leadership, and promoting grassroots efforts in the Turkish American community. He has also served at the World Affairs Council of Orange County as a Program Committee Council member to help create better relationships with other communities (2016-2020). Erkan has always been a strong proponent for all issues important to the Turkish American communities in California and the West Coast. Since he became the president of OCTAA, he has established close and sincere relationships with local, state, and federal administrators to protect the interests of the Turkish American community. Mr. Demirağcı served as the ATAA Western Region Vice President from 2023 to 2025.

Dr. Nilüfer Esen-Bilgin was born in Giresun and raised in İstanbul, Türkiye. She graduated from Marmara University Medical School in Istanbul in 1990, and got a specialty degree in physiology at Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Medical School in 1995. She worked as a faculty at Kocaeli University Medical School Department of Physiology. In 2002, she moved to the United States, and lived in Arkansas for 6 years and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Since 2008 she has resided in Michigan. She worked as a Research Associate at Wayne State Medical School Department of Neurology until her retirement in 2021. She has held several key leadership roles on the ATAA Board of Directors, including serving as the Mid-Central Region Vice President (2017–2019), First Vice President and Secretary General (2020–2021), President-Elect (2022–2023) and President (2023-2025). Since May 2025, she has been serving as the Past President of ATAA. Before joining the ATAA board, she was actively involved with the Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan (TACAM). She served as the president of TACAM between 2015 and 19, during which her leadership increased the awareness about the Turkish culture in the community, and increased the membership to the association. She initiated and completed the Atatürk Park Project in Michigan which was opened in 2019 as the largest park named after Atatürk in the USA. In addition, she actively participates at the Michigan based Turkish folk dance group Mozaik Dance Group, and the USA branch of KAHEV (Kadın Hekimler Eğitime Destek Vakfı).

Dr. Kemal Tepe was born in 1970 in Kozaklı, Nevşehir. He completed his primary and secondary education in Muğla and attended Kayseri Science High School from 1984 to 1987. Between 1987 and 1992, he studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Hacettepe University, graduating as an electronics engineer in 1992. From 1992 to 1994, he worked as an engineer at a telecommunication company in Ankara. In 1995, he came to the United States for higher education, completing his master’s and doctoral studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, focusing on channel coding techniques in wireless communications. From 2001 to 2002, he worked as a research engineer and post-doctorate researcher at Telcordia Technologies and Rutgers University, respectively. In 2002, he began his academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Windsor in Canada, earning tenure in 2007 and being promoted to associate professor. In 2010, he spent his sabbatical as a visiting lecturer at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Türkiye. In 2015, he became a full professor at the University of Windsor and served as acting head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering from 2016 to 2017. During his tenure, at the University of Windsor, he was elected to the university senate for two terms as the Faculty of Engineering representative. He also served on conference organization committees, hiring, promotion, and scholarship committees, and various academic publication boards. As a faculty member, he supervised more than 10 PhD students and around 50 master’s students. During his residence in Windsor Canada, Kemal Tepe volunteered for the Turkish Canadian Cultural Association of Windsor. Between 2017 and 2022, he gradually transitioned from academia to the automotive industry, working as a senior engineer on vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems and cybersecurity. Since 2022, he has been working exclusively as a senior engineer. Currently, he is a senior staff engineer at Qualcomm Technologies, performing cybersecurity analysis and contributing to the security architecture of Qualcomm’s automotive system-on-chip solutions. Kemal Tepe volunteered for the Assembly of Turkish American Associations in 2024 to help raise funds for the Annual Conference held in Michigan. He is married to Ilknur Tepe and has two sons 24 (Uygur) and 26 (Gokturk) years of old.

Yücel Burdurlu was born and raised in Istanbul, Türkiye. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Hacettepe University Ankara Türkiye, she continued her graduate studies at California State University Long Beach. After graduating, she started a career in private industry working on applied and theoretical research on coatings and coating raw materials. Yücel worked for Imperial Chemical Industries formerly known as ICI Paints North America in their Strongsville Research Center for most of her career in the international innovation team where she was involved in a variety of interesting projects in collaboration with their Slough Laboratory in Slough, England, ICI France in Rouge, France and ICI South America Research Center in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Next, Yücel worked for BUNGE Oils North America where she worked with inorganic synthesis of anticorrosive pigments and tested them in collaboration with Battelle Laboratories in Columbus Ohio, University of Southern Mississippi, and Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. Presently, Yücel is with True Value Manufacturing in Cary Illinois as a Research Chemist. Yücel lives in the suburbs of Chicago. She joined TACA’s Board of Directors in 2013-2015 and she was the Director of the Ataturk School and the Adult Turkish School 2014-2015. Yücel has been member of the Chicago Turkish Festival Planning Committee and a volunteer at the festival since 2013 and served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Chicago Turkish festivals in 2016 and 2018. Yücel Burdurlu served as the ATAA Midwest Region VP from 2019-2024. Yücel Burdurlu presently serves as the ATAA Membership Committee Chair, UN Committee Co- Chair and volunteers in the Newsletter Committee and Music and Visual Art Committee. Yücel plans to continue working on bringing Turkish and American groups together under the ATAA platform using her organizational skills, people skills, education skills and her passion for harmony and peace.

Seda Arık, a native of Bursa, is an attorney at law and received a law degree from Istanbul University and a Masters of Laws degree from University of Minnesota. She is pursuing an MBA degree. She was elected and served as a city council member in Bursa, Türkiye and also served as a board member in many associations. She is a board member of American Turkish Association of Washington, DC (ATA-DC) and continue to support the American-Turkish community. Her goal is to contribute to the American-Turkish community with her experience and strong relationships with Türkiye.

Aylin Sagay is a financial and administrative professional with over 15 years of experience in higher education management. She currently serves as the Director of Administration and Finances at Drexel University’s School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, a role she has held since 2008. In this capacity, she oversees financial planning, budgeting, human resources, research administration, and IT operations, ensuring the efficient management of resources to support the school’s mission. Aylin’s career spans various leadership roles, including research project management, advertising, and freelance consulting. Her expertise extends to strategic planning, process optimization, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. She has been instrumental in university-wide initiatives, earning the Outstanding Service Award in 2014 and 2018 for her contributions. She holds an MS in Publications Management from Drexel University and a BS in Public Relations from Gazi University. She is also a Ph.D. (ABD) candidate in Leadership in Education at Drexel, further solidifying her expertise in institutional leadership and strategic decision-making. Additionally, Aylin holds certifications in Supervisory Leadership and Professional Coaching, demonstrating her commitment to professional development and mentorship. Beyond her professional responsibilities, Aylin has been an active contributor to volunteer organizations such as TASSA (Turkish American Scientists and Scholars Association), TAFSUS (Turkish American Friendship Society of U.S.), and IRAD (Izmir Ruhsal Arastirmalar Dernegi – Izmir Spiritual Research Association). At TASSA she served as the Executive Director from 2006 to 2017 for TASSA, organizing international conferences. At TAFSUS she served as a member of the Board of Directors organizing various national and cultural events. She has also translated a book on meditation into Turkish (Elements of Meditation by David Fontana) which was published by IRAD, reflecting her diverse interests and commitment to knowledge-sharing.

Mehmet E. Yaya was born and raised in Türkiye. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Bogazici University before he moved to the United States in 2003. He obtained his MBA from Auburn University and then received his master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Alabama. He moved to Michigan in 2009. He is currently a Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at Eastern Michigan University. His research focuses on immigrants, income inequality, and poverty and he has published several articles in well-respected academic journals on these topics. Mr. Yaya has actively been involved with Turkish American organizations. He founded the Turkish Student Association at the University of Alabama before he moved to Michigan. In Michigan, he has been a diligent volunteer for the Turkish American Cultural Association (TACAM) and served as a board member, treasurer, and president for 8 years. His involvement with TACAM specifically encompasses the education, political outreach, Ataturk Park, and fundraising activities of TACAM. Dr. Yaya served as the treasurer of ATAA from 2020 to 2025.

Orhangazi Ilgaz Ülger has been in the Chicago region since 1993. He was born and raised in Ankara, Türkiye. He has completed his graduate degree in Civil Engineering and has been working in the same field since. Mr. Ülger’s involvement with Turkish American Cultural Alliance (TACA) started in early 2000s. He was involved in the organization of April 23rd celebration events in Naperville until 2020. He actively served at the TACA board from 2006 through 2009. Mr. Ülger also served in the organization committee for the Chicago Turkish Festival and Chaired the event several years. After Serving two terms as the TACA President, Mr. Ülger has been a member of the Board of Trustees for the same organization.

Pervin Karamete was born in Ankara, Turkey. Karamete family settled in New Jersey, USA when she was a small child. Being a very accomplished student, Pervin not only excelled academically but also received honorable mention awards in volleyball, for her achievements in Junior Olympics. She started her career at Brooks Brothers after studying “Management and Marketing” at Fashion Institute of Technology. Her career blossomed after working with Perry Ellis and Henry Grethel. Along the way she started working with various Hollywood stars and legends like Jack Nicholson, Gregory Heins, Alec Baldwin, John Tesh and Kim Basinger. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish her own company for design and production where she was also a consultant for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karen. Doing all this work she never stayed away from her community. Being a good standing member of the community, she served as the Vice President of the “Turkish American Community Center” and opened community’s first “Mustafa Kemal Ataturk School” in New Jersey. She was elected as the president of the association in 2018 where she expanded the Mustafa Kemal Ataturk School to a second location in Clifton NJ. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, she was able to offer online classes and continue educating young members of our society. Eventually reopening the two locations in 2021 successfully, she announced the opening of the third location in Summit NJ in 2023.

Göknur McAvoy was born and raised in Türkiye. She obtained a degree from the University of Ankara, Faculty of Russian Language and Literature before she moved to the US in 1980. She studied Computer Science in US and worked in this field for 32 years. She has been an actively involved member of the Turkish and American communities. She has served as an executive board member and advisor in many organizations. She is an active member of the Southern New England Turkish American Association (SNETACA) in Connecticut for 25 years. From 2009 and 2010 she served as president of SNETACA. She also served as the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee for the Federation of the Turkish American Associations (FTAA) during this time. She organized and moderated a teacher’s workshop on Türkiye for more than one hundred teachers in Wolcott, Connecticut in 1994 and received an award from ATAA. She provided seminars and teacher/student workshops on Türkiye at many other schools in Connecticut. She introduced the Turkish kitchen to her community and taught Turkish cooking for the Wolcott Adult Education. She was the SNETACA Coordinator for education and the Director of the SNETACA Turkish School. She taught Turkish language and culture periodically from 1993 to 2017. She represented Connecticut with the Turkish American delegation of the ATAA, during their visits with the Turkish Republic, Northern Turkish Cyprus, and Israeli governments. She was honored as a Turkish Mayor and the Turkish flag was raised for the first time over the Wolcott Town Hall in 2004. Since then every year she raised the Turkish flag and celebrated the Turkish Republic Day with town and state officials and the Turkish American community. She lives in Wolcott, CT with her husband, Timothy. She has a son, who is a police sergeant and a granddaughter.

Bengü Bostancı was born and raised in Türkiye and holds a bachelor’s degree in science education. She began her career as a science teacher at a private school in Ankara before relocating to the Seattle, Washington area 25 years ago. After moving to the United States, she continued her work in education within the Lake Washington School District, deepening her commitment to supporting students and families in her new community. She is the founder and past president of the Turkish-American Cultural Association of Washington (TACAWA) Social Support Network. The committee’s mission was to bring the Turkish-American community together and help newcomers find resources as they settled into the greater Puget Sound region. Shortly after the committee was established, the COVID-19 pandemic began. Bengü and her team of volunteers mobilized immediately delivering food and essential supplies to those who were ill, checking in regularly with elderly community members, assisting individuals who had lost jobs in finding employment, and organizing post-pandemic events to rebuild social connection. The Social Support Network became a lifeline for many during an unprecedented time. For the past 12 years, Bengü has served as the Head of School and Director of the American-Turkish Academy of Washington (ATA-WA), a nonprofit institution dedicated to teaching Turkish language and culture to children. Under her leadership, ATA-WA has grown into one of the largest Turkish schools in the United States. She created a strong volunteer program for high school students and guides them as they grow in confidence, leadership, and service, while maintaining a deep connection to their culture. Today, ATA-WA thrives with hundreds of students, highly qualified teachers, and a strong team of youth volunteers. Beyond her work in the Turkish-American community, Bengü has been an active leader in her daughters’ schools. She has served on multiple Parent Association boards and is currently the Parent Association President at her younger daughter’s school. She has organized successful fundraising initiatives, community building events, and volunteer programs, and is known for her enthusiastic mentorship of new volunteers. Bengü is deeply passionate about education-focused philanthropy and has extensive experience organizing community events. She enjoys traveling with her family and lives in Redmond, Washington with her husband and younger daughter, Eda, who is in high school. Her older daughter, Dila, is currently attending college in Boston.

Canan Özaktay was born in Istanbul and moved to Michigan in 1969. She received her BS degree from Michigan State University in 1978 and spent most of her career through 2005 in the Automotive Industry and later moved to New Hampshire where she received her MS degree in Healthcare Management from Franklin Pierce University. In 2007 Canan moved to Florida where she received her Real Estate license in 2012 and Broker’s License 2019. Currently she is the Broker/Owner of Epic Solutions Realty, Boca Raton FL. Canan is an enthusiastic member of the community and believes in service. While she lived in Michigan, she was a member of Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan (TACAM) and served in various positions which included the President of the organization (2004-2005). She joined Florida Turkish American Association (FTAA) as a member in 2008 and volunteered in several committees and was the President 2022-2024 term. Canan’s memberships include Boca Raton Rotary Club where she serves in the Foundation Committee and also the Leadership Boca Class of 2023. She is a proud new member of the ATAA UN Relations Committee. Living in Boca Raton, Fl, Canan is married to Dr. Cüneyt Özaktay. She is mother of Crystal Smith, Brandon Hampton and Levent Özaktay.

Ebru Çimen Tarhan was born in İzmir, Türkiye. Following graduation from METU Business Administration, worked in corporate banking and human capital consultancy at Ernst & Young. Currently serving as the US Loyalty and CRM Program Manager at Shell, following various roles over 19 years. Manages direct communications for loyalty programs across the US in all digitally owned and paid channels, focusing on customer engagement and personalized experiences. Leading the transition of CRM programs from third-party vendors to in-house solutions, with a strong emphasis on data integration and customer journey optimization. Actively volunteered in organizations including but not limited to LOSEV, Rotary Club, and the ‘Smiling Heals Association,’ which specializes in providing psychological support for children fighting cancer, as a founding member. Has been actively participating and volunteering in the American Turkish Association of Houston since 2018, served as the President until 2024, and organized multiple events including the Houston Turkish Festival, attracting approximately 10,000 participants. Currently serves as a Board Member of ATA-Houston and was appointed as the Vice President of the Southwest Region for the Assembly of American Turkish Associations (ATAA) in 2024.

Nil Noyan, born and raised in Istanbul, Türkiye, has called San Diego home since 2004. She holds a BS in Business Administration and Management with a Minor in Marketing from Alliant International University, where she received an academic scholarship. As an active member of the Turkish American community, Nil has been involved with organizations like ATASC San Diego Chapter since 2018, recently as President (2023-2025), and will continue her service as a member of the ATASC Board of Directors in 2025. Nil brings over a decade of nonprofit experience, having held significant leadership roles in several arts and cultural organizations. She most recently served as the Special Events Manager at La Jolla Playhouse, a nationally acclaimed, Tony Award-winning performing arts company, where she managed a broad portfolio of institutional events, including a major annual gala that raised over $1 million in a single event. Nil’s role involved managing event planning from inception to execution, securing sponsorships, and cultivating lasting relationships with donors and patrons. Prior to this, Nil was the Senior Events and Marketing Manager at Cygnet Theatre, another prominent performing arts organization, where she spearheaded many successful events and strengthened community engagement. Known for her ability to balance multiple priorities, Nil’s expertise in event management, strategic planning, and organizational growth has consistently driven the success of the organizations she’s worked with. She is passionate about creating meaningful cultural experiences and building lasting connections that foster community support and engagement. Outside of her professional work, Nil enjoys photography, exploring new restaurants, spending time outdoors, and reading. She is married to Noyan Karakas and is the proud mother of Mavi Karakas.

Bülent Başol is a technologist residing in California for over 40 years. He is a Bogazici University graduate with a PhD from UCLA in electronics. Bülent started several high technology companies in Southern California and Silicon Valley and developed new technologies in the fields of solar energy, and semiconductor manufacturing and characterization. His research and development activities have been published in over 150 journal articles and 266 international patents. He is in the group of 25 Turkish inventors with the most number of patents in the world. Bülent has been active in Turkish American organizations for many years. He served as the President of ATA-SC, VP and President of ATAA and the Chair of the ATAA Board of Trustees.

Turgut Çakırağa is a rocket scientist residing in Southern California. He is married to Maria Florence Russell Çakırağa (BS ME), herself a rocket scientist and a past Western Region VP of ATAA. They have a rocket scientist son, William Mustafa Çakırağa. Turgut has been a long-time supporter of the Turkish Cause since 1977, when he was the VP of the Student Association at Tufts University. After moving to Southern California in 1982 he first worked at Bechtel Power Company-Nuclear Division and then at Boeing Co. as a Senior Scientist and Corporate Tech Lead on Missile Testing. He designed and tested several of the critical systems for Space Shuttle and Ground Based Missile Defense. During his 34-year professional career, Turgut was heavily involved with the local Turkish American organization (ATA-SC) as Chairman of the Board, Acting President, Treasurer, and Chair of various committees. Since turning over the reins of ATA-SC to younger generation Turgut has been a mentor and financial supporter of the organization. Turgut was the 2017-2018 President of the Rotary Club of Placentia and he will be the President for the 2023-2024 term. He also served as the Club International Projects Chair for over 20 years. Turgut is a current Advisory Board Member for House of Türkiye-San Diego. He was a member of the Board of Directors of that organization in 2022.

Kürşad Doğru graduated from Ankara Koleji, received Bachelors degree in City Planning from METU, and continued graduate studies with a Master of Business Administration degree from University of Texas at Arlington. He served ATAA as a regional VP under Dr. Kaymakcalan’s presidency. Appointed to ATAA Board of Trustees during Bonnie Kaslan’s chairmanship. He has been METU Alumni Asso-ciation’s Dallas representative since 2001 and the President of NEXT International, Inc.([www.neqx.com](http://www.neqx.com/)) since 1995. He was a member of Turkish National junior track team with 6th rank of the world in 400Ma and ran the Hurdle in juniors in 1984. He is married to Bengu Dogru and has 2 children.

Ali Erhan has extensive experience across business development, corporate relations, banking, investments, teaching, and entrepreneurship. Since 2017 he has served as Business Development Manager at Advansys Engineering & Consultancy, building client relationships in mechanical, control, and software engineering as well as automation and optimization. Previously, he spent 14 years as Director of Corporate Relations at Aquinas College, driving corporate support, philanthropic campaigns, and partnerships, and has held roles as Account Manager at Fifth Third Bank, Investment Officer and Trade Specialist at Old Kent Bank, Cost Analyst at Excellence Manufacturing, Financial Consultant at Mass Mutual Life, and Credit Analyst at Michigan National Bank. His academic career includes serving as Director of International Business, Senior Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Visiting Professor, and Adjunct Faculty at institutions such as Aquinas College, Grand Valley State University, Davenport University, University of Phoenix, Western Michigan University, and others, teaching economics, finance, international business, and related courses. Mr. Erhan began his professional journey as a Management Trainee and Apprentice at First of America Bank, and has completed Ph.D. coursework in Economics and Finance at Michigan State University, with an M.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Political Science. He is an active member of multiple professional and community organizations and has extensive entrepreneurial experience managing over 100 real estate units and operating an import-export business trading electronics, medical supplies, and handmade goods between the U.S. and Turkey.

Dr. Selim Erhan was born in Istanbul Turkey. He has a BS in Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Istanbul, and a Ph.D. in Polymer-Organic Chemistry from Western Michigan University. After teaching at, Kalamazoo College and Lake Michigan College, he started a research career first at the USDA’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, IL. He continued his career in the private industry, working on application of bio-based products to industrial applications. Dr. Erhan started actively working on introducing Turkey and the Turkish Culture in USA while studying at Western Michigan University in 1980. He joined the Turkish American Cultural Alliance in 2000 and became active in educational activities and in 2009. He was the co-founder of the highly successful TACA – Public Outreach Program, aiming at educating middle school, high school and university students on important issues. In 2013 he joined TACA’s Board of Directors and became the Director of the Ataturk School and the Adult Turkish School. Dr. Erhan was elected as ATAA’s Midwest Region VP 2015 to 2019. He has continued working at ATAA, helped to form the UN Committee and was instrumental to form the highly successful Turkish American Presidents Group under ATAA, improving communications with the Component Associations in USA and pulling in similar Turkish organizations from Canada. In 2022, he was elected to ATAA’s Board of Trustees.

Fatma Gul, MD., MSc. is a Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center was born in Bursa Turkey. Her father decided to move family to Istanbul to give access the higher education to his daughters when she was in second grade of elementary school. She graduated from Istanbul Kiz Lisesi and received her medical degree from Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine. Shortly after graduation she married with Hakan Gul and immigrated to United States. She started her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center after welcoming two daughters and enjoying being a mother and wife for a few years. She has experience of private practice and academics over 40 years and she serve as principal investigator on several clinical trials exploring the use of botulinum toxin as treatment for limb spasticity. She enjoys being a clinician, educator and an investigator. She is an active member of several National and International Medical Societies, she is a frequent presenter in the meetings and has multiple publications in her expertise spasticity management that involves in most neurological conditions. She has been recognized numerous times as a _Texas Monthly_ Super Doctor, Best Doctor by _D Magazine_ , and other prestigious local and national honors. Dr. Gul and her husband are one of the founders of TURANT and they continue to be active members of TURANT, she has been a former president and currently she serves in BOT. She is also one of the founders and permanent board member of COEDF that nonprofit organization, mission is raising funds to educate unprivileged youth especially girls. She is serving her term as president. Dr. Gul and Hakan have two daughters and two granddaughters, she and her husband enjoy fishing, boating, gardening and traveling with family.

Turan Kahraman, born in Istanbul, Turkey, graduated from Galatasaray Lisesi, a French-language lycée, and became the Turkish National Record holder in Discus and Shot Put. He received an athletic scholarship to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in 1979, where he earned a B.A. in International Relations and an M.B.A. with an emphasis in International Business. Kahraman served as a key liaison for a large US corporation regarding their joint venture in Turkey. He later was the director of a professional services firm advising middle market companies in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and providing management consulting. He also held the positions of President and CEO of a bi-coastal chemical manufacturing and distribution business, General Manager of a printing and binding business. He served as the Chairman of the American Turkish Association – Southern California, and was a board director at the Bank of Whittier, California. For over 22 years, he owned, served as President and CEO of an industrial and military hardware distributor with 10 locations in the US. Kahraman retired from active management of companies in 2022 and is currently an investor and advisor to startups. He resides in Southern California, has been married for 42 years, and has two sons and two grandsons.

Ergün Kırlıkovalı was born in Izmir, Türkiye. He attended Robert College, Istanbul, Turkey. He received his BS degree in Chemistry from Bogazici University and MS degree in Polymer Science from the University of Manchester, England. He also conducted research on polymers in Holland and Austria. He was employed as a product development and research chemist in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. Currently, he is the founding president of his company which conducts research and development on new materials based on interpenetrating network polymers. He found himself in need of promoting and defending Turkish culture and heritage due to a relentless barrage of unsolicited and unjustified anti-Turkish attacks by Armenian and Greek lobbies and others in America. He had written more than 5,000 letters to the editors, news programmers, panelists, politicians, academicians, and other opinion-makers. He also appeared on TV and radio shows and participated in conferences and panels in universities and colleges in an effort to present the other side of the story and fight against discrimination and censorship fostered by a surprisingly racist and dishonest version of history persistently promoted by anti-Turkish lobbies. He served as President of Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) from 2011 to 2013. He has served as President of American-Turkish Association of Southern California (ATA-SC), Public Relations Committee Chairman and later Western U.S. Regional Director for the Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA) in New York and ATAA in Washington DC. He is married, has one son, and lives in Southern California.

Hülya Koç is a 3x exited Silicon Valley entrepreneur, globally accredited investor, startup mentor and judge with 40 years of experience in banking, entrepreneurship, and angel investing. She began her career at international banks including Wells Fargo before launching and successfully exiting three for-profit companies, including a leading national employment agency in the education & childcare sector with 30+ U.S. offices across the country. Not only have her businesses received numerous awards throughout the US, but Hülya has also been recognized and awarded for her mentorship by the Small Business Administration. She advises startups, does presentations and seminars on angel investing while continuing her studies at Stanford University. In addition to being a co-founder of the world’s largest angel investor network, Keiretsu Forum’s London and Istanbul Chapters, Hülya also pioneered the angel investor group “KAYAK,” to empower women investors. A passionate community builder and an advocate for children, diversity, equity and inclusion, Hülya also co-founded ETAC (Empowering the Turkish American Community) the first Turkish American Community & Activity Center in Northern California with the unique mission to pass on the Turkish heritage to generations to come. Hülya has been awarded for her Lifetime Service to Community & Leadership by ATAA, Turkish American Association of Northern California, Turkish Education Foundation and the Alaturca Connection. Hülya holds advanced degrees in business administration and education. [www.linkedin.com/in/HülyaKoçsanfranciscobayarea](https://www.linkedin.com/in/HülyaKoçsanfranciscobayarea)

İbrahim Onaral received a Bachelor’s Degree from Robert College in Civil Engineering and a Master’s Degree from Bogazici University. He is a structural engineer by profession. He has worked as a bridge and structural engineer in a variety of positions both in the US and overseas. As a young bridge engineer, he participated in the construction of the first suspension bridge over the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. Currently he serves as an Associate for LS Engineering Associates in charge of two offices in South Jersey and in Philadelphia. Previously he served as a Vice President for QBS International, Inc. in charge of the Bridge Department and Business Development. A couple of decades ago, motivated by the need to defend the Turkish Culture and history against unfair and unjustified attacks by various anti-Turkish lobbies in this country, he decided to join the Turkish American organizations with the hope and determination of making a difference. He has served for the local Turkish American organization in the Philadelphia area TAFSUS (Turkish American Friendship Society of the United States) at various positions such as board member, as President and Vice President in the last 20 years. As a TAFSUS board member and as a Turkish American, he has written articles and participated in radio programs fighting against articles, and news distorting and misrepresenting Turkish history and culture. He has been a member of ATAA since 1979. Currently he serves as the past president and treasurer of TAFSUS. He also served two terms (2009-2013) as the ATAA Vice President for the North Central region. During his tenure as the regional vice president for ATAA, he organized various grassroots efforts and cultural events to increase awareness of Turkish American interests in his region and to promote ATAA as the national organization for Turkish Americans. He is married to Banu Onaral and has one son. He lives in Philadelphia, PA.

Davut Okutçu received his BSc degree in Chemical Engineering at Robert College, İstanbul Turkey in 1969 as a Fulbright Scholar which was followed by his graduate study at Syracuse University, New York – where he received his Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. His graduate study at Syracuse University was financed through Turkish Education Fund – USAID joint scholarship. Mr. Okutcu joined the Koç Group in 1971 and served in various levels of management during his 32 years with Koç. At his latest assignment as Assistant to the President of Consumer Goods Group his responsibilities covered new business and joint venture development, mergers, acquisitions, restructuring of companies, et al. He retired from the Koç group in 2003. Mr. Okutcu served two consecutive terms as the Chairman of the Economic Development Foundation (IKV)- an NGO dedicated to promoting Turkey’s membership into the European Union. He served 10 years on Board of Directors of the American Turkish Council (ATC). He represents AYGAZ A.S. at DEIK-TAİK (Turkey-US Business Council). He has served as Assembly Member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO), Istanbul Chambers of Industry (ISO). He is Honorary Member of the Turkish American Businessman Association (TABA) and American Turkish Business Development Council (ATBDC). He is an active member of the Board of Trustees of Turkish Education Foundation (TEV), Vice Chairman at Koç Executives Association (KOÇ-YÖNDER), currently serves as Board Member of such companies as Marmaris Altınyunus and Çeşme Altınyunus besides his membership on the board of several other charitable organizations, such as Darussafaka Association et al. Mr. Okutcu is married and speaks Turkish, English, French (limited).

Dr. Ülkü Ülgür, co-founded the Assembly of Turkish American Associations in 1979 and served as its First president (1980-84). Later, during his tenure as Chairman of Board of Trustees he initiated and developed ATAA Endowment Fund. Dr. Ülgür is one of the founders and Past President of the Maryland American Turkish Association (MATA). He also served as President of Turkish American Neuropsychiatric Association. Dr. Ülgür completed his Primary Education in Darussafaka Lisesi and his undergraduate and medical education at the University of Istanbul Turkey. He came to USA in 1959 for his specialty training in Psychiatry. After finishing, he had an additional two-year Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. In 1965, following his child training he joined the University’s full-time faculty serving for ten years as Director of its inpatient, outpatient, and hospital consultation services. While he continued his teaching activities as a member of clinical faculty he developed and maintained an active office and consulting practice in Maryland. Dr. Ülgür is an active teacher and lecturer who has given many regional and international talks and wrote many scientific papers and book chapters. He is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He also served as President of Maryland Regional Council of the AACAP. He has received awards for his services to children and families from the University of Maryland and the City of Baltimore.

Dr. Engin İnel Holmstrom is a graduate of the American College of Girls -Robert College- Istanbul. She is a Fulbright scholar and earned her M.A. and her Ph.D. in Sociology from Duke University. Her professional career includes teaching and research both in Türkiye and in the US. She is the author of over 50 professional publications and over 30 speeches. She has been active in the Turkish-American community since 1970s. She served on the Board of Directors of the ATA-DC. She also served as its president in 1983-1989, and was the editor of its publication, ATA News for 17 years. As president, she helped established ATA-DC’s annual Teacher Workshop Program which has been implemented by other component associations of ATAA. As a member of the ATA-DC’s Board of Directors, she was involved in the creation of ATAA from its beginning. She served on its Board of Directors for a number of terms and edited its first publication (ATA-USA). She is a successful fundraiser for ATAA and currently serves as ATAA Honorary BOT member. She has given many public presentations on Turkish-American relations, including the legacy of Atatürk, the importance of secularism and the status of women in Türkiye. She has received numerous awards from ATA-DC, ATAA, and AFOT/Turkish American Business Council for her volunteer activities in the Turkish-American community. She lives with her husband in Leesburg, Virginia.

Bonnie Joy Kaslan received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis and is a former graduate student at the Sorbonne, Paris. She served as the San Francisco Bay Area’s Honorary Consul General for the Republic of Türkiye for 32 years. Kaslan is former Executive Vice‑President of Kaslan Associates, Inc, Sonoma based Structural and Geotechnical Engineering firm. She was the president of the Turkish American Association of California from 1983‑1985 and served as the first woman on the Board of Directors of the ATAA as Western region VP. She is past national chairman of the Assembly’s Curriculum Committee on History and Social Science as well as past Chairman of ATAA’s Board of Trustees. She has represented Turkish American interests at high level State Department meetings, addressed human relation commissions nationwide, worked on congressional representatives and their staffs and delivered expert testimony before the Committee on Foreign Relations. She is the first non‑Turkish woman worldwide to represent the Republic of Turkey as Honorary Consul General. She was awarded Soroptimist’s distinguished “Women Helping Women” award. She received ATAA’s Distinguished Service Award in 1987 and Meritorious Service Award in 1989, Lifetime Distinguished Service Award in 2014 and The International Institute of the East Bay’s Women of Tribute Award in 1991. The Daughters of Ataturk recognized her for her efforts to advance Turkish American causes in 1999. In 2007 the Turkish American Business Connection recognized her for her contributions and dedicated support for the Turkish American community of Silicon Valley. She is also a member of the Citizens Advisory Council of the Sonoma Police Department. In December, 2007 she had her first showing as guest artist at the Arts Guild of Sonoma.