Ten standing committees power ATAA’s work — from education and advocacy to media, membership, the United Nations and youth. Committees are where members turn their skills into impact for the community.
ATAA Advocacy & Outreach Committee
Represents Turkish American interests to government, media, and the public, and responds to issues affecting the community.
ChairDr. Nilufer Esen-Bilgin— ATAA Past President
Erkan Demirağcı — ATAA President- Elect
Dr. Selim Erhan — ATAA Trustee
Ergün Kırlıkovalı — ATAA Trustee
Hülya Erol-Garvett
Özlem Öztürk
Erhan Duman
ATAA Council of Education
Coordinates Turkish-language schools and educators nationwide and shares curriculum and teaching resources.
ChairŞengül Ingram
Alev Wieland — ATAA President
Yücel Burdurlu — ATAA Secretary
Ayça Ergisi — Principal, ATKB Atatürk Okulu New York
Dr. Ebru Çetin Milci — Scholar and Library Specialist
Göknur McAvoy — ATAA Northeast Region VP
Nihan B. Kaya — ATAA Member
Oya DiCosimo — ATAA Member
Sedef Kutlubay Demirkan — ATAA Member
ATAA Education Committee
Develops educational programming and scholarship initiatives that strengthen ties to Turkish heritage and language.
Co-ChairDr. Mehmet Yaya— ATAA Mid-Central Region VPCo-ChairLale Iskarpatyoti— Secretary, Turkish American Friendship Society of US – TAFSUS
Alev Wieland — ATAA President
Hülya Koç — ATAA Trustee, Founder, Empowering the Turkish American Community – ETAC-USA
Cennet Köse Rivera — Former President, Maryland American Turkish Association – MATA
Dr. Ülkü Ülgür — ATAA Trustee
ATAA Marketing & Social Media Committee
Tells ATAA's story across social media, press and design, and grows the community's reach.
Alev Wieland — ATAA President
Yucel Burdurlu — ATAA Secretary and UN Committee Co-Chair
Burcu Tansu — Co-President, AKM Atatürk Cultural Center in Los Angeles
Canan Özaktay — ATAA Southeast Region VP
Pelin Hoşkan San — Turkish American Visual and Performing Arts Co-President
Hilal Uz — Social media creator focusing on life in the U.S.
Hakan Dakın — ATAA Art, Media & Communications Director
ATAA Membership Committee
Welcomes new individual, family and component members and supports renewals nationwide.
ChairYücel Burdurlu— ATAA Secretary
Alev Wieland — ATAA President
Dr. Nilüfer Esen-Bilgin — ATAA Past President
Engin Ateş — President, Turkish American Society of Northeastern Ohio
Tuğçe Arıt — Legal Assistant
ATAA Music & Visual Arts Committee
Showcases Turkish music and visual and performing arts through concerts, exhibitions and cultural programs.
ChairPelin Hoşkan San— Turkish American Visual and Performing Arts Co-President
Alev Wieland — ATAA President
Dr. Nilüfer Esen-Bilgin — ATAA Past President
Yücel Burdurlu — ATAA Secretary
İbrahim Onaral — ATAA Trustee
ATAA Newsletter Committee
Publishes the ATAA newsletter and ATAA USA Magazine, connecting members across the country.
ChairAlev Wieland— ATAA President
Dr. Selim Erhan — Editor, ATAA Trustee
Yücel Burdurlu — Coordinator, ATAA Secretary
Demet Edeer — Coordinator, Turkish-Canadian Society Past President
Dr. Levent Onat — Coordinator, President, Turkish American Association of Alabama
Pelin Hoşkan San — Coordinator, Turkish American Visual and Performing Arts Co-President
ATAA UN Relations Committee
Leads ATAA's association with the UN Department of Global Communications and its Sustainable Development Goals programs.
Executive Officers
Alev Wieland — ATAA President
Yücel Burdurlu — Co-Chair & ATAA Secretary
Dr. Selim Erhan — Co-Chair & ATAA Board of Trustees Member
Sean Özalpaşan — ATAA UN Youth Representative
Members
Dr. Fatma Gül — Contemporary Education Foundation President, ATAA BOT Member
Gizem Kılıç — ATAA Member
Canan Özaktay — ATAA Southeast Region VP
Deniz Özensoy — Turkish Canadian Society Director of Compliance
Nilgün Özsoy — Indiana American Turkish Association Past President
Burcu Tansu — Co-President, AKM Atatürk Cultural Center in Los Angeles
Gizem Şalcıgil White — Coffee Wellnesspreneur / Founder at Turkish Coffee Lady
Committees are open to ATAA members who want to put their time and talent to work for the Turkish American community — educators, communicators, organizers, students and professionals are all needed.
