Director of Engagement and Outreach

• Jun 2022 - Present

Executive Director

• Mar 2017 - Jun 2022

In this role, I am accountable for ongoing operational and programmatic excellence demanded by the organization's reputation. My mandate is to oversee strategic and daily operations- including cultural programming- as well as administrative and financial functions. For strategic operations, it is my responsibility to set the strategic direction for the organization. I also develop, maintain, and support a strong board of directors; serve as ex-officio of each committee and cultivate board involvement in ongoing operations and future expansion. For daily operations, I supervise and direct a team of professionals, interns, and consultants including coaching, ongoing development, and performance evaluation. In addition, I cultivate partnership and engagement from volunteers, institutional partners, and donors. When it comes to cultural programming, I generate significant income for the organization via events, individual and corporate memberships, and foundation funding. I am consistently creating and implementing innovative services and benefits to expand membership, and continually cultivating new donor relationships. Finally, I oversee all branding and communications for the organization from web presence and social media to external relations and responding to external inquiries. Some of my key contributions to the organization so far have been: • Orchestrating all aspects of the organization’s signature annual cultural event: The New York Turkish Film Festival (budget $50K) from sponsorship and vendors to programming, marketing, and special events for invited talent. • Overseeing event operations (concept, strategy, honoree and committee relations, fundraising, communications, public relations, and more) for 20 events per year, including the annual gala (budget $150K). Show less

Business Development Specialist

• Sep 2014 - Mar 2017

In this role, I directed business development operations for the Turkish and Art Law practices of the firm. My responsibilities were twofold: overseeing case management for existing sponsorships and identifying prospects for new clients. To these ends, I planned and hosted events for cultivating prospects which entailed venue and vendor research, overseeing logistics, and organizing hospitality, language interpretation, and follow-up. I also coordinated with public relations agencies, contributed to social media campaigns for the organization, and managed communications for the attorneys, including their twitter accounts and public speaking engagements. Finally, I provided key input to business development strategies and comprehensive support for RFP responses and document production. My key contributions during my tenure at the firm included: • Securing three new clients that generated over $40,000 in revenue for the firm. • Spearheading the use of InterAction to track meetings and targeted follow up for all attorneys, Show less

Marketing & Public Relations Specialist

• Jun 2013 - Sep 2014

At the Culture and Tourism Office, my responsibilities included directing public relations, overseeing internal and external communications, and cultivating successful relationships with institutional and external partners. I analyzed industry and customer trends for specific markets in order to identify and implement various marketing initiatives. In addition, I coordinated activities and projects with external agencies, including planning foreign trips for high-profile citizens. Key contributions during my tenure here included: • Orchestrating ongoing communication of all marketing projects to the Ministry of Culture & Tourism in Ankara, including translations of media clips, project reports, and advertising trend reports. • Serving as official liaison with Public Relations during conferences and exhibitions. Show less

Representative of the Honorary Consul of Niger

• Oct 2009 - Apr 2011

In this role, I spearheaded operations and public relations for an emergency food relief campaign in Niamey, Niger. This entailed scheduling and attending meetings with various ministries in Niamey to determine country-based needs and drafting investment recommendation reports. I also served as a trusted advisor to businessmen and philanthropists regarding investments in Niger, including facilitating travel plans and tours. Key contributions in this role included: • Organizing a visit of the Minister of Commerce of Niger and his delegation in Istanbul including meetings with Turkish ministers and the Honorary Consul of Niger; providing French-Turkish translation services in these meetings as needed. • Orchestrating the donation of $10,000 worth of food to the emergency relief campaign. • Visiting 6 Ministries in Niamey, Niger and preparing a country investment needs and opportunities report to use with potential investors. Show less