Sinan YAMAN

Advisor, President

Yaman, a graduate of METU, worked at Unilever for 10 years. He managed the two big brands of Unilever: Sana and OMO. Founding YGA in 2000 and currently chairing the YGA Board, Yaman attended research and training programs in various countries of the world - UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, USA. He was in charge of 22 countries in his last position. Currently teaching at a university, Yaman gave speeches to over 100,000 students, lecturers and business people in the most prestigious universities of the world such as Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Georgia Tech and UCLA. Yaman provides consultancy for senior managers of multi-national and international companies and prepares leadership programs, including: Turkcell, Unilever, İş Bankası, Fritolay, Danone, Garanti Bankası, Nokia, Bosch, Roche, Novartis, Koç Holding, Alarko, Yapı Kredi, Eti, Coca Cola and HSBC. He published his first book "Truthful Leader" in 2002 (also translated into English), and his second book "Leader & Dream Partners" in 2006. Besides giving interviews to both Turkish and American press, Yaman also appeared as a guest on TV shows.

Oğuzhan Gürsoy

Eczacıbaşı, Vice President

Oğuzhan Gürsoy, who had spent his childhood in Mersin, received his high school education in Ankara Science High School, and continued his education in the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department of METU. After managing plants of Unilever in Turkey and abroad for years, he served the same company as the strategy director and the operations director. In 2012, he was awarded with TPM World Class in Japan on behalf of the plants that he directed. Gürsoy, who is married and father of two, dedicates almost 300 hours a year to raise the socially responsible leaders of the future every year.

Ömer Görgülü

YGA, Board Member

Born in Izmir in 1991. He took his bachelor’s degree in Economics from TOBB University of Economics and Technology, and his master’s in Finance from Sabancı University. Worked as a volunteer in YGA projects throughout his university years. Attended the 2011 International Leadership School and 2012 America Leadership Camp. Served as the leader of YGA Workshops in Turkey, managed a team of 600, took over the roles of YGA International Programs director and YGA Summit project leader. Worked at Borusan for almost a year after doing his long-term internship at Economy Policies Research Foundation of Turkey. Continues to serve as an (executive) board member in charge of financing and orphans project at YGA and also as the finance and strategy director of YGA Initiatives.

Enis Güray

PwC Brussels, Board Member

Born in Bursa in 1982, Enis Güray graduated from the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department of METU, and entered into the MBA program of the same university. He graduated as the top student of his department in 2008. His professional career that began at Turkcell continues at the IKEA Global Treasure Center in Brussels. Güray attended YGA Leadership Program in 2005. After YGA Anatolia and Istanbul Region Leader roles, he carried out the co-presidency of YGA Foundation in the period of 2008-2013. In 2010, Enis Günay, YGA Co-President, was the name invited from Turkey to an executive program welcoming the top 150 NGO leaders of the world at Harvard Business School. Güray was introduced as the youngest NGO leader of the program, and YGA as the most applied-to NGO of the world. Continuing to serve YGA as a Board Member, Güray dedicates almost 250 hours of his time to raise the socially responsible leaders of the future every year.

Işıl Can Altıntaş

YGA, Board Member

Born in Kütahya in 1972, Işıl Can Altıntaş graduated from Mimar Sinan University's Department of Urban and Regional Planning, and did master's on urban design. Her career that started in the Human Resources department of Axa Oyak Insurance continued in different manager roles at Human Resources and Training/Improvement departments of Turkcell. She still continues her professional life in the human resources field as the manager of Turkcell Technology Group Business Partner team. Can met with YGA in 2010 and held Read/Think/Share sessions with 1200 students in 6th and 7th grades of disadvantaged primary schools in Gaziantep for a week within the scope of the Anatolia Discovers Leaders program of YGA. Can, who is married and mother of two, continues to dedicate both her time and knowledge to YGA, providing consultancy actively.

Asude Altıntaş

YGA Co-President

Born in Bursa in 1989. Started working at YGA as a volunteer while studying at the Department of Business Administration of Middle East Technical University in 2009. Worked as the Ankara Region Leader in the final grade, managing a team of 150 people. Took roles in the social responsibility projects in Europe and Asia in 2010. Attended the YGA Leadership School in 2011, and joined the YGA graduates. Attended the YGA America Leadership Camp within the same year. Worked as a long-term intern at Coca-Cola Beverages after graduation, completed the Digital Marketing for Executives program of Bilgi University. Works at YGA professionally since 2012 and serves as the Chairman of Executive Board since 2014. Donated more than 5000 hours to YGA since 2009.

Sadık Ünlü

YGA Co-President

Born in Çankırı in 1989. Met with YGA while he was a Mathematics students at Middle East Technical University in 2009. Led a team of 150 in the Read/Think/Share project for the Ankara Region. Took role in the design of the YGA project for students under government protection, and carried out the leadership of the project in the following years. Attending the Leadership School and America Leadership Camp, he joined YGA Graduates. Began doing master's on Human Resources Management at Bilgi University after graduation. Currently takes responsibility in designing YGA leadership programs and measuring the growth of competencies after the programs by working in close cooperation with our dream partner Prof. Doğan Cüceloğlu. Also provides consultancy to the primary education, high school and university programs of YGA. Knowing that YGA is a never-ending leadership journey, he takes responsibility in projects with the same eagerness to learn as the first day.

Can Kavanoz

Vice President

Accepted to YGA while studying at Middle East Technical University in 2008. Worked in strategic financing and marketing at Turkcell for 2 years at the beginning of his professional career in 2011. Continued his consulting career at Accenture and Ernst&Young after Turkcell, and took consulting roles in numerous different projects in telecommunication, banking, insurance and public sectors both in Turkey and overseas at Accenture and Ernst&Young. Currently working as the vice president for finance and business development at YGA.

Murat Ugiş

Vice President

Born in Kırıkkale in 1982. Started working at YGA as a volunteer while studying at the Business Administration Department of Middle East Technical University in 2003. Took active roles in the Read/Think/Share workshops of that period. Worked at the sales department of PepsiCo, and the marketing departments of Beiersdorf and Unilever within the 10 years following his graduation. Recently resigned from his brand development management role that he was in charge of +20 countries at Unilever. Founded an enterprise generating mobile technology solutions at METU Technocity. Transferred his rights in the enterprise in 2016, and began working at YGA professionally. Murat Ugiş, who dedicated +10,000 hours to YGA since 2003, continues to serve YGA as a vice-president.

Feyza Fulden Küçük

Program Director

Born in Ankara in 1990. Joined YGA family while studying Industrial Engineering at Anadolu University in 2010. Volunteered at the Read/Think/Share project throughout her undergraduate education. Lead the Ankara Region team of 200 in her final year. Selected to attend YGA Leadership School in 2013 and joined YGA graduates. Graduated in 2014 after her internship at Eczacıbaşı. Completed the online "Building Your Leadership Foundation" program of Columbia Business School. Began working as YGA executive board member and YGA Secondary School Programs coordinator after graduation. Donated +3000 hours to YGA since 2010 and continues to take responsibility with eager to donate more.

Sezin Aydın

Program Director

Born in Eskişehir in 1987. Began working as a volunteer at YGA while studying Production Systems Engineering at Sabancı University in 2008. Created Young Leaders Program for High School students, a first at YGA. Graduated in 2010 and worked as a volunteer teacher for 6 months in Eskişehir for the Anatolia Discovers Leaders project carried out within the scope of the protocol signed between Turkish Ministry of National Education and YGA. Attended America Leadership Camp the same year and became a YGA Graduate. Fulfilled the Leadership and Skill Improvement specialist role for 2 years at Turkcell Academy. Did Master of Business Administration at Stockholm School of Economics. Attended Social Entrepreneurship Program of Harvard&MIT with scholarship. Works at YGA since 2014 as the person in charge of the Global Impact Program that high school and university students attend, and the strategic cooperations made with the world's top universities such as Harvard, Berkeley and Columbia. Donated more than 10,000 hours to YGA since 2008.

Duygu Gençoğlu

Program Director

Born in Istanbul in 1991. Enrolled to the Production Systems/Industrial Engineering Department of Sabancı University in 2010. Joined YGA as a volunteer in her first year and took responsibilities for 4 years, dedicating +3000 hours of her time to YGA. Became the Istanbul Region Leader in her final year, and managed a team of 200. Completed her long term internship at Ericsson by staying another two months in Sweden that she went for 5-month Erasmus at Jonkoping University in 2013. Worked at the Customer Services&Logistics Department of Mondelez in 2014-2015. Works at YGA professionally since 2015. Currently serves YGA as the Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs.

Tülay Ugiş

Content Management

Met with YGA in 2006 while studying International Relations at Middle East Technical University in 2006. Worked in the corporate communications department of Garanti for 6 years while still taking volunteer roles in the leader development program of YGA. Resigning from her job, attended graduate program of Psychology at Sussex University, UK. Began working as a program and content developer for YGA Leadership Programs after her return to Turkey.

Gasia Çavuşyan

Global Impact Program

Met with YGA while studying Psychology and Media/Visual Arts at Koç University. Took responsibility in various different projects of YGA at the end of her 3 years of volunteer work. Worked in visually impaired, secondary school and international cooperation projects, and actively at YGA office as Global Impact Program Leader after her graduation. Responsible from the secondary school programs and the journeys of YGA volunteers abroad as a YGA Graduate.

Cemre Balaban

Science Movement

Volunteered at YGA while studying at Istanbul Technical University, and led visually impaired, high school and university programs of YGA. Graduated from YGA in 2017. Worked in Piri initiative established by YGA Graduates while she was still a university student, and continued working in marketing for Piri after graduation. Led YGA Global Impact Program after gaining experience at Piri. Currently takes role in the Science Movement.

Merve Dikiciler

High School & University Program

Volunteered at YGA while studying Civil Engineering at Çukurova University in 2014. Took responsibilities as a volunteer in social innovation projects of YGA such as My Dream Partner, Global Impact High School and Global Impact Secondary School from 2014 to 2018. Continues her work at YGA professionally in the office as the leader of Global Impact High School & University since her graduation in 2018.

Neşe Elçin

Volunteer

Joined YGA while studying Fine Arts at Gazi University in 2010. Worked as an Art Director in the creative teams of various advertisement agencies including 2 global firms for 6 years. Works professionally in YGA Marketing team since 2018.

Mina Ilköz

Volunteer

Born in Balıkesir in 1994. Studied Economy in Sabancı University, went to Tilburg University of Netherlands as an exchange student. Worked in social responsibility projects in Brazil. Took roles in the social innovation projects of YGA for 3 years. Worked in Arıkovanı (BeeHive), the crowdfunding platform of Turkcell. Currently works in the marketing team of YGA professionally.

Cansu Aykan

Volunteer

Born in Yalova in 1994. Met YGA while she was studying English Teaching at Boğaziçi University. Joined the YGA family with 2014 Summit. Volunteered in Stars Leadership Program, My Dream Partner projects and Taking Strength From Heart project for the children under government protection. Began working part-time at the YGA Office in the final year of her university education. Presented Syrians Project of YGA at the Hult Prize entrepreneurship contest that 57 teams from 25 nations compete in London. Joined YGA Graduates in 2017. Dedicated 7000+ hours to YGA since 2014. Worked in the production of Know&Experiment TV Show in 2017. Currently works professionally in marketing and production.

Efraim Ölçer

Data Analyst

Began working as a volunteer at YGA while studying Industrial Engineering at Istanbul University in 2017. Named as one of the Outstanding Success Scholars of Turkish Education Foundation. Worked as the Project Leader of the Turkish Exporters Assembly-YGA Inter-High School Innovation Program that 60 high school students from 15 cities had attended in 2018. Interned long term at YGA as the Technical Officer&Data Scientist in the summer of the same year. Decided to transfer to the Computer Engineering Department of Istanbul Technical University after internship. Still continues his education in the same department.
Organized sessions to make children love science in +40 schools during his volunteering period, attended +20 YGA Camps, took responsibility in +10 teams. Dedicated +2500 hours of his time to 5 different projects of YGA since 2017. Works at YGA Office professionally since 2019.

Didem Çevik

Born in Ankara in 1994. Began working as a volunteer at YGA while studying Philosophy at Middle East Technical University in 2017. Managed the communication network of 600 role-model teachers from all over Anatolia in the Science Movement reaching 20,000 students in a year. Interned in Human Resources departments of Ankara Güven Hospital and Coca Cola Beverages during university years. Works in the YGA Leadership Programs professionally since 2019. Organizes the science sessions of YGA volunteers with disadvantaged children. Leads the digital platform that enables the sustainability of the project with posts regarding the progress of both the project and the teachers, and the YGA Role-Model Teachers Program.