Board Of Directors
Hudai Yavalar (Chairman, Founding President)
Hudai Yavalar (Chairman, Founding President) a businessman and entrepreneur who arrived in the United States as a student in 1958. He studied at the Architectural Academy of Fine Arts in Istanbul for one year before continuing his studies at Howard University where he graduated in 1963 with a degree in Structural Engineering.
Bulent Atalay (President)
Bulent Atalay (President) is a scientist, artist and author, with roots in Turkey, England and the United States. Atalay received an early classical education in England and the United States, attending Eton (UK) and St. Andrew’s School (Delaware).
Tijen Baydur (Vice-President)
Tijen Baydur (Vice- President) was born and raised in Izmir, Turkey. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Carnegie-Mellon University (Pittsburgh) and a Master of Science degree from Johns-Hopkins University (Baltimore) in Information and Telecommunications Systems.
llknur Boray (Secretary)
Ilknur Boray (Secretary) has been an active volunteer in the Turkish-American community of Washington, DC, along with her late husband Yavuz Boray, since moving to the area as college students in 1977.
Mirat Yavalar (Treasurer)
Mirat Yavalar (Treasurer) is a founder and Treasurer of Atatürk Society of America. She graduated from Istanbul University School of Education in 1977. She served as elementary school teacher for 5 years in Turkey.
Filiz Odabas Geldiay (Board Member)
Filiz Odabas Geldiay (Vice-President) is a founder and Vice President of Ataturk Society of America. She is the Executive Director of International Association for Human Values (IAHV), a UN NGO that implements humanitarian service projects globally.
Gulgun Karamete (Board Member)
Gulgun Aray Karamete (Board Member) is a professional actress and an acting instructor. Gulgun was born in Ankara Turkey and graduated from H.U. National Conservatory Theatre Department in 1992 and served as an actress for Turkish National Theatre for the following six years.
Dr. Can E. Korman (Board Member)
Dr. Can E. Korman (Board Member) is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the George Washington University. Since 2009 he has been serving as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. He served as Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department from 2005 to 2009.
Burak Sahin (Board Member)
Burak Sahin (Board Member) is a biometric scientist at Daon Inc. He joined Daon following twelve years as a systems analyst at Northrop Grumman Corporation. Mr. Sahin received his B.S. and M.S. degrees, both in Electrical Engineering, at Bogazici University and The Ohio State University.
Aynur Uluatam Sumer (Board Member)
Aynur Uluatam Sumer (Board Member) is an Economist and Financial Specialist. After graduating from Ankara University, Siyasal Bilgiler Fakultesi (SBF), she worked for the State Planning Organization (SPO) in Turkey.
Kaya Boztepe (Board Member)
Kaya Boztepe was was born in Chicago, IL. He double majored in Economics and Business Management and considers research and development a true “passion”.
Tan Karamete (Youth Advisor)
Tan Karamete (Junior Adviser) is a senior at James Madison High School. Growing up around the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, he prides himself with being an excellent skier. In pursuit of his passion of ski-racing, Tan left the mid-atlantic to study his sophomore year abroad at a boarding school in the Alpine region of southern Germany.