- WHO WE ARE

We are volunteers from different walks of life, men and women, young and old.

We are active professionals, academics, business people, housewives, retirees, social activists and caregivers of the elderly.

WHO WE ARE

Members

Alan Robert DUBEN

BIO

Ferhat BORATAV

BIO

Born in Istanbul in 1959, Ferhat Boratav is a veteran television journalist and specialist in information communication. He graduated from Istanbul Erkek Lisesi and Boğaziçi University, Department of History, and conducted research on the Turkish migration experience at Université de Grenoble-II in France.

His journalism career began in 1985 at the weekly news magazine Nokta. In 1987, he joined the BBC World Service Turkish Section as a producer and presenter. Upon returning to Türkiye in 1992, he became the News Director at ATV. In 1999, he joined CNN Türk as Editor-in-Chief, a position he held until 2019. During his tenure, he was responsible for editorial content and decision-making, special broadcasts (primarily elections), program and talent development, operational budgets, corporate communication projects, and editorial relations with CNN International.

In 2012, Boratav played a leadership role in developing the broadcasting principles for the Doğan Media Group and authored the Broadcasting Principles for the group’s TV channels. For nearly 20 years, he has been lecturing on television journalism, global journalism, and copywriting, while organizing training workshops for local media outlets. He is a member of the Advisory Board for the Michigan-based Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship and organized the fellowship’s Turkey tours between 2005 and 2015.

A committed advocate in the civil society sector, he served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Open Society Foundation Turkey for over a decade until its closure in 2019, consulting on numerous social and cultural projects. He is a co-founder and board member of the Yanındayız Association, which aims to mobilize men for gender equality; the 65+ Elder Rights of the Elderly Association, which focuses on ageing and elderly rights; and the Friends of Aşıklı, established to support archaeological research and cultural heritage. He is also a trustee and board member of the Foundation for the Promotion of Cultural Awareness.

Ferhat Boratav is fluent in English and reads French and German. He shares his insights on X at @ferhatboratav.

Hatice Günay ÖZDOĞAN

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Reşit Şahin CANBEYLİ

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Rukiye DEVRES ÜNVER

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Yahya Rauf LALELİ

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Hale Cihan BOLAK BORATAV

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Fatma Esin USLU HELVACIOĞLU

Lale AKARUN ERSOY

Nazan AĞAÇ

BIO

Ayşe Dilek GÜNDOĞ

Güler FİŞEK

BIO

Ahsene Gül TOKAY

İpek DUBEN

Dilek DOLTAŞ

Teoman DOLTAŞ

Mustafa Kemal OLGAÇ

Mualla AKIN

Ayşegül OKULLU TÜREN

Azize Füsun ÜSTÜN

Çisem DİNÇER

BIO

Ali Umran YET

Abdullah AKYÜZ

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Ali Demir AKEL

Gülçin Con WRİGHT

BIO

Gülçin Con Wright received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Boğaziçi University in 2007. During the Fall semester in 2006, she studied abroad at Emory University where she developed an academic interest in sociology of aging. She pursued this interest further in the Master’s program at Middle East Technical University Sociology department where she also worked as a research assistant. She wrote a Master’s thesis entitled “Negotiation of Parent Care among Siblings” as an advisee of Dr. Sibel Kalaycıoğlu.

After being awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and completing her Master’s degree in 2013, she moved to Indiana, U.S.A., to pursue a Dual-Title PhD. in Sociology and Gerontology with a Graduate Concentration on Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Purdue University. She worked as a Fulbright Fellow and research assistant at Within-Family Differences Study lab under the supervision of her advisor, Dr. J. Jill Suitor. She was also affiliated with the Center on Aging and the Life Course at Purdue. In collaboration with her research team members, she published several book and encyclopedia chapters as well as peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Journal of Marriage and Family, The Gerontologist, The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological and Social Sciences, and Research on Aging. She received a research grant from Purdue Graduate School to conduct her dissertation study on older married couples’ initiation and negotiation of parental support to their adult children in later life.

Upon successfully defending her dissertation and completing her PhD. in 2018, Gülçin moved back to Turkey and started teaching at Middle East Technical University, TED University, and Bilkent University as a part-time lecturer. In January 2020, she joined the Sociology department at TED University as an Assistant Professor. Her teaching and research interests include family sociology, sociology of aging, medical sociology, sociology of the body from an intersectional perspective. She continues to conduct research on gender dynamics in intergenerational relationships and caregiving in later life in Turkish as well as American families.

Mehmet Ali ŞAHİN

BIO

Saime Nazan MOROĞLU

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Kenan ÇAYIR

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Şebnem ÖZDEMİR

Ferruh Mutlu BİNARK

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Başak AKKAN

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Emel DANIŞOĞLU

Nazan UĞUR

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Dr. Nazan Uğur graduated from the Department of Chemistry at Middle East Technical University (METU) in 1975 as the top of her class. She completed her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in polymer technology at METU and the University of Manchester, and worked as a university lecturer and researcher for 14 years.

In 1989, she transitioned into the private sector as Product Research Manager at Procter & Gamble. Her corporate career continued in leadership roles across P&G’s offices in Turkey, the UK, Belgium, and Switzerland, covering regions including Europe and the Middle East.

For nearly two decades, she served as European leader and global coordinator in diverse domains such as Product Research & Development, Innovation Management, Environmental and Health Safety, Stakeholder Relations with EU institutions, Global Crisis Management, Corporate Communication, Strategic Planning, and Brand Promotion Programs. During this time, she successfully led multicultural and multidisciplinary teams across countries.

She held executive roles on the boards of prominent organizations such as CIAA, ESA, EUFIC, ÇEVKO, and the Belgian-Turkish Business Association.

After returning to Turkey in 2010, she resumed her academic career at Sabancı University, delivering courses in Management Sciences. Currently, she provides strategic consultancy and corporate training services to institutions both in Turkey and abroad, focusing on leadership, communication strategy, international business culture, change, and crisis management.

Passionate about supporting young professionals in their careers, she also offers pro bono coaching and mentoring.

Based on her personal experience caring for aging family members, she developed a strong interest in healthy aging, elderly rights, and active aging. She actively follows scientific and social developments in this field and believes it is a priority area for social responsibility.

As a result, in 2025 she joined the Executive Board of the 65+ Elder Rights Association, one of Turkey’s most active NGOs in the field of aging and elder advocacy.

Akif Aydın PİŞKİN

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Demet GÜRAL

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Naime Hayrünnisa ALİGİL

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Ülkü Hülya CÖRÜT

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İdil ELVERİŞ FARO

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Çiğdem ASARKAYA

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Zeynep REVA

BIO

Zeynep Reva graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 1996. After completing her legal internship at the Istanbul Bar Association, she earned an LL.M. in Economic Law from Istanbul Bilgi University and an M.Sc. in Forensic Medicine and Ethics from Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University. She holds a PhD in Medical Law from Istanbul Medeniyet University.

Dr. Reva specializes in human rights, violence against disadvantaged groups—particularly women and children—forensic sciences, and victimology. As an expert in developing, coordinating, and teaching projects related to preventing violence, she served as a national consultant for the EU/Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey: Strengthening the Protection of Human Rights of Migrants and Victims of Human Trafficking in Turkey (2019-2022).” She is also a national consultant on gender equality and communication for the Council of Europe project “Promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Turkey (2021-2023).”

Currently serving as the Coordinator of the OzU Violence and Law Laboratory, Dr. Reva is the Project Coordinator for the “Advice to My 18-Year-Old Self: Intergenerational Bridge Documentary Project,” supported by the European Union Sivil Düşün Program.

Her extensive project management experience includes serving as Deputy Coordinator and trainer for the “Zero Tolerance for Forced Marriages Project” (funded by the Embassy of Canada to Ankara) and Project Coordinator/trainer for the “Support for Children at Risk Project” (supported by Freedom House). Other notable projects she has led or coordinated include the “Child Does Not Wait Project,” focused on teaching children’s rights; the “Phoenixes Project,” aimed at raising awareness against violence toward women; and the “No Child Brides Project,” which combats early and forced marriages.

Dr. Reva is a member of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Community Mental Health Scientific Board and an active member of the Istanbul Bar Association’s Women’s Rights and Children’s Rights Centers. She has published numerous articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals and presented papers at various congresses on topics including children’s rights, women’s rights, the rights of older persons, forced marriages, medical law, and forensic sciences. She is the author of two books: Forensic Insurance and Traditional and Complementary Medicine Law and Malpractice.

She currently lectures on Human Rights Practices, Human Rights Law, Children at Risk, Combating Child Labor and the Rights of Child Workers, Project Development and Cycle, and the Effects of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms on Private Law.

Gülay RUMELİOĞLU

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İlker RUMELİOĞLU

Esma YAZICI

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Ümit Yaşar ASLANBAY

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Berrin KARADAĞ

Özgeçmiş

Fatma Necla ZARAKOL

BIO

Ahmet ÇETİN

BIO

I completed my undergraduate studies in Psychological Counseling and Guidance at Uludağ University and earned my Master’s degree from Marmara University with a thesis titled “Sociotropy-Autonomy Personality Traits and Depression in Older Persons.”

Between 1998 and 2015, I served as a psychological counselor and department head in both public and private schools in Bursa and Istanbul, working extensively with children, adolescents, parents, and educators. In 2005, I joined the Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV) as a volunteer for the Father Support Program. From 2015 to 2023, I worked as a specialist and manager within the Fatherhood Studies Department, focusing on program implementation and advocacy for involved fatherhood.

Alongside my full-time roles, I have continued my training and practice in psychotherapy since 2007. Since leaving AÇEV in September 2023, my professional work has centered on two main pillars: education and therapy.

In the field of education, I develop programs, provide training, and offer supervision for corporations and institutions on topics such as human development, child protection, parenting attitudes, gender equality, masculinity/fatherhood, violence prevention, employee motivation, and communication. I also continue to develop content and programs in areas such as the rights of older persons and the psychology of ageing. As a therapist, I work primarily with adults and couples.

My dedication to the field of ageing began in 2005, when I anticipated the demographic shift toward an older population and the subsequent need for specialized mental health services. Although my professional path led me to work with children and younger adults for many years, this field remained a priority. The discrimination and overlooked needs of older persons during the pandemic prompted me to refocus my efforts on this area.

Initially, I began participating in the activities of the Yarenlik Platform, which conducts volunteer work for older persons. I also took on the role of facilitator for a support program designed for individuals aged 65 and over who are themselves caregivers for those requiring continuous care. We have recently completed the first year of this impactful group work.

Since September, I have increased my involvement with the Yarenlik Platform. Furthermore, to gain deeper experience in caregiving, I provide weekly volunteer support at a care center specializing in dementia care.

I am a member of the Education Commission of the National Paralympic Committee of Türkiye, the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies (ACBT), and the Turkish Psychological Counseling and Guidance Association.

Özgür KAYMAK

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Yunus Emre DEMİRCİ

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Vildan KANDEMİR BÜTÜN

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Duygu BUĞA

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Sülün FALAY

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Nursun Yaren KALEM

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Ayşe FİDAN BATURALP

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Lütfiye Arzu DEMİREL

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Bilge ZEREN

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Emine Turgut TANRILI

BIO

I graduated from the Mathematics department of Etiler High School in 1989 and completed my degree in Medical Laboratory at Istanbul University in 1991. Between 1992 and 1995, I worked as a laboratory technician and manager in Okmeydanı. From 1995 to 1998, I established my own laboratory at the Private Kemerburgaz Polyclinic, operating through a revenue-sharing model. My career at the Acıbadem Healthcare Group’s Etiler Medical Center spanned from 1998 to 2025, where I began as a laboratory technician and eventually retired as the Pricing Manager.

To shape my career goals, I earned degrees in Healthcare Management, Business Administration, and Social Work. I completed my Master’s degree in Finance with a project titled “The Health Transformation Program.” The pandemic prompted me to rethink the connection between health and society, leading me toward sociology. Currently, I am a senior Sociology student at Acıbadem University, with the intent to pursue a Master’s degree in Sociology of Health.

My focus on ageing and home care is deeply rooted in 14 years of personal and familial experience, observing the emotional, physical, and social dimensions of chronic illness alongside the ageing process. I am highly motivated to combine my extensive healthcare background with these insights to contribute effectively to the fields of home care and gerontology.

My goal is to accurately narrate the lived experiences of older persons and to advocate for our rights and demands. In line with this, I am currently conducting a research project supported by TÜBİTAK 2209-A titled “Care Labor and Multiple Social Roles of Women in Türkiye,” utilizing qualitative research methods. At the age of 53, I am driven by a passion to explore what kind of old age awaits us and how we can amplify our voices to effect positive change. I am married and have no children.

I am eager to contribute my best efforts to the association and look forward to the opportunity to create a meaningful impact together.

Gökçen KARAMAN

BIO

Arif AYDINLI

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Aynur KETENE

BIO

I was born in Ankara in 1966. I graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in 1989 and completed my residency in the Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation at the same university in 1994. Between 1995 and 1999, I served as an Intensive Care Specialist at Ankara Private Sevgi Hospital, and from 2000 to 2014, I worked as an Anesthesiology and Reanimation Specialist under the Ministry of Health.

In 2000, I attended a three-month “Traditional Chinese Medicine” program at Peking University in China, where I specialized in Eastern Medicine and Acupuncture. The most significant value this training provided was the ability to develop a holistic perspective toward health and illness. In 2015, I participated in the Ozone Therapy training organized by the Ministry of Health.

Driven by a commitment to root-cause analysis, I obtained my “GAPS Practitioner” certification in 2017 after completing the GAPS Nutrition training by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Between 2018 and 2020, I participated in the inaugural Functional Medicine Academy trainings in Türkiye. Furthermore, I became a PNI therapist after completing the programs organized by the European Association of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) between 2019 and 2021.

Following my tenure as a Functional Medicine Specialist at Acıbadem Fulya Hospital (2021–2025), I began serving patients at my private practice on Bağdat Street as of March 2025.

My interest in holistic medicine stems from a personal journey; like many colleagues who embrace these treatments, I sought solutions to my own health challenges that traditional medical approaches, which often overlook root causes, could not resolve. Today, I treat my patients by synthesizing holistic and functional medicine with classical medical practices through a patient-centered, personalized approach rather than a disease-oriented one.

I advocate for these therapeutic approaches to be adopted by more colleagues across all branches, ensuring healing reaches more individuals. I believe that “our health is our greatest treasure.” As a holistic medicine physician, I have dedicated many years to enhancing individual quality of life. I firmly believe that adopting a holistic view of health and taking preventative measures before illnesses arise is vital for older persons (65+) to lead healthy, productive, and socially active lives.

Burcu Özge ÖZERGÜL

BIO

Burç ÖZERGÜL

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Neşe YOĞUNALİ

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Mehmet Musa IŞIK

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İdil Arasan Doğan

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WHO WE ARE

Volunteers

Ali KARAKAŞ

BIO

İdil Arasan DOĞAN

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Emel Çınar SAVAŞ

BIO

Emel, biyoloji lisans eğitimi sırasında eczacılık alanında yandal yaparak sağlık bilimlerine çok yönlü bir temel ile adım atmıştır. Akademik gelişimini işletme yüksek lisansı ile destekleyerek bilimsel bilgisini stratejik ve yönetsel bakış açısıyla güçlendirmiştir.

Kariyeri boyunca Med Supplies, Proceutica, Trpharm, Centrion ve Chiesi gibi önemli ilaç şirketlerinde görev almış; ürün yönetimi, lansman süreçleri ve özellikle MENA (Orta Doğu ve Kuzey Afrika) pazarına açılım projelerinde aktif rol üstlenmiştir. Bu süreçte sağlık sektörünü hem bilimsel hem de ticari boyutlarıyla deneyimleme fırsatı bulmuştur.

Bugün çalışmalarını daha bütünsel bir yaklaşımla sürdürmekte; Yin Yoga, nefes teknikleri, meditasyon ve beyin antrenörlüğü alanlarında eğitmenlik yapmaktadır. Aynı zamanda farklı okullarda çocuk yogası dersleri vererek erken yaşta beden ve zihin farkındalığının gelişmesine katkı sağlamaktadır.

65 yaş ve üzeri bireylerle çalışma motivasyonu, hem profesyonel gözlemlerine hem de kişisel yaşam deneyimlerine dayanmaktadır. Sağlık sektöründeki deneyimleri ve aile büyüklerinden edindiği gözlemler, sağlıklı yaş almanın yalnızca fiziksel değil; zihinsel ve duygusal açıdan da desteklenmesi gerektiğini açıkça göstermiştir.

Onun için yaş almak bir gerileme değil; doğru destekle güçlenebilen, derinleşebilen ve anlam kazanan bir yaşam evresidir. Beyin sağlığının korunması, hareket kabiliyetinin sürdürülmesi ve içsel dengenin desteklenmesi, yaşam kalitesinin temel unsurlarıdır.

Bu anlayışla, 65+ bireylerin daha sağlıklı, dengeli ve bağımsız bir yaşam sürdürebilmeleri için bilgi ve deneyimlerini paylaşmayı gönüllü bir sorumluluk olarak görmektedir.

Yaşamın yaştan bağımsız olduğuna; zinde bir zihin ve güçlü bir bedenle her yaşın keyifle, anlamla ve canlılıkla deneyimlenebileceğine inanmaktadır.