Aynur Kahveci Ozdemir – Board

Aynur is a chef specializing in Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine with over 25 years of experience in food and beverage industry. She and her husband have owned and operated a pizzeria in Washington, D.C. since 2010 and provided catering services for special events. During the pandemic, she started a weekly home-cooked meal service that keeps her business growing. Aynur has been participating in the DC Turkish Festival as a food vendor since 2022. She also volunteered at ATA-DC events for many years. She served the entire catering menu for ATA-DC’s Sponsors Appreciation event in February 2024. 

Umut Burak Geyikci – Board

Earning his PhD in 2013, Dr. Umut Burak Geyikci works for Montgomery County Health and Human Services, where he leverages his extensive experience to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s goals. Burak thinks ATA-DC’s mission to promote Turkish culture in the U.S., build friendship between Turkish and American people, and foster a stronger Turkish American community in the Washington DC metro area through educational, social, and cultural activities deeply resonates with him. Over the years, he actively participated in many ATADC events and activities. Witnessing his daughter’s thriving participation in the YCAP program further solidified this connection. The ongoing effort to create positive relations between all parts of American society and the enduring impact of Turkish culture are the causes he is deeply passionate about. Drawing on his experience serving on a private company board, financial expertise homed in Montgomery County, MD, and distinguished academic background with 70+ publications, he is confident that he can contribute valuable strategic insights, research skills, and a genuine passion for furthering ATADC’s endeavors. Outside of the professional sphere, Burak enjoys music, strategic games like chess, and staying abreast of corporate finance trends. He is happily married with two daughters, ages 8 and 16.

Mert Arkan – Board

Mert, a Turkish-American native of the DMV area and current DC resident, works as an attorney specializing in international trade and customs compliance for both U.S. and foreign clients. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their 15-month-old son, and exploring the rich cultural and culinary scene of Washington, DC. An overly emotionally invested Turkish soccer fan, Mert eagerly participates in pick-up or recreational soccer whenever he can. Mert’s involvement with ATA-DC began in his childhood, where he took part in the Ataturk Children’s School and the 23 Nisan Turkish Choir. These experiences significantly enriched his upbringing, helping him to embrace his identity as both a Turkish and U.S. citizen. Although his family relocated to Europe during his teenage years, Mert has now returned to DC and is eager to contribute to the Turkish-American community through ATA-DC. He fondly remembers ATA-DC’s role in his life and looks forward to giving back to the organization that was instrumental in shaping his cultural foundation. 

Erin Ozlem Akkaya – Board

Born in Istanbul, Ozlem pursued philosophy degree at Istanbul University. After teaching at Huseyin Yildiz public High School for two years, she relocated to London for four years. She met her husband and got married in London which prompted a move to the United States. As a Turkish-American educator with three children of her own, Ozlem has long desired to be an active member of the Turkish community. Thus, she thinks serving on the ATA-DC Board of Directors would allow her to contribute meaningfully to this mission. She is enthusiastic about organizing educational and cultural activities that celebrate rich Turkish traditions while fostering understanding with other communities in the U.S. Ozlem believes that, together, we can create enriching experiences that honor our roots while embracing our American identities. 

Selcuk Oflaz – Board

Selcuk earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Civil Engineering from Yildiz Technical University in Istanbul. During his studies, he participated in an exchange program at the University of Portsmouth (England, UK) and completed a technical internship in Athens, Greece, through the volunteer organization IAESTE. He has always been socially active and outgoing, engaging with diverse cultures and representing Turkish culture and heritage while learning about others. After graduating, he lived and worked in Doha, Qatar, for nearly 7 years, where he met his wife who was also an expat from the United States. They decided to unite their lives in in 2017 and since then Selcuk has been residing in Northern Virginia. He feels so proud to be the father of two daughters and a cheerful beagle. As a proud carrier of Turkish ethnicity, he strives to balance experiencing American culture with preserving Turkish cultural values and raising their children’s awareness. Selcuk has been a member of ATA-DC since 2021 and enjoyed the cultural interactions and connections he has made so far. He has been supporting the community in various ways and now feels eager to take his volunteerism to the next level by joining the ATA-DC Board of Directors. 

Izlem Tanik Moore – Board

Izlem was born in Istanbul in 1971 and completed high school education at Şişli Terakki High School. In college, she pursued a degree in Tourism Management at Istanbul University. Her professional journey began at a travel agency, where she gained valuable experience. She then transitioned to working at the Istanbul branch of Mapfre, a Spanish company specializing in travel insurance. Following this, she served as the Assistant General Manager at the Terakki Foundation, working within the very same high school from which she graduated. Her career continued to evolve as she joined the Istanbul Culture and Arts Foundation, where she worked in the hospitality department. In this role, she was responsible for organizing and coordinating logistics for artists and technical staff participating in film, theatre, music, jazz festivals, and biennials. In 2005, Izlem met her husband, an American, in Istanbul. In 2006, the couple moved to the United States. Her career took a pause as she dedicated herself to raising their 3 children, who were born in close succession. Tragically, Izlem lost her husband to cancer in 2021. Currently, she works part-time at Turkish Coffee Lady. In her spare time, she indulges in creating amateur miniature-style paintings, mosaics, woodblock prints, and zentangle art.