Selen Ucak

Selen Ucak is an experienced professional creating social impact at the intersection of philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and global development.

Selen was Executive Director of The American Turkish Society, the preeminent nonprofit dedicated to enhancing U.S.-Turkey economic, cultural and philanthropic ties. With her strategy, management, and development acumen, Selen transformed the organization and its impact during her eight-year tenure.

In addition, she conducted the feasibility study and oversaw the launch (including development of founding board and seed funds) for Turkish Philanthropy Funds, the first diaspora community foundation for Turkey.

Selen's experience also includes:

- Lead Researcher/Author of "Another Side to the Story: A Market Assessment of Syrian SMEs in Turkey" (June 2017) for Building Markets, an international development NGO, where she has also advised the launch of a new program supporting Syrian refugee businesses and civil society organizations.

- Co-author of "Balancing Markets and Values" (March 2006), a pioneering study of for-profit social ventures with leading social entrepreneurship and impact investing expert Professor Catherine Clark.

- Program Officer at Tiger Foundation, making high-impact grants to break the cycle of poverty in New York City

- Development Intern at Endeavor Global, promoting entrepreneurship in emerging markets, including in Turkey

- Assistant Director and Forecasting Fellow at Jerome Levy Forecasting Center, researching and writing on global macroeconomics

Selen has advised numerous global social impact initiatives; conceptualized and managed diverse programs; convened leaders around common goals; and mobilized resources from individuals and institutions for social impact. She is a speaker on topics from social entrepreneurship to U.S.-Turkey relations.

Selen was highly engaged in the Social Enterprise Program at Columbia Business School as teaching assistant in social entrepreneurship, president of Net Impact, and organizer of Global Social Venture Competition.

Selen holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School as the first Tashman Turkish Fellow and a B.A. in Economics/International Affairs, summa cum laude, from Colorado College.