Senay Ataselim-Yilmaz

Şenay Ataselim Yılmaz, PhD is the Chief Operating Officer of TPF. Şenay comes to TPF with an extensive experience in non-profits, community organizing and philanthropy. She joined TPF in its start-up phase, taking an active role in developing the organization’s structure first in her role as a consultant throughout 2006 and early 2007, then as the Chief Operating Officer. In 2007, Şenay also served as an Advisor to the President of the Board at Turkish-American Business Forum (TABF), a network of over 500 Turkish-American business professionals, where she previously held the position of Executive Director for five years.

From 2002 to 2007, Şenay served at various levels of the arts and culture organization, Moon and Stars Project, holding the position of the President of the board between 2005 and 2007. At Moon and Stars Project, she played a key role in developing the organization’s Marketing and Development Departments, and creating a successful volunteer management policy. Şenay also served as an advisor to Bridges of Hope Project, an organization raising funds for educational projects in Turkey.

Şenay was appointed as an International Herst Fellow by the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society’s Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program in 2005. During her fellowship, she worked on a research project on current trends in philanthropic giving to Turkey among the Turkish Diaspora community in the United States and the motivations behind this giving.

Şenay holds a BA in Political Science and Public Administration, University of Ankara and an MPA in Public Policy and Non-profit Management, Baruch College. She received her PhD in Political Science from the Graduate Center, CUNY.