Get to Know

Team

Berivan Eliş
Co-Founder
Berivan Eliş
Co-Founder

Berivan has cross-sector experience in social development, social innovation, and social entrepreneurship. She is a co-founder of Impact Hub Ankara. In 2016, she established İstasyonTEDÜ, the Social Innovation Center at TED University, and managed it for five years. She has worked with the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey, the United Nations Development Programme, Bilkent University, and the Community Volunteers Foundation, focusing on youth, accessibility, gender, and human security. Berivan Eliş has played roles as a researcher and coordinator in reporting and mapping studies on the state of social enterprises and the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Turkey and globally. She has also led the design, implementation, and evaluation of numerous support and capacity-building programs for civil society actors, social enterprises, and impact ventures. Berivan is actively involved in developing data-driven and inclusive policies for social entrepreneurship in Turkey through her work with the Turkey Social Entrepreneurship Network (TSGA). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Faculty of Political Science at Ankara University and a master’s degree in International Relations from Bilkent University.

Duygu Vatan
Co-Founder
Duygu Vatan
Co-Founder

After completing her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Product Design at Middle East Technical University, Duygu Vatan earned her master’s degree in Industrial Design, focusing on social innovation and local development. She founded Joon, an award-winning social enterprise aimed at empowering producer-artisan communities by using design as a capacity-building tool. With significant experience in developing and implementing education programs in design thinking and service design, Duygu Vatan has worked as an expert on international projects in social business model development and marketing.

Murat Çitilgülü
Co-Founder
Murat Çitilgülü
Co-Founder

Murat Çitilgülü holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Bilkent University and began his career with the UNDP Turkey’s human development team. He contributed to the preparation of the “Youth Report,” which led to various public and private sector projects based on his recommendations and findings. He then worked for six years in international development and trade diplomacy at the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade (now the Ministry of Trade). Afterward, he joined the UNDP Global Private Sector Unit in Istanbul, where he conducted research and implemented projects on inclusive economies and business models in collaboration with public institutions, multinational companies, and international organizations such as the G-20, World Bank, and OECD. He was also involved in the formulation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Murat later coordinated media relations, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility activities at ING Turkey. From 2018 to 2021, he served as the General Manager of the Community Volunteers Foundation. Since August 2021, he has been a co-founder of Impact Hub Ankara.

Hülya Özer
Shop No:10 - Social Procurement Coordinator
Hülya Özer
Shop No:10 - Social Procurement Coordinator
Kemal Özdemir
Media & Communications Expert
Kemal Özdemir
Media & Communications Expert

Kemal Özdemir graduated from Ankara University’s Faculty of Communication, Radio, Television, and Cinema Department in 2017. He gained extensive experience in the cinema, television, and advertising sectors, working on various projects focused on creative content production. To expand his expertise, he earned a second bachelor’s degree from Kocaeli University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, Acting Program in 2024, further developing his interdisciplinary skills. In addition to communication, Kemal has been actively involved in design, acting, voiceover, video and photography production across multiple projects. He currently serves as a Media and Communications Specialist at Impact Hub Ankara, where he focuses on increasing the visibility of social impact-driven initiatives.

Mızgin Öykü Çalağan
Programme Assistant
Mızgin Öykü Çalağan
Programme Assistant

Mızgin Öykü Çalağan holds a bachelor’s degree in American Culture and Literature from Bilkent University. During her university years, she interned in the communication department of the Civil Society Development Center (STGM), providing translation support. After graduation, she continued working as a translator. She is also involved in volunteer work at the Women’s Solidarity Foundation. Since November 2022, she has been working as a Programme Assistant at Impact Hub Ankara.

Sevil Gönül
Host
Sevil Gönül
Host
Zehra Düzgün
Sales Coordinator
Zehra Düzgün
Sales Coordinator

Zehra Düzgün completed her bachelor’s degree in Economics at Anadolu University. She began her career in the insurance and finance sector, focusing on sales. After nearly 9 years of experience at Yapı Kredi and Allianz Turkey, she gained further expertise as a specialist and manager in various private sector organizations. Since January 2023, she has been serving as Sales Coordinator at Impact Hub Ankara.

Zeynep Eliş
Programme Expert
Zeynep Eliş
Programme Expert

Zeynep Eliş completed her bachelor’s degree in City and Regional Planning at Middle East Technical University (METU). She has worked at the Chamber of City Planners under TMMOB, Çankaya Municipality, and various international projects in areas such as inclusivity, participatory urban planning, and participatory design. In the civil society sector, she has conducted work in urban rights advocacy, gender equality, and the design of participatory processes. She was part of a project team established to develop a participatory model at the local level within the framework of the international training program run by the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy. Through the Data Science for Public Good program organized by TED University, she shifted her focus toward social impact and social innovation, taking part in projects on social benefit and inclusivity.

Deniz Erbil
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Deniz Erbil
Support and Advisory Circle Member

With over 19 years of experience in corporate communication, Deniz Erbil holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Design from Bilkent University and a master’s degree in Public Relations from Bournemouth University in the UK. She has extensive knowledge in areas such as digital marketing, public relations, community management, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, risk and crisis management, and social media management in both the private sector and non-governmental organizations. She provides consultancy in corporate communication, mentors startups, and conducts training. Additionally, she teaches part-time at Bilkent University.

Ersan Ocak
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Ersan Ocak
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Ezgi Özkök Sefer
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Ezgi Özkök Sefer
Support and Advisory Circle Member

 

Mehmet Atakan Foça
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Mehmet Atakan Foça
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Mehmet Can İrhan
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Mehmet Can İrhan
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Pelin Kalkanoğlu
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Pelin Kalkanoğlu
Support and Advisory Circle Member

Pelin Kalkanoğlu holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Technologies and Office Management from Bilkent University. She began her professional career as an Academic Specialist in the field she graduated from, teaching courses to vocational school students for 11 years. After working as an Assistant General Manager at Ankara Patent Bureau, she founded the Career Center at TED University and managed it for 8 years. As of 2023, she serves as a Support and Advisory Circle Member at Impact Hub Ankara.

Seda Mumcu Aydeniz
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Seda Mumcu Aydeniz
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Sinan Tandoğan
Support and Advisory Circle Member
Sinan Tandoğan
Support and Advisory Circle Member