Senay Ataselim-Yilmaz

Senay Ataselim-Yilmaz is the Executive Director of Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF), an international community foundation based in New York City. Founded in 2007, TPF, the leading U.S. community foundation for high-impact social investments dedicated to Turkish and Turkish-American communities, has more than 40 funds, a network of more than 10,000 donors throughout the US, and nearly $17 million in charitable assets under management. TPF has received accredited charity status from BBB Giving Alliance and Platinum Seal of Transparency from Guidestar, validating that TPF adheres to sector best practices and is financially-efficient in executing our mission. Headquartered in New York, TPF has made nearly $24 million in charitable grants throughout Turkey, and across the United States.

Senay 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, Senay also served as an Advisor to the President of the Board at Business Forum, where she previously held the position of Executive Director for five years.

Numerous organizations and institutions have recognized Senay’s contribution to the field of philanthropy including her appointment as an International Herst Fellow by the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society in 2005, an honor bestowed upon to Emerging Global Leaders. She is a guest lecturer at Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, a mentor for TEAK fellowship, and former President of the board at Moon and Stars Project. In 2013, the American Turkish Society appointed her Young Society Leader. Since 2016 she has been teaching Fundraising and Resource Development at Fordham University.

Senay is also a writer, lecturer, researcher and mentor working for social change. Her career is an expression of her curiosity, her creative talent to communicate complicated ideas, and a restless search for solutions to global social challenges. Senay enjoys opportunities to learn from and contribute to global communities of practice in philanthropy, civil society and women issues and has written about these matters on her blog at the Huffington Post. She 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. She is also a certified yoga and mindfulness instructor.