ATFC Board Meeting Notes

 

Date: February 15, 2026

Location: Compass Real Estate Office, Buckhead

Time: 2:00pm-4:45pm

Participants: Ozben Iyigun Yet, Aylin Kosova Bilgin, Saba Colakoglu, Selen Beduk, Ahmet Bozer, Dogan Eroglu, Ela Cubukcu,  Didem Devletsah, Guran Yet

Prepared by: Guran Yet and Saba Colakoglu

 

Agenda Items:

​

• 2025 Activities’ Overview:

  • Emory Turkish Lecture Series - Ali Carkoğlu - General positive feedback about the activity. Especially the location used this time is preferred, if possible, for upcoming lecture series. However, number of seats are limited, it is again preferred that maybe a bit larger space – the same venue as prior years - would be appealing to reach bigger audience.

  • Spring Flowers Fundraiser - not done due to lack of suitable space and scheduling conflicts. Bozer recommended maybe the club house at their location might be used. It can hold up to 80 people.

  • Movie Night - postponed - planned on Dec 6, 2025, postponed due to unsatisfactory ticket sales. To be considered next time: movie selection, date selection, scheduling around other events for Turkish community. Thanks to Didem Devletsah and Aylin Cimentepe for actively pursuing and getting sponsorships. Funds via sponsors have been made for the next event. Sponsors and guests given the option to refund or keep donations – donations and ticket sales remain as funds for the next movie event.  

  • Friendsgiving dinner - karaoke Night with Friendship Songs hosted at Truva Restaurant - Donated to Atlanta Community Food Bank. Enjoyable event for the participants. 53 Participants, fund raised $1586 and non-perishable items

  • Winter Wonderland, in December at Atlanta Airport, and Fernbank Museum, decorating a new year tree at the location. Is done over the years using ornaments originally procured by Mine Degertekin. This year Didem Cohen and Guliz Kavuncuoglu led the activity.

  • Facebook activity - a call for action for wildfire Relief, - Izmir fires, Facebook online donation, in partnership with AKUT $4000 was donated – partly through ONLINE donations and via existing ATFC funds.

  •  Inspiring the Future - Conversations with Mentors Georgia Tech 2nd series was well attended, with warm welcome from the students. Mentorship program currently includes 16 students matched with professionals. Supported by Georgia Tech Turkish Student organization. Aspired to work with Emory, and Georgia State

  • Relations with TACAGA & TACCS, meet with the Chairman and their leadership, looking for partnership and cooperation.

• 2025 Financial Review:

  • Ela Cubukcu shared the financials for 2025. 2025 was comparable to 2024 in financial standing.

  • Switch to Quickbooks online made it easy to collect and see funds coming through Venmo and PayPal in real time, simplified P&L, and created a fool-proof system for easy transitioning/training of the next Executive team.  Recurring operational expenses include Insurance, Wix, and Quickbooks fees, etc. Overall, ATFC is financially healthy and stable.

  •  It is still a challenge to collect annual dues from members.  Reminders will be sent for 2025 and 2026.

 

• 2026 Activities Planning:

  • Emory Lecture Series, 20th anniversary of the series. Emory would like to honor Mona Diamond Sunshine for initiating the program. Sometimes in March 2026 planned. Mona would like to invite the co-founders. Date and venue soon to be announced.

  • Inspiring the Future - conversations with Mentors - this time hiring and recruitment process, immigration process focus of the panel. Guran Yet moderating the panel with Didem Cohen, Tijen Cirig, and Erin Elliott. Planned for Feb 20th at 4 PM.

  • Not scheduled yet:

    • Spring Fundraiser

    • Movie Night, Yan Yana was a viable candidate until recently but issues around the production company emerged; looking for other films, open for recommendations and connections with film studios.

    • Friendsgiving

    • Winter Wonderland

• ATFC’s Future and Vision:

  • Ozben Yet shared ideas for ATFC to grow:  1) Opportunity for pursuing grants to fund activities 2) New memberships, candidate recommendations requested from current members. # of current members 31, used be around 50-60 individuals

  • Ahmet Bozer shared a focus change of meaningful community building, rather than fundraising pressure, simplified vision, other than once a year due collections as well as commercial donations.

  • Dogan Eroglu elaborated on the purpose and importance of community building, and who the community is. General consensus that it should be an inclusive and sustainable community with a simplified vision and low-cost no pressure existence.

  • American Turkish Friendship focus elevated, increase friendship among friends, introduction of Turkish culture to Americans or introduction of Americans to Turkiye.

  • Reputation building of ATFC

  • Major activities, 6-12 months new leadership required to bring new blood/ideas to ATFC. We should not be a position to re-jump the organization every year and find our main purpose. They can expand but first immediate scale down that can be leveraged with the available resources, without increased pressure of activity management and required funding

​

• ATFC Executive Officers Election:

  • After more than two years of dedicated service, the current Executive Officers have decided to conclude their tenure and transition leadership to the incoming team.

  • Ozben Yet in talks with potential leadership members. Nominations and self-nominations will continue.