Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Dr. Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya
Founder & President
Dr. Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya is a historian of Ottoman cultural and social thought, with a focus on intellectual history, ethical traditions, and the transmission of Turkish literary and musical heritage. She is a faculty member at the Institute for Sufi Studies at Üsküdar University in Istanbul and has held visiting research positions at Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies.
Her work explores the role of late Ottoman intellectuals—particularly those shaped by Sufi traditions—in processes of modernization and cultural continuity. Bringing together archival research, textual interpretation, and artistic practice, Dr. Yalçınkaya's scholarship investigates the evolution of ethical ideals, forms of spiritual expression, and the aesthetic sensibilities of late Ottoman and early Republican society.
She has contributed to the field through academic publications, curated concerts, interdisciplinary conferences, and musical performances in Istanbul, New York, Boston, and Cambridge—often exploring classical Turkish music and the symbolic world of the makam tradition.
As the founder of The Kenan Center for Turkish Cultural Studies, Dr. Yalçınkaya has envisioned the Center as a platform where rigorous scholarship, creative production, and cultural renewal converge—grounded in Turkish intellectual legacies yet open to the imaginative possibilities of the present.
Ayşe Sarıgöllü Güzel
Board of Directors
Ayşe Sarıgöllü Güzel is an entrepreneur and executive specializing in financial technologies, innovation, and digital transformation. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in industrial engineering and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Innovation at Carolina University.
She is a co-founder of Payolog and PayCloud, and has played a key role in launching and scaling multiple technology ventures globally. Her work spans a wide range of fields including payment systems, SoftPOS, smart city solutions, and digital identity technologies.
Recognized for her entrepreneurial achievements, she has received prestigious awards such as the Stevie Awards, and serves as a jury member for the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Program, contributing to the evaluation of groundbreaking startups across Europe.
A mother of three, Sarıgöllü Güzel brings a human-centered and culturally grounded perspective to technology leadership. As a member of the Board of Directors at Kenan Center, she contributes to the Center's strategic mission of preserving cultural heritage and strengthening academic and cultural ties within the diaspora.
Ahmet Yılmaz
Executive Director
Ahmet Yılmaz brings over 25 years of nonprofit management experience to his role as Executive Director. His career has been dedicated to building cultural bridges between Turkey and the international community.
Prior to joining the Kenan Center, he served as Director of the Turkish Cultural Foundation in New York and established successful cultural exchange programs with major museums and universities worldwide. His strategic vision has been instrumental in securing partnerships with the Metropolitan Museum, Library of Congress, and various European cultural institutions.
Mr. Yılmaz holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA in International Relations from Ankara University. His unique combination of business acumen and cultural sensitivity has enabled the Center to expand its reach while maintaining its scholarly integrity.
He is also a published author of several books on Turkish-American relations and serves on the boards of multiple cultural organizations.