Filiz Bikmen
Vice Chair, Board of Directors
Mrs. Filiz Bikmen started working with Sabancı Foundation (www.sabancivakfi.org) - one of Turkey's and Europe’s largest foundations - as a strategic advisor in 2007, and then as Head of Programs in 2008 to design, develop, and implement a new programs division and strategy focusing on youth, women, and persons with disabilities. In her role, Filiz is also responsible for strategic development and international relations.
Prior to joining Sabancı Foundation, Filiz was the Executive Director at TUSEV (Third Sector Foundation of Turkey www.tusev.org.tr), a network of 100 of Turkey’s leading foundations. During her five-year tenure, she led the development and implementation of a new strategy including advocacy, research, and philanthropy development programs. Filiz also led fundraising efforts which significantly increased operational scale, international relations/partnerships, financial base and ultimately, TUSEV’s impact on strengthening the civic and philanthropic sector in Turkey.
Filiz continues to be an active speaker and author on subjects related to philanthropy and civil society in Turkey. As an Emerging Leaders International Fellow at The Graduate Centre (City University of New York) in 2006, she prepared an extensive study on the global practice of community foundations and implications for Turkey. She is currently an active member of the Board of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law and contributes to several international and national organizations as an Advisory Board member - most recently the Mama Cash Foundation Center project on European Foundation funding of programs targeting women and girls.
Of Turkish descent and raised in New York, Filiz re-located to Istanbul in 1999. She has a professional background in both non-profit and private sector management consultancy, specializing in organizational development and change management. She has a Masters Degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a double Bachelor of Science degree in Business Communications and Psychology from the State University of New York, College at Brockport.