UFUK GÜNEŞ

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Born in 1990 in Kocaeli, she graduated from Edirne Anatolian High School and completed her undergraduate studies in the Faculty of Communication, Department of Journalism at Kocaeli University. During her studies, she worked as an editor-presenter for the university’s radio station and reported for the Trakya regional supplement of Posta Newspaper. She completed her internship at the master control unit of the national TV channel ATV.

After graduation, she served as an editor for a long period at Kolaj Art, a Monthly Independent Art Magazine. Alongside her undergraduate education, she took various courses in news anchoring and presenting, graphic design, social media management, digital marketing, and corporate image and reputation management, preparing herself for a career in corporate communications.

During this time, she was part of the creative teams at Avon Turkey and The Socks Company. Most recently, she worked as a Corporate Communications Specialist at Amega Entertainment, a technology company specializing in motion technologies, virtual reality, and simulators. In 2020, she received an award at the IAAPA Virtual Expo Asia for achieving the highest score on the leadership board. In 2021, she was appointed as the Quality Management Representative of her company.

As of March 2022, she started working as the Corporate Communications Manager at Gülmek İyileştirir Derneği (The Laughter Heals Association). She completed her master’s degree in Public Relations at Marmara University with high honors, ranking first in her program. She continues to represent Gülmek İyileştirir Derneği and, as of July 2023, serves as the Resource Development and Corporate Communications Coordinator.

DENİZ KÖNEZ

CHILD AND FAMILY COORDINATOR / TEACHER

Born in 1987, Deniz Könez graduated from a high school specializing in Child Development and completed her associate degree in Social Services at Eskişehir Anadolu University. She then earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the same university.

She worked as a preschool teacher for children aged 3 to 6 at a private kindergarten for six years starting in 2012. Since 2018, she has been working as a teacher at the Hygienic Play Center of Gülmek İyileştirir Derneği (The Laughter Heals Association). As of 2023, she has taken on the role of Coordinator of the Hygienic Play Centers.

DUYGU SELEOĞLU

FINANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS AND VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Born in 1991 in Adana, she completed her undergraduate studies in Tourism and Hotel Management at Çukurova University. She completed her internship in the Human Resources Department of Adana HiltonSA. After graduation, she volunteered in Romania through the EVS (European Voluntary Service) program and later received pedagogical formation training at Çukurova University. She also completed a Human Resources certification program at Adana Science and Technology University.

She began her career as a Human Resources Specialist at the Turkish Education Foundation (TEV) through the “First Chance” project initiated by the Sabancı Family. She then worked as the Administrative Affairs and Program Manager at Common Purpose Turkey. During this period, she also completed a thesis-based master’s degree in Project Management and Social Organizations at Marmara University.

After serving as the Volunteer Training Coordinator at Gülmek İyileştirir Derneği (The Laughter Heals Association), where she had been a volunteer, she worked as a Program Manager at the Turkish Entrepreneurship Foundation. As of October 2024, she continues her professional journey as the Finance, Administrative Affairs, and Volunteer Coordinator at Gülmek İyileştirir Derneği.

GİZEM KULAKKAYA

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Born in 1996, Gizem Kulakkaya graduated from Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University with a degree in Social Work. She completed her internship at the Başakşehir Social Service Center, where she participated in home visits for disadvantaged individuals and prepared social reviews and needs assessment reports.

Her volunteering journey at Gülmek İyileştirir Derneği began in 2021 by reading fairy tales, and it continued with her participation in office activities and resource development efforts. She successfully completed the “Psycho-Oncology Skills and Supervision Program for Working with Cancer Patients and Their Families,” organized in collaboration with the Association of Psycho-Oncologists and the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS).

Since October 2022, she has been working as a Resource Development and Communications Specialist at Gülmek İyileştirir Derneği.

FAZLI BERK KALAFAT

ASSISTANT RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Born in 2000, Fazlı Berk Kalafat graduated from Istanbul University, Faculty of Communication, with a degree in Public Relations and Publicity. Alongside his university education, he completed a Digital Marketing course at Acun Medya Academy and earned a certification in this field.

To further develop his expertise in communications, he gained experience working at various agencies, where he worked as an editor and took part in corporate communication departments. During his agency experience, he was involved in public relations processes, and later worked as a Corporate Communications Intern at BASF Turkey, gaining valuable insights particularly in B2B communication.

As of October 2024, he continues his professional career as an Assistant Resource Development and Communications Specialist at Gülmek İyileştirir Derneği.