Turkish Heritage

Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, raised in Iowa, Elvir’s interest in Turkey was strengthened when he started to work with Turkish-American Community Leaders in the States.  Elvir has worked to ensure Turkey and the United States maintain strong relations and mutual cooperation for a stronger, more democratic, and prosperous world. 

Currently based in Washington D.C., Elvir is a Political Grassroots Strategist.  Previously, he has worked for the Democratic National Committee, U.S. Department of Energy, a number of political campaigns and non-profit organizations, working to build strong coalitions and increase public awareness and participation in U.S. politics. 

Elvir is the Co-Founder of Bosniak-American Association of Iowa, he has also served as a consultant to a number of non-profit organizations around the country, offering advisement on the advancement of underrepresented communities in various capacities. Elvir is an active voice for ethnic communities in Politics and Think Tank world. Elvir has traveled the country speaking at a number of political events on behalf of ethnic communities, including the Democratic National Convention.  

As a Political Grassroots Strategists, in the past Elvir has organized a number of briefings, roundtables, and conferences, from the U.S. Congress to the White House. He has also written for the Huffington Post and German Marshall Fund, and is a frequent media surrogate in Politics, Genocide Denial and Revision of History, Civic Engagement, and Foreign Policy.

Born and raised in Gaithersburg, MD. Pinar Gezgec holds a bachelor’s degree in History with a concentration in the Middle East from University of Maryland, College Park. She has a strong interest in political/ foreign affairs as well as participation and involvement with U.S. and Turkey relations. 

 

Through her position as founder and President of the Turkish Student Association at the University of Maryland, she was able to extensively acquire leadership and communication skills. Additionally, she has worked for the Turkish Coalition of America in Washington, D.C. Throughout her time there, she developed  first-hand knowledge of U.S.-Turkey relations, and was an active advocate in promoting stronger relations between the two nations. With her volunteer work outside of school and work. Pinar took it upon herself to implement and oversee research projects and community events relating to advocacy and foreign policy. 

 

In September 2017, Pinar traveled to Gaziantep, Turkey to visit the Syrian refugee camps and was able to build an interest in working and learning more about humanitarian aid and services provided by Turkish officials. With her educational background and past employment opportunities, she is determined to help THO promote and inform others about Turkish and American relations. 

Born in Houston, Texas and raised in Richmond, Virginia Savannah Lane found her passion for politics and understanding the realm of international advocacy at a young age when she became Virginia’s inaugural ANNPower Fellow (a program created by Hilary Clinton and Madeleine Albright). Through this program Savannah was exposed to leaders from around the world and worked with mentors as an ANNPower national grant winner.

Savannah went on to study Foreign Affairs/Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Virginia, serve as a Resident Advisor and work for Senator McCain’s reelection campaign doing research surrounding foreign policy issues.  Savannah continued her work in the political realm as a program associate at a political consulting firm working in digital media, social media, outreach, event planning and fundraising. 

Through Savannah’s extensive service and advocacy work she won the title of Miss Virginia 2015 in the Miss America Organization and worked in media realms with Dick Clark Productions, national nonprofits, Children’s Miracle Network hospitals, the American Heart Association and more. Through this opportunity Savannah won talent and Quality of Life award designations for her service and commitment to the community. 

 Savannah recently moved to Washington D.C. after she was one of eight women selected from across the country to serve as a Star Fellow for Running Start in Congresswoman Barbara Comstock’s congressional office. Through Running Start, a nonpartisan nonprofit promoting women in politics, Savannah honed her communication and strategy skills, mentored and trained to run for political office and advocated for women in underrepresented fields. 

Savannah is eager to use her unique experiences and passion for international relations to help promote an understanding of the importance of Turkish and American relations through her role at the THO. 

Born and raised on Gibson Island in Maryland, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Macedonia from 2016-2018. Samuel has a developed passion for international cooperation and is excited to build on his interest in advocacy for marginalized communities during his time at the Turkish Heritage Organization. 

 

While studying History and French at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Samuel founded and coordinated the English Language Learners' Group of West Palm Beach, working closely with his university to develop a more inclusive attitude towards ESOL students. During the summer of 2015, Samuel conducted interviews as a research assistant with a demographic study in Cairo, Egypt tracking population movements in the wake of the Arab Spring. Upon graduation, Samuel worked during the 2016 session as a Legislative Aide with the Maryland Senate. 

 

During his Peace Corps service, Samuel sat on a number of committees, managing official social media accounts, appearing on televised interviews, and representing Volunteer health and safety concerns. While living in northeast Macedonia, Samuel developed and implemented an infrastructure improvement project which coordinated local and national authorities in providing safety measures for school children along critical pedestrian areas. Throughout his service, he participated in designing and implementing events targeting youth which promoted the inclusion of Macedonia's diverse communities in dialogue regarding local concerns and global issues. 

 

In Fall of 2019, Samuel will attend The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University as a Masters of Law and Diplomacy candidate.

Abdul Abbas is an Exchange Intern from Calgary, Canada. Currently in his junior year at Mount Royal University; Abdul is pursuing a Bachelors of Business Administration. He has always been interested in international affairs and is excited to expand his knowledge of U.S.-Turkey relations. In the past, Abdul has been a volunteer with Islamic Relief, where he assisted with coordinating annual fundraisers for families in war-torn regions around the globe. Abdul has also been politically active in Canada, where he contributed as a volunteer in a number of political campaigns, including serving as an Official Vote Counter in Canada’s 2015 Federal Election. He is excited to bring his experiences to THO and expand his professional experience in our nation’s capitol, D.C.

Sarah Houston is a world traveler who is excited to bring her passion for Turkish International Relations and experience as a Fulbright grantee to the Turkish Heritage Organization. During her Fulbright in Turkey, Sarah taught at Balikesir University while establishing a refugee community outreach group that worked with local Syrian and Iranian refugees to facilitate the visa process, preparing them for lives in the US. She also worked closely with the Director of the School of Foreign Languages to create and implement new curriculum, changing the way the University prepares English teachers for future employment.  

Sarah was a Posse scholar at Pepperdine University, where she studied Political Science and Film Studies. As Vice President of the Student Government Association, she founded Pepperdine's first ever Women's Initiative for students, bringing together women's groups from all over campus for speaker events and long term policy change. During her time at University, Sarah was awarded scholarships and grants to study in Buenos Aires, Argentina and work on the ground with widows in India through the White Rainbow Project. 

Sarah’s academic focus is on gender issues and economic development projects for underserved and displaced populations in the Middle East and Europe. In her thesis, What Do Women Get? Measuring Outcomes in a Post-Revolutionary Society, she focused on Egyptian women’s position in society during the Arab Spring. She is very interested in the current refugee crisis and examining obstacles the international aid community faces, specifically focusing on economic development programs implemented in the refugee camps. 

Prior to joining THO, Sarah acted as Political Director for David Trone’s Congressional Campaign, where she developed an overarching political outreach plan, establishing a diverse network of community, labor, and cultural organizations to solidify key constituency networks. Growing up in the DC area, Sarah also offers extensive non-profit and government experience on the Hill with American Psychological Association, Congress, and DC Public Schools Central Office.