Board of Directors
The Health and Education Foundation (SEV) was established in 1968 by its alumni to preserve, strengthen and ensure the continuity of a rich 150-year educational tradition through its schools and institutions. It is governed by a Board of Trustees and a Board of Directors composed of alumni serving voluntarily. As alumni, we work to preserve our institutions with the sense of social responsibility and service to society instilled in us by our schools.
We understand the importance and value of the exceptional education our schools provide through our own personal experiences. We see giving back within our means and sustaining our schools as a social responsibility to enhance our contributions to humanity and society through education.
SEV has created a unique institutional identity that draws strength from the expertise and volunteer support of its alumni, while maintaining its longstanding tradition of quality education. Today, we are proud that it is one of the leading and pioneering educational institutions in Turkey.
Appointed by the Board of Trustees, my colleagues and I on the Board of Directors have taken up the SEV torch for a three-year term beginning in 2024. I had previously served two terms on the Board and became a Trustee in 2022. The new members of our board have volunteered as trustees, board members or on our committees and are graduates who are closely familiar with our foundation and schools. Our team consists of alumni of Üsküdar American Academy, American Collegiate Institute, and Tarsus American College, each with deep expertise and professional experience, both in Turkey and internationally. Together, we are committed to fulfilling this responsibility with passion and determination.
Despite all the changes in the world, education remains the most vital and invaluable service to society. At SEV schools, we continue to nurture students into well-rounded, socially conscious, and globally-minded individuals who stand out academically and are prepared for a rapidly changing world and an uncertain future. We equip them with the academic skills and raise them to be resilient, entrepreneurial, and adaptable lifelong learners.
We strengthen our quality and holistic education with the best global practices and technologies. Through our proprietary teaching programs offering ongoing development opportunities for our teachers, a unique climate prioritizing the well-being and happiness of all staff, we are committed to maintaining our schools’ leading and pioneering status today and in the future.
With the knowledge and voluntary contributions of our alumni, and the outstanding efforts of our teachers and professionals, we will continue to allocate all resources to consistently enhance the educational opportunities provided by our schools.
On behalf of our Foundation and Board of Directors, I extend respect and heartfelt greetings to all educators, education enthusiasts, and donors who, wherever they may be, make invaluable contributions to humanity and society through education.
Özlem Cinemre (UAA’84)
President of SEV Board of Directors, 2024-2027
Board of Directors of the Health and Education Foundation is formed through an election by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees and Board of Directors consist of members who are mostly graduates of American Colleges and they work voluntarily for the Foundation.
At the Health and Education Foundation, various operational functions are performed through Committees comprised of Board members, Foundation professionals, and volunteer alumni. The greater purpose of these committees is to capture and transfer the institutional knowledge of the Foundation and schools to future generations. In guiding the strategic direction of the Foundation, these Committees also allow Board members to share their expertise in a structured and focused manner.
The following committees serve the main operational areas of the Health and Education Foundation as we work to improve education and ensure its sustainability:
- Real Estate Development and Construction Committee,
- Human Resources Committee,
- Corporate Governance Committee,
- Project and Fundraising Committee,
- Legal Committee
- Finance Committee,
- Audit Committee,
- Education Committee,
- Sports, Arts and Science Committee,
- IT, Digital and Educational Technologies Committee,
- Marketing and Communications Committee
In the Plenary Session held on 14 December 2024, the new Board of Directors were decided on by the Board of Trustees. The new board consists of professionals who pursue an active business life in different senior executive positions in various sectors.