Berivan Orucoglu

Berivan Orucoglu is a journalist by training and she has written extensively on U.S.-Turkish relations, Turkish domestic politics, good governance and freedom of press, publishing in major international print media, including the Washington Post, New York Times, and Foreign Policy.

Ms. Orucoglu is currently the Human Rights & Democracy Program Manager at the McCain Institute for International Leadership at ASU. In this role, she works with the Senior Director for Human Rights and Democracy to provide transition assistance to human rights activists forced to flee their surroundings because of threats – thus enabling them to remain engaged in the fight for human rights.

Ms.Orucoglu spent time with the McCain Institute as a Next Generation Leader (NGL) prior to joining the Institute as Program Manager. During her NGL fellowship, she continued her journalism career and wrote a weekly blog on foreign policy, security and freedom of press issues at the Foreign Policy magazine’s Democracy Lab.

Before moving to the US, she has served as the senior Communications Advisor to the American Ambassador in Ankara, Turkey for three years. She drafted the Ambassador’s talking points and speeches, and prepared him, other senior Embassy officers, and visiting senior US Government officials for their public appearances and interactions with Turkish and world media. During her time at the Embassy, she regularly organized and supported high level visits to Turkey, winning the commendation of former Vice President Biden, former Secretary of State Kerry, former Secretary Clinton.

Before joining the Embassy, Ms. Orucoglu has worked for various media outlets in Turkey, Europe and the U.S. covering major news stories of the last decade. As a diplomatic correspondent, she has traveled to Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Gulf States. While based in Brussels, she followed EU, NATO and international summits. Ms.Orucoglu broke several major news stories and interviewed many prominent politicians. Her reporting focused on international relations, and her opinion columns advocated for strengthening democracy, human rights and rule of law.

Ms. Orucoglu was born in Ankara and graduated with honors from Bilkent University’s Department of Communication and Design. She speaks fluent English in addition to her native Turkish.