Elif Ergin

After earning her bachelor's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Istanbul Technical University, she pursued a master's degree in Regional Development and Spatial Planning through a collaborative program between the geography and architecture schools at Newcastle University in the UK. Her master's thesis explored the impact of women's labor and participation to decision-making processes on democratic participation in rural development context. She gained practical experience as an Urban Planner at Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's Parks, Gardens and Green Areas Directorate. Her career in local development started at the Istanbul Development Agency, where she worked as a program design and management specialist. For the past year, she has been overseeing the Agency's initiatives in the creative industries field as part of the Culture and Creativity Unit.