Board Member Spotlight: Ahmet Hepdoğan

Ahmet Hepdoğan is a supply chain and food procurement executive, having most recently served as the Vice President of Procurement for Ferrara Candy and was responsible for global sourcing. Originally from Turkey, he is a public speaker and thought leader, who has served on the Young Center board since January 2021. We sat down with Ahmet to get to know more about him.

How did you get involved with the Young Center initially?
My fellow board member who I have known for 25 years, Jimena Catarivas Corbett, reached out to me about gauging my interest level in joining the YC Board.  I researched YC’s mission and knew right away that the organization was a good fit for my values and beliefs.  I went through a few interviews and was accepted by the board to become a member.  It was however the first year of the pandemic, therefore the board orientation was entirely based on remote & online tools!  The board gave me a very warm welcome and I am blessed to be a part of such bright group of individuals.

Why is fighting for the rights of children important to you? Should it be important to everyone?
 
Children are innocent human beings.  They may not be aware of their rights and thus could be taken advantage of.  The U.S. immigration system is complex and requires the immigrants to be knowledgeable.  Immigrant children that are unaccompanied and separated neither know the details of such complex system, nor do they have the tools or knowledge to defend their rights.  The Young Center bridges this justice gap through resources to be able to help these innocent immigrant children.  Regardless of political affiliation and beliefs, everyone must protect the rights of children no matter what their immigration status is.

What is one thing you’d like everyone to know about the Young Center’s work?

The technical details of the work that Young Center delivers is impressive.  The resources that Young Center provides is world-class and the “system" that is comprised of the employees & the board of directors, the donor network, and the volunteers who are all passionate about their work.  The system is like a balanced three-legged stool; one leg is the Young Center Organization and Board of Directors, the second leg is the donor network, and the third leg is the volunteer network also referred to as “Child Advocates”.  Each leg need to be strong and support our mission, vision, and values, otherwise the system would topple.  I am proud of the work that Young Center delivers each and every single day and I feel extremely grateful to be a part of such prestigious “system".

What’s your dream for immigrant children? 

My dream for immigrant children is very simple; for them to feel equal to the children in the country they are migrating to.  They should be protected from the harsh realities of the U.S. immigration system and the consequences of their economic and social conditions.  They should be provided with fair opportunities and have access to a brighter future in a country that was built on ideals such as the idea that all people are created equal regardless of origin, and these people have fundamental rights such as liberty, free speech, freedom of religion, due process of law, and freedom of assembly.