She completed her undergraduate studies at George Mason University in 2010, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Global Affairs. She earned her first master’s degree in Cultural Studies and her second in Clinical Psychology, both from Istanbul Şehir University. Atalan is currently pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology at Hasan Kalyoncu University and continues to work as a clinical psychologist.
Her professional journey at Yeşilay began in 2017 as Deputy General Manager, later becoming the General Manager. She led the establishment and management of Yeşilay Counseling Centers (YEDAM) across all 81 provinces in Turkey. During her tenure, for the first time in the organization's history, the Turkish Green Crescent Society (Yeşilay) received the “5-Star Competence Certificate in Excellence” and subsequently the “Türkiye Excellence Award” under the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model. She also served for two years as the Managing Editor of Lacivert Magazine, of which she is one of the co-founders.
Atalan is a Member of the Board of Trustees at Istanbul Commerce University and an Advisory Board Member of the Social Innovation Application and Research Center at Istanbul Technical University. She has participated as a speaker in conferences and symposiums held by organizations such as the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the World Health Organization. Since her university years, she has volunteered in numerous national and international projects, including work in refugee camps. She is fluent in English.
