Founders

Bios

Banu Demiralp

Banu Demiralp is Co-founder and President of Anka Rising. Ms. Demiralp is an analyst with over 10 years of experience in international trade law and non-profit fundraising. Before co-founding Anka Rising, as an international trade professional, Ms. Demiralp drew on her experience in international trade and private sector development to monitor and analyze U.S. foreign and trade policy for public and private sector clients. Ms. Demiralp has extensive knowledge of U.S., EU, Chinese, Russian, Turkish and Indian foreign and trade affairs. In addition to international trade, her areas of expertise include: donor and program management; client relations; post-conflict and fragile state market research; reconstruction and stabilization policy; emergency preparedness; and research, analysis and evaluation of human trafficking. Ms. Demiralp is a native speaker of Turkish, and also speaks basic French and Russian. She received her Masters in Peace Operations Policy from George Mason University’s School of Public Policy in Arlington, Virginia and her B.A. in History from Hope College in Holland, Michigan.  Contact at bdemiralp@ankarising.org.

Janna Lipman

Janna Lipman is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Anka Rising. Ms. Lipman is a manager with 10 years of experience in strategic communications and stakeholder management. Prior to co-founding Anka Rising, she provided management and communications consulting services to public and private sector clients, leveraging her expertise in strategy and conflict resolution to assist clients in analyzing their programs and achieving their goals. Her specialties include strategic communications and outreach; stakeholder management; facilitation, program analysis; and research, analysis and evaluation of human trafficking, transnational crime and corruption, and international policing. Ms. Lipman has traveled and worked extensively in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Europe, Central and South America, and Asia. She is fluent in French and speaks basic Spanish. She received her Masters in Peace Operations Policy from George Mason University’s School of Public Policy in Arlington, Virginia; Graduate Certificates in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University’s School for Conflict Analysis & Resolution; and her BBA in Hospitality and Tourism Management and BA in French from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  Contact at jlipman@ankarising.org.