2026 Committee
I was born and raised in Türkiye and moved to Australia as an adult. I completed my early education in Türkiye and later pursued my tertiary studies at The University of Adelaide. My professional background spans business and international development, with experience across a range of sectors including sales, management, research, and advisory roles.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my career has been working in international development. This work provided the opportunity to travel to the Pacific and contribute to skills development programs that support local communities and strengthen workforce capabilities.
Community engagement has always been important to me. I have volunteered with various organisations over the years and remain committed to contributing my time and skills to initiatives that support and strengthen our community.
From 2010 to 2013, I had the honour of serving as Vice President of TASA alongside President Tanya Aysen Kaplan. I look forward to continuing to serve the Turkish community, working collaboratively with the TASA Management Committee and dedicated volunteers to represent our community with integrity and to support its continued growth and connection in Australia.
I was born in the eastern part of Turkey and grew up in Istanbul. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Business Management. My early career began in the textile industry in Denizli, which set the foundation for the work I continue to do today.
I moved to England for work in 1998 before returning to Denizli in 2003. During that time, I married Bianca, and we spent 4.5 years in Denizli, where our first son, Ozan, was born.
In 2008, we moved to Adelaide, Australia, where I started my own company as a textile agent. Over the years, I’ve built a career that blends my international experience with my passion for the textile industry.
Outside of work, I enjoy staying active. I love cycling, travelling, and volunteering with OzHarvest. I also played soccer until last year.
Bianca and I have two sons: Ozan, now 21 and studying at university, and Ryan, who is 17 and in year 12.
I was born and mostly raised in Adelaide to parents who migrated here in the 70’s.
Both of my parents were involved with TASA in the 1980’s and 1990’s – my mum
acting as Secretary and my dad as Treasurer. I am very proud to be following in the
footsteps of my parents and am very grateful for the opportunity to act as treasurer
for TASA. My background is mostly in hospitality, working with my family in our
business Spats Café starting at the age of 14. I moved to Sydney in 2014 and began
working for an accounting firm there as one of their receptionists. In 2018, my
husband and I moved back to Adelaide where I again found work with an accounting
firm in Mawson Lakes, starting in Administration and slowly upgrading my skills and
education to bookkeeping & payroll. I now perform most of the bookkeeping tasks at
work and also have a small client base that I work with from home. I am excited to
work with the Turkish Community and to especially improve my Turkish and hopefully
bring together other 1st and 2nd generation Turks like myself learn more about our
beautiful roots and keep our culture alive.
Deniz Sara
I am a professional graphic designer and IT specialist with over 20 years of experience across the private and public sectors. I hold a Bachelor of Computer Information Science from UniSA, and my career has spanned high-level technical roles—from working with EDS for NineMSN to a 15-year tenure as a lead IT consultant and web programmer for the South Australian Government.
During my time in government, I was responsible for managing the whole-of-government intranet and overseeing the development of several of the state’s most critical, high-traffic digital platforms. My goal is to bridge the gap between technical coding and creative design to ensure TASA’s digital infrastructure is modern, secure, and user-friendly.
I lived in Turkey for a year in my youth, an experience that left me with a deep connection to my heritage. Beyond my professional life, I am an award-winning artist in drawing and textile arts, and I’ve spent time volunteering for organizations like the Red Cross and Salvation Army. When I’m not working on TASA business, you’ll usually find me in my garden growing hot chillies, woodworking, or fishing.
Duygu Baranioglu is a dedicated committee member with a diverse career spanning public service, primary production, and the seafood industry.
Professional Experience
- Federal Government: Duygu brings high-level administrative and strategic expertise to her community work, drawing from her previous career within the Australian Federal Government.
- Seafood Industry: She works closely with Jarn Jamieson, the owner of Parissos Seafoods. Together, they are active in the South Australian seafood sector, leveraging Jarn’s decades of expertise in commercial fishing and retail processing.
- TASA Leadership: As the Strategic Projects and Grants Coordinator for the Turkish Association of South Australia, Duygu is instrumental in securing the organization’s future. Her work includes:
- Coordinating federal and local volunteer grants to fund community initiatives.
- Managing relationships with Members of Parliament and government stakeholders.
- Overseeing strategic governance tasks, such as the association’s non-profit transition.
Agricultural & Personal Interests
- Hobby Farming: A resident of the Fleurieu region, Duygu is a part-time farmer in Strathalbyn. She manages a hobby farm dedicated to raising lambs and chickens, balancing her professional life with a deep connection to the land and sustainable primary production.
Gülten (Gül) has been an active member of the Turkish community in South Australia for many years. Born and raised in Adelaide to parents of Turkish descent, she has worked alongside her aunty Tanya Kaplan (the President of TASA) in organising various events for the community to include Turkish nights, cultural days and monthly meet-ups. She is the Founder and Administrator of the Facebook group for the Turkish Association of South Australia and assists new and existing members with various enquiries regarding living, working and studying in South Australia. Her group is also a popular platform where members can connect with one another and stay informed about upcoming events. Gülten owns Istanbul Lounge, a café in Adelaide’s east which she lovingly refers to as her “little piece of Istanbul in Adelaide”. She enjoys connecting visitors to the café that have an interest in Turkey to the Association so they can benefit from participating in the community. Gülten is also the owner and director of Belly Dance Elysium, one of Australia’s leading schools of belly dance. She and her co-dancers take great pride in representing the Turkish community through dance at high profile events such as OzAsia and the Adelaide City Council Multicultural Festival.
Gulten has a bachelor degree in Languages and Intercultural Communication from the University of South Australia
Hi!
I was born and bred in Istanbul, where I used to guide tourists mainly camping tours that were popular at the time. I arrived in Australia in December 1979, by way of marriage. I witnessed the unbelievable bush fires in NSW as the plane was descending to land in Sydney. I looked at my wife worried about the fires and I was surprised at her calmness as she said “It happens every summer here, it’s normal!” We went to Barossa Valley where she’s from, following our visit to Sydney for 3 days. We moved to Adelaide after working casual jobs there. I got employed at the Grosvenor Hotel in Adelaide. It was nice to meet the Turks that came to the hotel. I caught up with a few friends who already migrated to Adelaide. I found out about TASA and helped out several years, especially by preparing and presenting Turkish Radio programs at5EBI-FM. In 1995, I went to Istanbul with my fiancee who would be my second wife. Our intention was to get her Australian visa and return to Adelaide in 6 months. Unfortunately, not everything went as we hoped and 2 and a half years later we moved to the U.S.A. I lived in Birmingham, (sweet home) Alabama for 21 years. I became an active member of the Turkish American Association of Alabama. I moved back to Adelaide in 2018. Turkish Radio Programme will start again on 5EBI-FM due to hard work by our dear President Tanya Kaplan OAM. I look forward to broadcasting enjoyable presentations to you, on Turkish Radio.
Yours Sincerely
Şükrü İCİMSOY
Born in Sydney (1970) and raised in Adelaide, Nida Rullo brings a deep professional and personal connection to her heritage to the TASA community. As a Turkish interpreter, she bridges cultures and languages, a role driven by her love for her background and her community.
Nida is an avid traveler who travels annually to Turkey, maintaining a lifelong bond with her roots. When she is at home, she finds peace and balance in her daily routine, enjoying walks on the beach each morning.
Family is the heart of Nida’s life. She is married with two children and recently reached a joyful new milestone in becoming a grandmother. She approaches life with a philosophy of gratitude, never taking anything for granted and remaining forever thankful to her mother and father for raising her in “”the luckiest country in the world.””