PROFILE

Ipek Durmaz is a Brooklyn-based content writer and storyteller with a passion for persuasive, academic, and creative writing.

She holds a master’s in media psychology, and her work has been published in magazines, medical blogs, and corporate intranets.

Education

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Applied Media Psychology
Fielding Graduate University (2026)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Teaching English as a Second Language
State University of New York at Cortland (2019)

Employment

WRITER/CONTENT STRATEGIST
New York, NY

1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds
April 2025 – Present

Interviewed education program managers and cross-functional stakeholders to translate complex program information into clear, audience-specific content for websites, newsletters, email campaigns, social media, and promotional materials.
Wrote and optimized website copy, professional development articles, and intranet news and announcements, improving clarity, accessibility, and consistency across internal and external digital platforms.
Developed a publishing workflow and editorial calendar for intranet professional development content.
Partnered with program managers to ensure content remained accurate, timely, and aligned with organizational priorities while consistently meeting project deadlines.
Coordinated events and interviewed members to draft authentic member stories; established a member story pipeline to support ongoing communications and storytelling initiatives.

SEO COPYWRITER INTERN
New York, NY

LifeMD
February 2025 – April 2025

Researched peer-reviewed medical literature and healthcare topics to develop accurate, evidence-based content for blogs and landing pages.
Conducted keyword research using SEMrush to identify search opportunities and develop SEO-driven content aligned with user intent.
Optimized website content using on-page SEO best practices, including keyword placement, metadata, internal linking, and content structure; audited website performance with Screaming Frog to identify and resolve broken links and other technical SEO issues, improving site health and user experience.
Managed, updated, and published digital content in Contentful CMS, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and timely delivery across web properties

PROSPECT RESEARCHER

Prasad Consulting & Research
January 2024 – February 2025

Utilized prospect research tools such as DonorSearch, iWave and AlumniFinder in addition to public records such as SEC filings to collect constituent biographical data and assess wealth and giving capacity.
Input the constituent data into Affiniquest and assign overall account capacity ratings, to influence outreach strategy.
Conducted in-depth research to identify and assess potential individual donors, corporate partners, and foundations funders for nonprofit organizations by utilizing a variety of databases, public records, and proprietary research tools
Produced comprehensive research reports, including background information, philanthropic history, wealth indicators, biographical details, capacity and affinity to give, and connectivity to the organization, while ensuring accuracy and relevance for major gift solicitations
Collaborated with clients’ development teams to discuss needs, priorities and research insights
Wrote and manage the company newsletter, informing network of upcoming client events and significant philanthropy research studies.

Other

Yoga Instructor
Kala Yoga
East Coast Yoga
June 2026 – Present

Content Writer
Ouroboros Community
2021 – Present

Adult English as a Second Language Instructor
ZONI Language Centers
Metropolitan Learning Institute
2019 – 2024

Adult Turkish Language Instructor
Turkish ConneXion
2019 – 2024

Skills

Academic Writing
SEO Copywriting
Persuasive Writing
Grant & Prospect Research

Last Updated 24.10.31

Selected Writing Samples

1. External Communications
Magazine Article, For Your Benefit Magazine
Fall 2026

1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds’ Class of 2026: Celebrating Generations of Graduates

The 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds (TEF) recently celebrated this year’s class of graduates across multiple ceremonies, honoring milestones members achieved and TEF's longstanding partnerships with institutions that make those milestones possible.

10 Years and Growing Stronger: TEF’s Partnership with Monroe University

TEF has partnered with Monroe University for a decade, proudly helping 1199SEIU members earn degrees from the School of Health Allied Professions. In 2026, this partnership reached a new milestone with the largest graduating class yet: 122 members who are ready to advance their healthcare careers.

Monroe University is recognized nationwide as a leader in educating first-generation students, consistently ranking among New York’s top institutions for graduating Black and Latino students and improving its graduates’ social mobility, with a diverse campus community representing 93 countries and 43 languages.

This year’s Monroe University graduation ceremony took place on June 11, 2026, with a joyful celebration at Radio City Music Hall.

Unfinished Degrees to Master's-Bound Graduates with HC4

The Health Careers College Core Curriculum (HC4) program is one of TEF's pathways to higher education, operating through direct partnerships with Monroe University, the College of Staten Island and Lehman College.

HC4 students, many of whom have been out of school for years, take 12–36 college core credits within their own cohort to rebuild the academic habits and time management skills that school demands.After completing the program, members continue into their major either at their current college or another institution to earn higher education credentials.

Chrystol Albert-Hope, a Medical Case Manager at the Community Healthcare Network, is one of Monroe University’s Class of 2026, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Community Health and Wellness. Her path to that degree began with the HC4 program. After dropping out at 17 as a single teen mother, Chrystol returned to school years later and began taking college core credits to advance her career.

“The American school system is completely different from what I knew growing up in Guyana. Starting college here felt like learning to creep and run at the same time, but then the HC4 program came in. I started with four core subjects, and it gave me a feel for what college life was going to be like. It set the platform for my success. It taught me to plan ahead. To commit. To stay focused even when I was exhausted.” –Chrystol Albert-Hope, Monroe University Graduate, Class of 2026

To learn more about the HC4 Program, please email Hc4information@1199funds.org.

Downstate Recognition Ceremony Brings Together Graduates and Leaders

As a recent graduate, Chrystol was invited to speak at TEF’s Downstate Recognition Ceremony on June 25, 2026. In her speech, Chrystol reflected on her journey alongside her son, who was pursuing two master’s degrees at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica while she was in school. She said, “When I was in school, so was my son, whom I had at the age of 17. He came to my graduation, and said,‘Mom, the bachelor’s has become the norm — like finishing high school. The master’s is the real thing.’” Then added, “So, in September, I'm going for my master's degree in public health. Epidemiology. He wins.”

Other guest speakers included Career Pathways Training (CPT) Program participants Joseph Long, who graduated from Helene Fuld School of Nursing with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing, and Bob Ssendagire, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the College of Mount Saint Vincent.

Mayor Mamdani: TEF Graduates Embody the City's "Relentless Ambition and Drive"

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered the keynote speech at TEF’s Downstate Recognition Ceremony. He emphasized how much the achievements of 1199SEIU members matter to the city, acknowledging the barriers members faced to reach that evening. “In this room, I see the relentless ambition and drive that defines so much of our city, the many challenges you had to overcome just to get to this evening. More than 2,500 of you immigrated here from another country. More than 1,600 of you speak multiple languages. And so many of you are working parents. You are looking after an aging family member. You're caring for a neighbor who needs help. When you provide solace and comfort, you do so not only because it's a job, but it's also a purpose.”

Patient Care Attendants Honored for Professional Development Completion

“You are the backbone of the disability community.” –Dianna Hu, PCA Consumer Employer and Chairperson for Boston Center for Independent Living’s Board of Trustees.

Patient Care Attendants (PCAs) are part of the fabric of the everyday lives of their consumers. Helping clients bathe, dress, and groom; safely transferring them out of bed, to walking or wheelchairs; and ensuring they are nourished and living in a sanitary environment.

TEF’s Workplace Partnerships and Occupational Certifications Programs train certified healthcare workers and successfully transition them into the workforce, including PCAs and Home Health Aides. On April 15, 2026, the Massachusetts Recognition Ceremony honored 1199SEIU members who completed the PCA Professional Development Program, proudly celebrating them with a congratulatory video by Dianna Hu, PCA Consumer Employer and Chairperson for the Boston Center for Independent Living’s Board of Trustees.

As a person with disability herself, Hu said, “When you exercise the needed body mechanics, for a complex transfer, we feel safe. When you spot a medical spot before it becomes to the trip to an ER, we feel safe, and when you lift a voice of disability justice alongside us, that is the absolute safest we can feel.”

TEF remains committed to opening doors to education, career advancement, and more prosperous lives for healthcare workers across the regions we serve.

For more information about occupational certifications, make an appointment on MYTEF.

2. SEO-optimized Healthcare Content

Direct links to Ipek Durmaz’s medically-reviewed, published healthcare content.

Rex MD Men’s Health Content

3. Intranet ContentInternal Communications

Mamdani to TEF Graduates: “The Relentless Ambition and Drive That Defines This City”

More than 6,000 graduates were honored at this year's Downstate Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, June 25, at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel, celebrating the determination, resilience, and commitment that brought them to this milestone.

Each of these new nurses, technicians, occupational therapists, and many other healthcare professionals now stand ready to strengthen New York City's healthcare workforce.

Mayor Mamdani was invited to deliver the keynote speech, addressing how much our work at TEF matters to the city.

In his keynote speech, Mamdani connected the graduates' achievements to TEF's decades-long history. He said, "We know that this evening in many ways began decades ago because the 1199 Training and Employment Fund was born out of the Civil Rights era, a shining example of the expansive vision that has always defined SEIU." Mamdani recognized the resilience of the graduating class, many hardships they overcame and responsibilities they balanced while pursuing their education. He said, "In this room, I see the relentless ambition and drive that defines so much of our city,” referring to the new healthcare professionals who are serving “the most vulnerable New Yorkers as care workers, medical clerks, occupational therapists, and more.”

Graduate speaker Chrystol Albert-Hope reflected the ambition and resilience that was described by Mamdani. Chrystol reflected on her journey alongside her son she had when she was 17, who was pursuing two master’s degrees at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica while Chrystol was also in school. She said, “When I was in school, so was my son, whom I had at the age of 17. He came to my graduation, and said, ‘Mom, the bachelor’s has become the norm — like finishing high school. The master’s is the real thing.’” Then added, “So, in September, I'm going for my master's degree in public health. He wins.”

The ceremony also featured speeches from Career Pathways Training (CPT) participants Joseph Long, who earned an Associate Degree in Nursing from Helene Fuld School of Nursing, and Bob Ssendagire, who received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of Mount Saint Vincent.

For each of these guest speakers and the rest of the graduates, this milestone started on a phone call or a conversation with someone at TEF who believed in their potential long before they earned their degrees. Once again, congratulations to all the graduates and to all TEF staff who supported their potential long before any diploma confirmed it.

Sincere thanks to the TEF staff volunteers whose time, energy, and dedication that made this celebration so memorable.

Stay Connected,

TEF Connect Team

Media to Consume Instead of Doomscrolling

Have you ever held your phone for a second to reply to a message, only to realize an hour later that you had just traveled to five cities, explored three trends, and read forty opinions?

Research shows that doomscrolling, the habit of endlessly scrolling through content on digital media, increases or creates anxiety, sadness, a sense of overwhelm, fear, and disappointment. On the contrary, the dopamine rushes make it feel pleasurable, even though it’s ultimately harmful.

Is it possible to consume media without letting it consume you? Yes. While today’s feeds are designed to capture our attention endlessly, there was a time when media served a very different purpose. Before it lived in our pockets, the media was a place to find inspiration, discover music, film, and visual arts, and deepen curiosity. It helped people learn more about what genuinely interested them because they had more control over how they used it.

How to Consume Media Intentionally and Build a
Digital Garden

Breaking the cycle of doomscrolling doesn’t have to be extreme. Rather than trying to eliminate scrolling altogether, redirecting the urge toward slower, richer forms of media can be far more sustainable and intellectually stimulating. Over time, you can build a digital garden that doesn’t consume you. Instead, it educates, inspires, and helps you refine your tastes.

Curate an E-Library

Is your personal email inbox full of messages you rarely find useful or enjoyable? Promotional emails from every ad you’ve ever clicked, brands you bought from five years ago, and subscriptions you don’t even remember signing up for? We’ll explore how to organize your inbox in next month’s theme. For a quick start, if you use Gmail, check out its new “Manage your subscriptions” tab and unsubscribe from anything that doesn’t feel useful.

When clean and intentionally curated, your inbox can become a reliable source of meaningful media and reading. You can also use a separate email address solely for newsletters and favorite publications. This way, you can explore thoughtful writing, bookmark interesting ideas, and satisfy the urge to “check something” without falling into algorithm-driven feeds.

A few publications we like receiving newsletters from are Aeon, Byline, and Psyche. Which publications do you enjoy following?

Find Long-Form Video Essays

One of the largest appeals of short-form content and visuals in social media is the dopaminehits from high stimulation. Meanwhile, longer content encourages presence and sustained attention and leaves a more lasting impression.

Video essays, like The Fear of Living a Mediocre Life and Emergent Complexity can feel like reading a thoughtful essay, inspiring you and evoking deeper questions.

Watch 2026 Oscar-Nominated Films

Rather than spending your time on reels you never really wanted to watch, try exploring this year’s Oscar-nominated films for inspiration. Films, like Sinners, Bugonia, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, or Hamnet are a great place to begin.

Take Charge of What You Discover

If you are one of those who miss discovering music, films, and ideas without AI-driven recommendation engines, there are still slower alternatives. Perfectly Imperfect is one of them. The experience on this platform is closer to browsing a record store or magazine rack. Create an account, start discovering music, films, or any other kind of media of your choice.

If you’d like to discover international music, check out Radiooooo. Pick a decade and click somewhere on the globe to find yourself listening to music you wouldn’t ever hear anywhere.

Find a Good Podcast

If your hobby is birdwatching, there’s probably a podcast for that. Podcasts can also be a great source of inspiration, entertainment, and education on just about anything. Discover a podcast, save it for your work commute. Maybe it is Eternalised, or something else you are about to discover.

Collect the Meaningful Media You Discovered

When you find a good article, a video essay, or a podcast episode, save it somewhere handy. This will help you curate your tastes and grow your digital garden slowly. We recommend using the free app Sublime to save media and discover what others are collecting. Let us know if you find any other alternatives!

Be Patient as You Grow Your Digital Garden

Just like a physical one, creating a digital garden also takes time. Set a time blocker for social media and start planting and growing your digital garden. Notice what discoveries feel most meaningful and how your focus shifts as you curate your media. Don’t forget to let us know what you’ve discovered along the way!

Stay Connected,

TEF Connect Team

4. Personal Project: Ouroboros Community
Since 2021, Ipek has been writing about astrology, yoga philosophy, and Buddhism in Ouroboros Community, her publication. Find direct links to articles and social media posts.

Substack
Instagram
Website