Nuran Kolan who focused her career on international development, died from a sudden illness on April 7, 2014 in Jordan where she was on assignment for an education project. “Nuran appreciated life and things of beauty,” says sister Tufan Kolan. “She fought for the dignity of the individual and had an exceptional ability to get things done. She touched many lives yet was modest about her accomplishments.” Ms. Kolan was born in her beloved Istanbul and completed her studies at the University of Denver. From the start of her career she was an advocate for girls’ education and economic independence. Early in her career, Ms. Kolan created job training programs in Appalachia for mothers and at-risk youth. She then spent 15 years at USAID, creating programs for child immunization, teacher training, and civil society leadership from Africa to newly independent states of the former Soviet Union to Azerbaijan. In parallel, Ms. Kolan served as a Senior Interpreter for the State Department, working with every US President and Secretary of State in meetings with their Turkish counterparts since 1977. Over the last decade, Ms. Kolan focused on the Middle East, in particular Jordan, developing training programs for teachers and NGO leaders. In her full-time work and as a board member of Creative Learning, she was a force in establishing partnerships between schools in the US and the Middle East “She will be remembered for her commitment to development and professionalism,” says Charito Kruvant, the CEO of Creative Associates International. Ms. Kolan is survived by her sister Tufan Kolan and nephew Kerem Kolan; her sister Yesim and brother-in-law Jeff McAleer and nephews Paul and Danny; and an extended family and friends in Turkey. She will be deeply missed by friends and colleagues who knew her well and by the many who benefited from the goodness of her life’s work.
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