We are in the business of realizing dreams, and helping others achieve theirs.

The projects we undertake to educate and to inspire are executed with integrity and with passion. We are a committed and cohesive dream team of volunteer professionals who strive to give back to the community at home and abroad.

Board of Directors

Bill Hinsley - Chairman Bill Hinsley is an Associate Vice President with ARCADIS, an international company that provides consultancy, design, engineering and management services in the fields of Infrastructure, Water, Environment and Buildings. His current professional focus is bringing lessons learned from Everglades and Louisiana Coastal Area restoration efforts to the Puget Sound Nearshore and California Bay-Delta. As a professional with proven ability to lead start-up endeavors, Bill believes in giving back to the community where he lives and works. While a newcomer to the Pacific Northwest, Bill met Erden and Nancy at an Explorers Club meeting - and quickly recognized the potential in both Erden and the organization, to educate and inspire a local and international audience. Bill is excited to support the growth of Around-n-Over's educational capabilities and capacity.

Graeme Welsh Graeme is a professional hair stylist by trade and to Nancy and Erden. Originally from Perth, Australia, Graeme has made Seattle his home for almost 20 years. He has extensive fund raising experience and an endless enthusiasm for causes in which he believes strongly. He has been an invaluable resource for the journey to and through Australia, assisting with media contacts, logistics and transportation needs of the expedition. His fund raising projects include Children's Hospital of Seattle and he volunteers regularly as a Big Brother. Graeme chairs the Board's Fund raising Committee.

Support in Turkey

Murat Kaan Güneri The career mission of Murat Kaan Güneri is to help his clients reach their business goals by delivering them quality services in high level executive search by employing ethical and world standard industry principles. Güneri established the executive search firm MKG & Partners in mid 2002 with the goal of making a difference in the 21st century by locating capable managers for his clients. Güneri believes in the importance of giving back to the society outside of work hours; he is a founding member for the Turkish Ethical Values Center (TEDMER) and for the Boğaziçi University and Robert College Alumni Association of Industrialists and Businessmen (BRM). He also serves as a board member of BRM, TEDMER and TEDMER Economic Initiatives, and is a member of the Boğaziçi University Alumni Association. Valuing work-life balance, Güneri actively spends his free time enjoying tennis, squash, racketball, and outdoor activities. Güneri offers us his expertise in finding resources in Turkey. A former track and field teammate from college days, he has been an enthusiastic supporter of Erden's. He was the one to introduce us to the fine team at Marjinal Marketing Communications without whose help we would be unnoticed in Turkey.

Pınar Yavuz Starting with a business degree, Pınar Yavuz found her passion as a magazine editor and a writer. She has published many articles and trip reports in local and national publications in Turkey. After working as a news correspondent and an editor on television, she later decided to canvas this landscape with photography field trips, to give others the chance to appreciate its beauty with the same awe. Photography for Pınar is a "family heritage" from her photographer grandfather and her admiration for the beauty of Anatolia grows with each new trip. Pınar participated in many environmental projects including the census of endangered Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), and she organized and led nature walks under TEMA Foundation, a not-for-profit organization in Turkey dedicated to restoring forest lands and wilderness habitat. She enjoys nature walks, and finds her encounters with other cultures then researching and photographing them, an ideal pastime. According to Pınar who nurtures an irresistable travel bug, life is in the mountains and nature is where one grows beyond her limits. When Pınar first heard of Around-n-Over and its projects, she was intrigued. The discourse during an email interview while Erden was rowing across the Pacific Ocean, convinced Pınar to follow and to support the projects by Around-n-Over.

Officers

Erden Eruç - President A former Software Developer, Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer by training, Erden found the confines of the corporate work environment and the cubicle life too binding to take over as his life's work. Using his mind AND his body has now become the way for him to have a greater impact in the world. The name "Around-n-Over" first germinated in Erden's mind while daydreaming in his cubicle about a human powered circumnavigation of the world. The route would have taken him over the top of Everest: up one side then down the other... That simple concept had remained with Erden until it was time to lay the foundation for his dreams by incorporating Around-n-Over as a non-profit organization. Through our 501(c)(3) status, we will serve to make the world a better place, and to make the journey a part of the lives of many children that will be touched by it. As the President of Around-n-Over, Erden shoulders the responsibility to ensure that the projects we undertake to educate and to inspire are executed with integrity and with passion, and that we become a cohesive dream team of volunteer professionals who strive to give back to the community at home and abroad.
Nancy Board - Vice President Nancy Board is based in Sydney, Australia as the Vice President of Health & Wellness for the global investment bank, J.P. Morgan. She helps to shape the health and wellness initiatives of the firm's Asia Pacific workforce, spanning 18 countries across the region. Previously, she served for 5 years as Vice President, Global Services at PPC Worldwide, a leading international provider of employee assistance and workplace well being programs, headquartered in the UK. Spending several years traveling and working extensively in Asia, she has the cross-country and cultural acumen to successfully implement meaningful programs across varied cultures, languages, and borders. Besides a Master's degree in Social Work (MSW), specializing in behavioral medicine, she holds a rare certification as a Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR). This unique combination of HR and professional clinical skills has given her the ability to guide organizations in their development of people programs including employee relations, risk & conflict management, leadership development, workplace productivity, health initiatives and international strategy. As a widely respected leader and facilitator, Nancy also delivers training programs for Woman Within International across Australia, Canada, South Africa, the UK and the USA. Her passion is helping women be their own best friend and find meaning and fulfillment in their lives and careers. With her endless enthusiasm and energy, Nancy enjoys the outdoors through rock climbing, hiking, bicycling, and traveling the world. As a founding member of our Board of Directors, Nancy's contributions to Around-n-Over have been indispensable. In 2010, she lived in Brisbane, Queensland and served as "base camp" manager for the expedition as it advanced from Papua New Guinea toward Western Australia.
Ronnie Henderson - Treasurer, Secretary Ronnie is a Private Banker at Fortune Bank in Seattle. With his extensive banking experience since 1997, Ronnie adds value to Around-n-Over as an officer and assists in fund raising to support their mission of inspiring everyone, young and old. He had the pleasure of meeting Erden and Nancy in early 2007, and instantly felt captivated by their spirit and inspired by their goals. In his spare time, Ronnie loves to travel, paint, and enjoys everything that Seattle has to offer. He comes from a small town in North Carolina, but now calls Seattle his home.

Communications Counsel

Natja Igney Natja Igney is the Founding President and Lead Counsel of 1021 Global Communications Consulting, an international strategic communications advisory firm with a focus on economic and ecological sustainability. Based in Nice, France, she has lived, worked, and studied in eleven countries around the world. Over the course of her 20+ year career, she has gathered extensive experience in senior corporate and consulting roles, specializing in corporate communications, PR, media relations, government relations, investor relations, branding, advocacy, and issues/reputation management. Natja is a lifelong believer in pushing boundaries, overcoming obstacles, crossing borders, and realizing the impossible dream, and has been deeply involved with several international volunteer outreach programs from education to health care and environment. She has also had the opportunity to work directly with some of the world's foremost deep ocean explorers and marine archaeologists, which has sensitized her to eco-marine issues. When hearing about Erden's mission, she immediately identified with it and and is excited to spread Around-n-Over's inspirational and educational message as the team's communications lead.

Legal Counsel

Christopher S. Beer Christopher S. Beer is the founder and managing partner of Ironmark Law Group, PLLC. A resident of Seattle, Chris provides legal services and counsel for small to mid-size companies, creatives and other lawyers in the areas of intellectual property (copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets) and corporate law. Chris is well known his valuable community and nonprofit work. Chris is a firm believer in giving back to the world through his passion and his talents. A former collegiate rower and a regular soccer player, he is the Legal Counsel for Around-n-Over. Best advice that Chris gave us was: "Surround yourself with good people, and the dream will take care of itself!"

Around-n-Over, P.O. Box 19662, Seattle, WA 98109-6662 • Fax: 206-709-3927 • info@around-n-over.org Web site design by Erden Eruç • Copyright © 2003 Around-n-Over • All Rights Reserved.