Gülden Türköz-Cosslett

Focus Areas: International Development, United Nations Development System, Aid and Financing for Development, Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment

During her 30-year career with the United Nations, Gülden Türköz-Cosslett has held leadership positions in programme management, partnerships, resource mobilization, and advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. Having worked at headquarters, regional and country level operations of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women and UNOPS, she has a deep understanding of the role of the UN Development System at work and the importance of collaboration with development, humanitarian and peace actors.

Most recently, Gülden was Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director, Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York from 2015-22. She led partnership strategies with member states, civil society, private sector, UN system, IFIs, intergovernmental bodies and the media.

Other key positions Gülden has held include:

• Director of Programmes and Head of the UN Women Transition Team, where she played a key role in the establishment and operationalization of UN Women (2010-2015)
• UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Albania, where she led the UN reform pilot “Delivering as One UN” with the UN Country Team (2005-2010)

Gülden has been an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, SIPA since 2023, where she teaches a course on the UN Development System in Action. She also serves as a Board Member of BronxWorks, a non-profit organization in New York, providing services to communities in the Bronx to improve social and economic wellbeing.

Gülden holds a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She is married and has a daughter. 

Education

• MIA, Economic and Political Development, Columbia University, SIPA
• BA, Sarah Lawrence College