I’m delighted to announce that Mustafa Bahar, beloved NNV computer and tech support volunteer, will be joining the NNV team as our Programming Coordinator. Mustafa will bring his patient and kind demeanor, as well as a wealth of non-profit and planning skills, to his new role (don’t worry—he will also continue to share his technical expertise in his volunteer capacity!). This is a contract position that will be piloted through the end of year.

In his new role, Mustafa will help NNV offer more opportunities for social engagement, and enhance NNV’s member-driven programming. Mustafa is excited to get started and says, “I can’t wait to meet and learn about each one of you!”

Mustafa was born and raised in Turkey and came to the United States in 2007 to study English in Columbia, SC. He was accepted to Clemson University to study Materials Science for his PhD. Mustafa met his wife Rachel in Clemson where he was active in volunteering for intercultural and interfaith organizations. He was the president of Intercultural Dialogue Club and the Turkish Student Association, and was a founder of the South Carolina Dialogue Foundation (now known as the Atlantic Institute), a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote philanthropy, educational activities, and dialogue for a peaceful coexistence. In this role, Mustafa brought students and community leaders together by organizing activities including art and essay contests, dialogue dinners, educational trips to Turkey, book talks, and panel discussions.

Mustafa moved to DC in 2018. At the dawn of the pandemic, he was seeking ways to get involved with the local community and found NNV. He quickly became indispensable as a tech volunteer helping our members stay connected virtually via computers, tablets, cell phones, and on Zoom.  

Mustafa likes meeting new people and learning about their different cultures. He also enjoys mushroom foraging, cooking creative whatever-is-available-in-the-fridge recipes, traveling, and coffee, of course. Outside of NNV, Mustafa is busy running his business, Baharson Consulting, an IT and social media company.

We are thrilled to welcome Mustafa to our team! If you are interested in sharing your ideas for future programs, please let us know at info@nnvdc.org.