“I never gave up looking for more resources; whether I was in an organization or in a volunteer role, I did everything I could to make the most of every opportunity.”
Dr. Mehtap Akay has always championed education as a bridge to connect with people, build communities, and create opportunities.
Growing up in Türkiye, she’d gather her younger siblings and neighborhood friends and pretend to be their teacher. That childhood passion eventually took her across continents, into classrooms, supporting refugee-serving organizations with her talents, and ultimately into entrepreneurship.
Today, Mehtap is an education and workforce consultant specializing in multilingual learners and immigrant professionals, a certified leadership coach, and founder of New Chapter Coaching & Consulting, LLC (New Chapter USA). But getting here has not been easy.
Leaving the Life She Loved
After earning her degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Mehtap moved from Türkiye to Senegal, where she taught middle and high school students. She eventually became head of the English Language Teaching department, coached educators, advised students preparing for college, and also volunteered to lead cross-cultural initiatives for local women.
After eight years, Senegal was home, but in 2017, political circumstances made it unsafe for her and her husband to remain.
With two suitcases packed, they left for the US, leaving behind the community they cherished.
“It was a tough decision to make, but we had no choice at the time. We just had to pack and leave very quickly,” she recalls.
She spent her first months researching the US education and workforce system, learning about credential evaluation and certification requirements, and figuring out how to rebuild her network.
“I wish I had found Upwardly Global during my first year in the US,” she shares.
Arriving in New York with little time to prepare for such a major transition, Mehtap refused to sit idle. She volunteered, taught English, and set her sights on a bigger vision: pursuing a PhD in Teacher Education. For Mehtap, training and supporting educators was the key to multiplying her impact, reaching far more students than she ever could in a single classroom.
Despite discouraging voices, she applied to two doctoral programs and was offered full scholarships and assistantships to both. She went on to earn her PhD in Teacher Education and Teacher Development from Montclair State University, where she also served as a doctoral research fellow and adjunct faculty member.
Finding Support Through Upwardly Global
In 2024, while completing her doctoral dissertation, Mehtap discovered Upwardly Global through LinkedIn. Through Upwardly Global’s career services, she connected with a career coach, Molly, who helped her navigate a critical moment in her professional journey: Mehtap had already secured an interview with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an organization she had long admired, but wanted guidance to ensure she put her best foot forward. Despite her extensive academic and professional background, translating years of international teaching and leadership into the expectations of a US hiring panel was new territory.
“Coming from academia, all I knew was an academic CV, so I had a six-page resume,” she says. “Through Upwardly Global, I learned how to tailor my resume for the nonprofit sector, cutting it down to two pages and highlighting the skills relevant to the role. That, along with mock interviews, made me feel confident and ready when interviewing with IRC.”
When the IRC offered Mehtap the Education Coordinator position, she turned to her coach for guidance on the rest of the hiring process. Having that one-on-one support to answer her questions helped her understand each step and feel confident accepting the offer.
During her time at the IRC, she oversaw academic programming for approximately 120 forcibly displaced newcomer students. She developed educator training and resources centered on English instruction, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, and culturally responsive teaching.
Looking to expand her impact, she applied for and accepted a leadership role as Education Programs Manager with the IRC’s New Jersey Office for Refugees. In this role, she oversaw refugee education initiatives across partner resettlement agencies throughout the state.
A New Chapter Done Her Way
Mehtap loved her nonprofit career, and each step deepened her understanding of the refugee and immigrant experience in the US. As she worked across programs and supported partner agencies, she realized how much she loved working directly with individuals, guiding educators one-on-one, and supporting youth and professionals as they navigated their own growth and unique paths.
“I realized my deepest passion was working directly with people, being right beside them as they navigate their journey,” she explains.
After experiencing and witnessing the challenges immigrant professionals face when trying to rebuild careers, particularly those navigating US licensing and certification pathways, the desire to work with people inspired her to launch New Chapter USA.
Each day, Mehtap combines her lived experience, doctoral research, and practical expertise to support immigrant professionals and the organizations serving them. New Chapter USA offers personalized career coaching, educator training, workforce development, and trauma-informed, asset-based programming that treats international credentials and multilingualism as true strengths.
Alongside leading her consulting practice, she serves as an adjunct faculty member at William Paterson University, teaching Foundations of Bilingual and Multicultural Education to prepare the next generation of educators.
“I want US employers to see that we are stronger together, that when we collaborate, everyone rises,” she says. “To see accents, linguistic and cultural diversity, and international credentials as a richness, and recognize the full person.”
Paying It Forward
Mehtap remains actively connected to Upwardly Global as an alumna and volunteer mentor. She advises jobseekers in the program to seek volunteer opportunities where they can share their skills, contribute to their community, build meaningful relationships, and have their international background recognized.
“We have so much to bring to the table,” she emphasizes.
Looking back, Mehtap is proud of her resilience and determination.
“I didn’t listen to the naysayers,” she recalls.
Whether supporting newcomers through refugee-serving organizations or her own practice, Mehtap has built a new life in a new place, continuing to follow her calling to help others find their own path. Through every step of the journey, one belief has remained constant:
“Starting a new chapter doesn’t mean leaving your experience behind,” she says, “It means finding new ways to put it to work.”
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