Burcu Sahmali is a graduate candidate in the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program at Georgetown University, pursuing a concentration in Global Politics & Security.
Burcu was born and raised in Ankara, Turkey. She earned her undergraduate degree in Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. After graduation, she joined Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, as a part of the opening team and held numerous positions within the front office and sales departments over the next eight years. In 2017, Burcu accepted a position as National Sales Manager at MGM Resorts International to assist with the transition of the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino to Park MGM & NoMad Las Vegas and was later promoted to Bellagio Hotel & Casino, the company’s flagship hotel, to manage large group events from the West Coast territory. In 2023, Burcu moved to Washington, D.C., to serve as the Senior Manager of Advocacy & Fundraising at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), where she holds her current role.