Özge Mumcu Aybars co-founded the Uğur Mumcu Investigative Journalism Foundation (um:ag) in 1994, where she continues to serve as coordinator. She holds a BA in Political Science from Bilkent University, an MA from Ankara University, and a PhD from Middle East Technical University (METU). She has worked with TEPAV on EU relations, constitutional reforms, and peace processes, and spent time in academia as a lecturer. From 2017 to 2022, she advised CHP on foreign affairs and currently serves as a foreign relations advisor to Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş. She regularly writes and hosts podcasts on kisadalga.net. Özge has led numerous EU, MATRA, Swedish Consulate, and Palme Centre–funded projects on rights-based journalism. She is an alumna of the EUVP (2016), TEFF (2024), and the Swedish Institute Leadership Lab (2025). She speaks English and Italian.
