Yalova governor unveils career journey as former nurse

YALOVA

Hülya Kaya, once a nurse and now the governor of the northwestern province of Yalova, has revealed the story of her career journey, which shifted toward public administration after witnessing the deaths of three patients in one night during her nursing days.

Kaya, 49, has served as a district governor in seven districts and as a deputy governor in two provinces since she began her career in 1999. She also held the position of the head of Press, Publishing and Public Relations at the Istanbul Municipality for a period. Kaya assumed her role as the Yalova governor on Aug. 18.

Kaya's career in civil administration is rooted in a completely different profession and a painful personal experience, which she described as a pivotal moment in her life.

“The turning point in my life was during my early days as a nurse, working in the Neurology Department. On my first night shift there, three patients passed away. It was a breaking point for me. At 18 years old, if you can handle something like that, you can handle anything. It gave me resilience."

Following this period, Kaya successfully completed her studies in public administration at the capital Ankara’s Hacettepe University.

Kaya stated that she took the district governorship oral exams while holding her baby daughter in her arms.

"I passed the written exam, and when I went for the oral exam, things got even more serious. We had a little baby. My husband is an academic, so he couldn't accompany me. I took the exam with our baby. They asked me the same question in the oral exam, 'This is a very challenging profession. Are you sure that you want this profession?' I insisted, 'I want this profession. I am ready for all the sacrifices in this profession. I will do this job.' I started with such passion and dedication. I entered this profession in 1999, and it has continued that way to this day."

Kaya, a mother of two, now begins her workday in Yalova by going for a morning walk and cycling with her husband every day.