Q&A With Board Member Yesim Richardson

In her new role on the International Institute of New England’s Board of Directors, Yesim Richardson brings decades of experience in economics. She specializes in applying economic and financial analysis to complex litigation involving securities, financial institutions, valuation, and real estate. Yesim has worked with clients in a variety of financial sectors as well as other industries, such as energy, telecommunications, high technology, and pharmaceuticals.  

We spoke with Yesim to learn more about her journey from Turkey to the U.S., how her own immigrant background inspires her support of IINE, and why she’s remaining optimistic about the future of immigration in the U.S. 

Can you share a bit about yourself?

I was born and raised in Istanbul. I grew up in a very academic family, so I knew I wanted to pursue a doctorate from a young age. I attended an American high school in Istanbul, went to college there as well, and then came to the States to receive a PhD in economics from Boston University.  

Following my PhD, I returned to Turkey and taught in academia for a while. Then I married my husband, who is from Rhode Island and whom I had met during my time in graduate school, and that brought me back to the Boston area. We have been here for the past 25+ years, and for most of that time, I’ve worked at a firm providing economic consulting for attorneys in complex business litigation.  

Tell us about your journey to the International Institute of New England.

My husband first learned about IINE a decade ago through an article in the Boston Globe. We were immediately impressed with the organization’s work and became donors. For a while, that was the extent of our involvement. Then last year, as I began preparing for retirement and my career became a bit less demanding, I decided I wanted to use my new bandwidth—and my experience as an economist—to deepen my support.  

I reached out to the IINE team, and eventually I was connected with Kristan Fitah, the Associate Director of the ESOL program in Boston. Kristan suggested I become a co-teacher of the financial literacy classes, which help refugees and immigrants to build stronger financial skills and futures. I have been really enjoying it. When I finished teaching last night, my husband noted how energized I seemed so late in the day, and it’s because of the students! It’s nice to be helpful. 

In addition to volunteering, I’ve had the opportunity to attend some of IINE’s events, including the WILLOW Luncheon and the Golden Door Award Gala, and now, I’m thrilled to be part of the board.  

What do you consider to be a board member’s most important responsibilities?

This organization has a long, successful history. As a member of the board, I see it as my responsibility to help ensure that it remains well-managed—that the impressive work and legacy continue, and that we make sound decisions for the organization and our clients.  

I’m joining at a time when immigrant support organizations, like IINE, are being met with so many new challenges. That requires a heightened level of thinking around what the best course of action is, especially in the face of so many uncertainties. I feel fortunate to be navigating this alongside such exceptional board members and leadership.  

I also think it’s important to remain optimistic. History is filled with ups and downs, so I carry hope for the long-term future of immigration in this country, and for IINE’s work.  

What connection do you feel to IINE’s mission?

I consider myself to have been a very fortunate immigrant: I came to the U.S. willingly, out of a desire to get an education, and I was already fluent in English when I arrived here. So, on the face of it, my immigration experience was not challenging. Yet even so, I felt like a fish out of water initially. Leaving behind everything and everyone you are familiar with, coming to a new environment with new social norms and codes—it almost feels like being a child again.  

I was able to adjust relatively quickly because of my circumstances, but when I think about what the refugees and immigrants IINE serves go through, I am in awe. I find that sometimes there is a sense that everyone would jump at the chance to come to this country, to leave their homeland behind for the U.S., but I think that’s a rather naive view. Even with how grateful refugees and immigrants may be to find safety here, it’s still enormously difficult to part with so much—family, friends, a job, a language, and culture.  

When I think about this, and when I think about the help IINE provides, I have a lot of respect for both our clients and the organization.  

What inspires your philanthropy? 

While Turkey is my motherland, I also feel at home in the U.S., and that has to do with how welcoming people are here. I was so impressed by how interested people were in me and where I came from when I first arrived in the U.S. There’s an openness to the world that is in the DNA of this country.  

For me, philanthropy is an opportunity to share my good luck with others—both in terms of contributing financially and also trying to pass along the warm welcome I received to new arrivals. Meeting people from all over the world teaches us that those barriers of language, religion, culture—those are all artificial, ultimately. At the end of the day, we are all human beings.  

IINE’s Board of Directors includes corporate and community leaders from across New England. View our members and leadership team here.