Yassmin Abdel-Magied
At the age of 16, Yassmin Abdel-Magied founded Youth Without Borders, an organisation focused on enabling young people to work together for the implementation of positive change within their communities. Born in Sudan and moving to Australia at the age of two, she graduated valedictorian of her class in 2011, with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (First Class Honours) and was a recipient of the University of Queensland’s Dean’s Excellence scholarship. Yassmin is an active member in the community and sits on the Australian Multicultural Council, the Board of the Queensland Museum and the Design Council. In 2007, Yassmin was awarded the honour of being named Young Australian Muslim of the Year for her work in the community and in 2010 she was the Young Queenslander of the Year, as well as a finalist for Young Australian of the year in 2011. She was recently named the ‘Young Leader’ in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac's inaugural 100 Women of Influence Awards.
Yassmin is currently working in the oil and gas industry. She also writes extensively and in her time off she enjoys reading, formula one, football (the round ball kind), invigorating discussion and is attempting to save for her first V8 car.