Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Engineer and social advocate

2015 QLD Young Australian of the Year

Born in Sudan, Yassmin Abdel-Magied and her family arrived in Australia when she was two and since then has devoted her extraordinary energy and talents to making Australia a better place.  At age 16, Yassmin founded Youth Without Borders, an organisation that enables young people to work together to implement positive change within their communities and internationally.  Yassmin has forged a hybrid career as an engineer, social advocate and media commentator and she is a sought-after advisor for state and federal governments.  Yassmin has sat on the Australian Multicultural Council, the Board of the Queensland Museum and the Design Council, contributed as a member of the Federal ANZAC Centenary Commemoration Youth Working Group and was on the organising committee of the 2014 Youth G20 Summit. A role model to many, Yassmin has been recognised with many awards.  Her achievements across a number of fields provide positive proof that hard work, resilience and self-belief can reap rewards, regardless of gender, faith or cultural background.