Yasmin Poole — Speaker, Advisor, Board Director

Yasmin
Poole

Speaker · Advisor · Board Director

I’m Yasmin. I care about how we can build a better future for Australia, starting with a democracy that works for all of us. I’m a speaker, writer and adviser with a focus on anti-racism and gender equity. I was a Rhodes Scholar at The University of Oxford researching intersectionality, and am Plan International Australia’s National Ambassador advocating for the rights of women and girls.

Biography

Yasmin Poole speaking at Future Women Imagine

Yasmin Poole felt politics since a young age. Being raised by an immigrant parent, she often witnessed everyday racism and discrimination. This led her to ask: who belongs in Australia, and who is denied a voice?

That question has shaped her path. She became a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, researching how governments can create better policy for communities that slip through the cracks across race, gender, disability and class.

Her focus is on how our culture and values shape who belongs in this country, and how to change systems to embed self-determination and care for all. She helps audiences understand how seemingly impartial systems and decisions can drive inequality, whether in workplaces, schools or in Parliament.

She is an award-winning media commentator and has spoken on ABC News, Q+A, TEDx, SXSW and the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. She sits on the board of several NGOs including OzHarvest, the Australian Republic Movement and Democracy in Colour, and serves as Plan International Australia’s National Ambassador, advocating for young women’s human rights around the world.

She speaks on

01

Rebuilding trust in a distrustful Australia

What is driving Australians’ record low trust in institutions and what principled leadership looks like in this political moment.
02

Translating intersectionality from thought to action

Move beyond statements to embed equity in both mission and practice, informed by best practice intersectionality research.
03

Young people and the future of Australia

A view into young people’s hopes and fears for the future and how to build change intergenerationally.
04

The myth of meritocracy

How ‘neutral’ systems like law or education can reproduce disadvantage, and what we can do to change it.
05

AI, algorithms and power

An equity view putting humans back in the centre through asking who designs, who benefits, and who goes unheard.

Services

Advisory

Advice for boards, executives and government on embedding inclusion into governance and strategy. Yasmin brings experience as a diversity practitioner, intersectionality researcher and board director.

Training

Bespoke training including anti-racism, intersectionality, inclusive decision-making and diversity legal compliance. Yasmin also trains advocates in ‘Verbal Self Defence’ on how to win online and traditional media debates.

Strategy

Tailored diversity strategies that are embedded within the organisation and reflect its people and mission, drawing on best practice co-design and intersectionality research.

Speaking

An experienced keynote speaker, Yasmin speaks about democracy, equity, diversity and connecting AI and algorithms to power. She has spoken to a range of audiences, from government, fashion, industry bodies and schools, on platforms such as TEDx and SXSW.

Writing

Essays, opinion pieces and commissioned writing on politics, gender, race and power in Australian public life. Yasmin has written for The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News, The Saturday Paper, The Mandarin, Women’s Agenda and the UNSW Law Journal.

Media

Commentary and interviews for television, radio, podcasts and print. Yasmin has appeared on ABC News, Q+A and The Project, and is available for expert comment on Australian democracy and politics through the lens of youth, race and gender.

GEAP & GIA

Gender Equality Action Plans

Yasmin wrote her master’s thesis on Gender Equality Action Plans (GEAPs) and supports organisations to develop compliant GEAPs that achieve meaningful change. This includes interpreting workplace gender audits, setting intersectional measures against the workplace indicators that reflect the voices of staff and community.

Gender Impact Assessments

Yasmin helps organisations produce Gender Impact Assessments (GIAs) that are intersectional, compliant and useful. She authors GIAs, runs GIA intersectionality workshops and train-the-trainer programs. Yasmin also provides a GIA Audit to identify where GIAs can be better embedded in workflow rather than being a tick-the-box.

Discuss a plan or assessment

Testimonials

“Yasmin, your words during the panel resonated widely. So many people have written to share how that conversation was a highlight in their year. I’m so grateful for your leadership and advocacy of young women.”

Women’s Agenda

“Yasmin spoke at our Research Seminar on how we can mainstream intersectionality to improve outcomes for all. Yasmin’s talk was insightful, powerful, and very informative.”

Wiley

“Yasmin was considered, articulate, and relatable, sharing her experience openly and authentically.”

YWCA Australia

“You’d be hard pressed to find a more impressive young advocate. Her ability to create such a candid yet meaningful conversation is an absolute testament to her skills.”

Raise Our Voice Australia

“The sessions Yasmin delivered are received extremely well and she is getting amazing feedback, which is fantastic.”

Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

“Yasmin brought an engaging and respectful approach to urgent discussions on bias and discrimination, sharing thoughtful reflections throughout. She seamlessly transitioned between speakers while keeping the focus on centring the voices and experiences of migrant and refugee women.”

Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health

Awards

Youth Influencer of the Year

Martin Luther King Jr Centre

21 Women Who Defined 2021

Vogue Australia

Victorian Honour Roll of Women

Victorian Government

Rhodes Scholarship

University of Oxford

Writing

Yasmin writes about power, democracy and national identity through the lens of youth, race and gender. She is available for commissioned writing. Her essays and commentary have appeared in outlets such as The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News, The Saturday Paper, The Mandarin, Women’s Agenda and the UNSW Law Journal.