She was born in 1973 in Ankara, where she completed her primary, secondary, and high school education. In 1995, she graduated from the Department of City and Regional Planning at the Faculty of Architecture of Middle East Technical University (METU). While working as a research assistant in the “Urban Policy and Local Governments” program at the METU Institute of Social Sciences, she completed her master’s degree in 1998 with a thesis titled “Urban Renewal Processes and Policies in Turkey.”
In 1999, she received a scholarship through the European Union’s Jean Monnet Program and specialized in tourism planning and site management at the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham in the UK. She earned her second master’s degree with a thesis titled “Planning and Management in Tourism Areas in Turkey.”
She began her professional career in 1997 as a City Planner at the Ministry of Tourism, General Directorate of Investments. From 2004 to 2007, she served as the Culture and Promotion Attaché of the Netherlands, holding a diplomatic post. Between 2008 and 2010, she worked as the Director of International Promotion for the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency. From 2011 to 2014, she served as the Deputy Director of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism. Between July 2014 and November 2016, she was the General Manager of the Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau, during which time she helped bring many international congresses and events to Istanbul. She was also elected to the Board of Directors of the European Cities Marketing Association, representing Istanbul on the international stage.
From December 2016 to November 30, 2018, Yavuz served as the Secretary General of the Istanbul Development Agency. During this period, she also held a position on the Board of Directors of the European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA). She led numerous projects, particularly in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation, focusing on initiatives for women and youth. Between 2019 and 2023, she served as Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, where she oversaw the development and implementation of various national and international programs, projects, and events in the fields of culture, arts, gastronomy, and tourism. In 2024, she was selected as a mentor for the Women’s Entrepreneurship Expo program by UN Women.
She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Tourism Development and Training Foundation and the Women and Democracy Foundation. She speaks English fluently and has intermediate proficiency in Dutch.
