[1] Özlem was born in Adana, Turkey in 1977 to Nezih Yalman, who died in Izmir at age 64 in 2014.

[2][3] She studied Physical Education and Sports at Ege University in Izmir.

After graduation, she was appointed teacher for physical education in a school at Antalya, in which she serves as the only instructor for her branch.

[6][7] Since 2011, she has been tasked to officiate several basketball competitions at world and European level.

This biographical article relating to a Turkish basketball figure is a stub.