Marcia Strang

Marcia Strang works in Airport Operations for the Vancouver Airport Authority. In her capacity as Coordinator of Emergency Programs, she runs full-scale training exercises in emergency response and Incident Command Systems (ICS) for Vancouver International Airport (YVR) staff and response agencies. Marcia was instrumental in preparing YVR for the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 where she held an additional post as the Olympic Airside Coordinator. Most recently, Marcia organized and ran the largest multi-agency exercise in the history of YVR, involving over 700 people. Before joining YVR, Marcia worked at Transport Canada's Pacific Region office where her roles included Airport Manager at the Pitt Meadows and Castlegar airports, and prior to that Marcia was Airport Manager at Boundary Bay Airport for two years.

Marcia's love of aviation started when she learned to fly glider and powered aircraft as a teenager in the Royal Canadian Air Cadet program. She went on to instruct on gliders and teaching groundschool, spent many enjoyable years towing gliders in the venerable L-19 taildragger aircraft, and eventually earned her Commercial Pilot's Licence and became Commanding Officer of an Air Cadet Squadron.

Described by her peers as spirited, determined, and the person 'who gets the job done,' Marcia has been an active member of several aviation associations over the years including the International Women Pilot's Organization the 99's where she become Chapter Treasurer & Chapter Chairman of the BC Coast Chapter, and eventually West Canada Section Governor for four years. She was also instrumental in organizing the Vancouver Chapter of Women in Aviation in 1997, the first in Canada, and she held the post of the Chapter President until 2005. Marcia now serves as Co-Chair of the Aviation Leadership Forum Organizing Committee, an annual event dedicated to bringing passionate speakers together to inspire possibility and positive change in aviation safety.

Marcia has motivated and touched the lives of many people in the Vancouver area and across the country. Her journey has been rich with leadership, mentorship, and above all friendship. She and her husband Gavin (a YVR air traffic controller) live in sunny Tsawwassen, B.C., happily flying their 1946 Fleet Canuck on a regular basis.