Sandra McDonald had a successful, 20-year career with the Canadian Armed Forces including being the first woman Avionics Technician on the Aurora and the youngest Air Force member promoted to the rank of Master Warrant Officer in peace time from which she retired in 1999.
Since retirement, Sandra has remained a force to be reckoned with. She has continued her involvement with the CP140 Aurora fleet - as avionics engineering support staff, a contractor with Maritime Proving and Evaluation Unit (MP&EU) and then subsequently trained as a suitability coordinator at the US Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
As a community leader, Sandra has served on multiple town council economic development committees in Kentville, Nova Scotia. Currently, she is the President of the Valley Regional Hospital Foundation, and is involved in an $ 8-million campaign to build a new hospice and revitalize the hospital.
