Youth Engagement Committee

Current Initiatives:

Blue Skies & Beyond eNewsletter

About the Youth Engagement Committee

BCAC’s Youth Engagement Committee (YEC) was established to help the organization connect and engage with the young people in our aviation and aerospace community. The YEC consists of many active volunteers that manage various youth initiatives. The Youth Engagement Committee is often a point of “entry” for volunteers with BCAC. Members can gain valuable experience on this committee that enables them to eventually transition onto other BCAC Committees. The Youth Engagement Committee is always seeking passionate and committed individuals to help move its many projects forward. Those interested in volunteering, please email info@bcaviationcouncil.org. If you have any questions about the Youth Engagement Committee, please contact Kelly Jamieson, YEC Chair, at info@bcaviationcouncil.org.

Youth Engagement Committee Values

Passion

Empowerment

Accountability

Innovation

Sense of Belonging

Trust

Youth Engagement Committee Vision

Inspiring, educating, and guiding those who are preparing to take-off on their aviation adventures.

Youth Engagement Committee Mission

Our mission is to introduce, inspire, and mentor new-comers to the aviation industry. We help people of all-ages to overcome barriers and enable them to thrive in aviation by creating opportunities to connect, grow, learn, and explore all the industry has to offer.

Meet the Youth Engagement Committee

Kelly Jamieson, MA

Airbus A320 pilot, Kelly Jamieson, sits on the Board for the British Columbia Aviation Council and has been Chair of the Youth Engagement Committee since 2018. Kelly learned to fly in Manitoba, built time on King Airs and Beech 1900s in Northern BC, and flew CRJ700s across the US before joining Air Canada in 2012. She previously sat on the Board of Directors for the Aviation Leadership Foundation, and has served as President for both Winnipeg and Vancouver chapters of Women in Aviation. Kelly holds a master’s degree in leadership from Royal Roads University. She lives beneath YVR’s 26L flight path in North Delta, BC, with her husband and two sons.

Alisha Sohpaul

Alisha is a licensed M1 & M2 Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and has been working in the aviation industry for 6 years. She currently works at Jazz Aviation and is proudly a part of the 2% of female AMEs in Canada. Alisha is passionate about giving back to the industry and encouraging young girls to pursue careers in aviation. She enjoys working on general aviation aircraft, her favorite aircraft to work on was a Seabee she helped restored. In her free time she enjoys hiking, backpacking around the world, playing sports and meeting new people.

Aman Moparti Rao

Aman is a commercial pilot with a passion for helping youth navigate (pun intended!) our industry. He is currently completing his instructor rating out of Pitt Meadows and hopes to start instructing by the summer of 2021. He is extremely passionate about General Aviation and you can catch him at one of the many fly-in events in B.C or any aviation-related event. He also manages the BCAC’s Instagram page and is always looking to connect with people in the industry and people who want to be a part of it. Outside of aviation, you can find him spending time with his car or playing guitar but you can always count on him to cheer for the Seattle Seahawks!

Anna Ohiomoba

Anna is passionate about the transportation industry and has spent the last few years developing a strong foundation in the aviation field enabling her to be a growth catalyst in the sector. She possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Finance. She joined the aviation industry in 2013 and has served in administrative, operational and regulatory roles in airport management. Her hobbies include travelling, movies and hanging out with friends.

Dawn Whyte

Dawn has been a volunteer with the BCAC since September 2020. Her love of aviation really started at the age of 16 when she completed her private pilot license at the Pacific Flying Club. After starting her bachelor of arts at Trinity Western University, she realized her dream of becoming an air traffic controller part way through and never looked back. She is currently working at the Vancouver Area Control Center in Surrey. Dawn is also working on her life coaching certification with the intent to blend her aviation career and passion for helping others become the leaders they want to be. She resides in Langley with her daughter and husband.

Jeevan Darred

Jeevan Darred joined BCAC as the SFU Aviation President shortly after co-organizing the 2020 Waypoint Aviation Connections. He is an avid aviation enthusiast always aiming to inspire, encourage, and help individuals new to aviation. To pursue his childhood dream of commercially flying, Jeevan is currently obtaining his Commercial Pilot’s License as a private pilot. His passion for the skies knows no bounds. Jeevan also hopes to potentially advance his career into aviation business by studying at SFU for Economics. Apart from being around airports and airplanes, you can find Jeevan playing all types of sports. He loves adventure and makes beautiful BC his backyard in the summers.

Michael Cooper

Michael is that guy looking towards the sky hoping to see an airplane. A Commercial Pilot in training with 10 years of prior work experience in Canadian aviation, he brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the Youth Engagement Committee. Michael hopes to excite the next generation of aviators with his stories of adventure and love for everything that is flying.

Terry Yoon

Being introduced to aviation through the Air Cadets, Terry went on to get his pilot’s license and a degree in Aviation Management at Western University. He has since worked as an instructor, and flew cargo in Vancouver. He currently flies corporate jets at AirSprint.