[Fort McMurray, September 28] – In Denean’s words, “Go for your dream. Don’t feel intimidated, because really, you can do anything you put your mind to.” These inspiring words encapsulate the spirit of our 3rd Woman of Inspiration 2023-2024 Series, Denean Robinson. Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta proudly announces the recognition of Denean Robinson, President & CEO of the Fort McMurray Airport Authority (FMAA), for her extraordinary achievements and dedication to breaking barriers in the aviation industry.
Denean’s journey into the aviation industry began with a unique perspective, as she shared, “I enjoy traveling personally and I enjoy traveling for work, and when I first moved to Fort McMurray, I was at MNP in public accounting, and the airport was one of my clients. When I got a little taste of that industry through my audit experience, I thought, you know what, I wouldn’t mind being on the other side of the desk and working in the airport industry, and it’s been phenomenal.”
Throughout her career, Denean has faced and conquered significant challenges, including the economic downturn of the oil industry in 2014, the 2016 Horse River Wildfire, and the pandemic. As Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Corporate Services at the FMAA, she played a pivotal role in leading the airport through these setbacks and securing vital grant funding of $36 million from all levels of government, ensuring the airport’s sustainability during times of crisis.
One of the highlights of her career was being recognized as the “Finance Professional of the Year” for Small Airports in North America by Airports Council International North America (ACI-NA). Denean shared her feelings about this recognition, stating, “I was extremely pleased to receive that accreditation. For an airport of our size, we have a lot going on, so we really operate like a larger airport.”
Regarding her thoughts on being a woman in a male-dominated industry, Denean emphasized, “I initially think of it as just doing my job because that’s always been my approach. I’ve never really taken being a female as being a hindrance to anything I’ve done in my career… It’s only your own limitations. And I think what women are showing increasingly throughout all fields is that once we are able to get ourselves entrenched, we can excel.”
Denean’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity extends to her role at FMAA. She explained, “Part of our mandate and our corporate mandates is to have equity, diversity and inclusivity in our policies and we’re working on the airport being public-facing, we need to make sure that we’re accessible and comfortable for all.”
Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta is proud to honour Denean Robinson as the 3rd Woman of Inspiration 2023-2024 Series. Her achievements, dedication, and advocacy for diversity align perfectly with Girls Inc.’s mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.
Denean will join four other Women of Inspiration nominees to be honoured in March 2024. Details of the event will be announced shortly.
If you know an extraordinary woman deserving of recognition, we encourage you to submit your nomination today. Together, we can celebrate and uplift the remarkable women who inspire us all.
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About Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta
Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta (Girls Inc.) inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy. Our holistic approach to girl development equips them to surmount gender, economic, and societal challenges, fostering their growth into healthy, educated, and independent individuals. Since our establishment in 2004, Girls Inc. has been steadily expanding its presence in the Wood Buffalo Region.
In 2022 alone, we had the privilege of inspiring over 1,900 girls throughout the region—a remarkable increase of 310 in 2016. This year, we aspire to welcome many more girls through our doors, nurturing their journey to become strong, smart, and bold, thereby enriching the Wood Buffalo region as an even greater place to thrive.
For more information, please visit www.girlsincofnorthernalberta.org.