Episode 30- Anna Pangrazzi

Anna Pangrazzi received her Private Pilot Licence in 1977, later completing her commercial licence, and instrument, multi-engine and float ratings. She graduated from York University with a B.A. in Economics in 1985 and completed a degree in Humanities in 2002.

All of this she has done in addition to accumulating extensive flying experience all over Canada and North America as the President and Founder of Apex Aircraft Sales, founded in 1988. Anna also became an agent for the sale of new Cessna Aircraft for Leggat Aviation Inc. in 1996 and would go on to receive the Robert Ames Gold CSTAR Award from Cessna, for Excellence in Retail Sales in 2000 and 2001. More recently, she and Leggat Aviation Ltd. were named the Eastern Canada Sales Representative for the Cessna Caravan.

Anna is a long-time member of the International Organization of Women Pilot’s and The Ninety Nines, continuing to be active in the First Canadian Chapter having held various offices over the years.  She has previously been the Governor of the East Canada Section and also the head of Operation Skywatch: a joint program encompassing the flight monitoring and photographing of land, water and air pollution in Ontario by volunteer pilots of the Ninety-Nines in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment from 1985-1988.

In addition to her numerous professional roles, Anna volunteers her time as Vice-President of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation, an organization formed in 2009 to recognize women who have made significant contributions to Aviation and Aerospace in Canada.

In 2013, Anna received the Governor’s Service Award from the East Canada Section of the Ninety-Nines. In 2014, she was inducted into the Ninety-Nines International Forest of Friendship. She has also been recognized by the 2013 Women’s Courage Awards in the Amelia Earhart category and has been recognized by the Women of Influence organization as a Diversity Champion for her work on the Northern Lights Aero Foundation. She has also previously been Director for the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame. 

A member of AOPA, COPA, WIA (Women in Aviation International), WOAW (Women of Aviation Week) and WIA-C (Women in Aerospace – Canada), a Director on the Board for Hope Air, and the current co-chair of Rally for the Cure for the Ewings Cancer Foundation, Anna is busy coordinating events and air rallies across Canada. She lives in Toronto and has one son, Jesse.

The Northern Lights Aero Foundation can be found on their website (https://northernlightsaerofoundation.com/), Instagram @northernlightsaero, and Facebook @northernlightsaero. Apex Aircraft Sales can be found on their website (www.apexaircraft.com), Instagram @apexaircraft and Facebook @apexaircraftsales.  Anna can be found on LinkedIn.