Most of us measure a good airport experience against the bare minimum: no delays, no lost luggage, no small personal unravelling at Gate C28. Tamara Vrooman is aiming higher. “Our role is to always leave things better than you found it,” says Vrooman. “If I can leave things better than I found it, then I’m doing the right work.”
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It’s a philosophy she traces back to her grandmother, who taught her that, whether at school, on the playground or at work, her job is to improve things for the people coming next.
Vrooman has spent a career applying that idea to institutions that quietly shape daily life. Before taking the helm at YVR in 2020, she led Vancity for 13 years and earlier served as B.C.’s deputy minister of finance, the first woman and youngest person to hold the role. Across government, banking and aviation, the throughline is service. These are, she says, institutions “about providing service to people to strengthen our community and to strengthen our economy at the same time.”
At YVR, that mission plays out on a very big runway. In 2025, the airport welcomed a record 26.9 million travellers, moved the highest cargo volumes in its history, generated billions in GDP and supported over 100,000 jobs across the province. In March 2026, YVR was named Best Airport in North America by Skytrax for a record 15th time and ranked 10th best airport in the world.
At a moment when our southern neighbours are watching their own aviation sector stumble on the global stage, what makes Vrooman one of this year’s Changemakers is not just the scale of the institution she leads but the steady, grounded way she leads it, something she is quick to credit to her team. Her view is that progress is never a solo act.
At YVR, that philosophy takes shape in the idea of “one YVR,” a reminder that everyone on site is working toward the same goal: “to safely and efficiently and empathetically move people and goods on their way.” Her kind of changemaking is less blue-sky than boots-on-the-tarmac: make the system work better, make people feel better using it and leave it stronger than she found it.
Airplane mode… really?
“We should always follow the instructions.”
What is your favourite flying hack?
“Carry-on whenever possible, water only and skip the meal before a long flight.”
Aisle or window?
Window.
