The Citizenship Award recognizes engineers who combine a successful professional career with outstanding service and leadership in their community. 

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Mila MacLean, P.Eng., has made contributions to engineering, youth development, and community service throughout her career. Through her work in the aerospace industry and more than two decades of volunteer involvement with organizations such as 4-H and Junior Achievement, she has helped create opportunities for students, young professionals, and aspiring leaders across Nova Scotia and beyond. 

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Mila has built an accomplished career at IMP Aerospace & Defence, progressing through roles in continuous improvement, production planning, and operations management to her current position as Aircraft Production Director. Today, she leads a workforce of approximately 75 employees while contributing to the ongoing improvement of production and program management systems. Her work in the aerospace sector was recognized nationally in 2022 when she was named one of Wings Magazine's Top 20 Under 40, recognizing leadership, innovation, influence, and achievement within Canadian aviation and aerospace. 

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Alongside her professional responsibilities, Mila has remained closely connected to engineering education. Since her time at Dalhousie University, where she served as Vice President Internal of the Dalhousie Undergraduate Engineering Society, she has supported students through guest lectures, industry panels, co-op placements, and capstone projects. 

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Students who have worked with Mila have been given opportunities to contribute to significant projects, explore new approaches to problem-solving, and present their work to senior leadership. Under her guidance, student capstone teams have earned recognition at provincial and international competitions, while many students have returned for additional work terms or pursued careers in industry after graduation. 

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Community service has been equally important throughout Mila's life. A third-generation 4-H member, she has spent more than twenty years supporting an organization that helps young people develop leadership skills, citizenship, and practical life experience. Over the years, she has served as a project leader, council secretary, provincial board member, vice president, president, mentor, and advocate. 

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As President of 4-H Nova Scotia, Mila helped guide the organization through its transition from a government-run program to an independent not-for-profit organization. She chaired the search committee responsible for recruiting a new Executive Director and helped move the board toward a governance-focused structure, strengthening the organization and positioning it for long-term success. 

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Her involvement has since expanded to the national level. In 2025, Mila was elected to the Board of Directors of 4-H Canada, where she helps guide one of the country's largest youth-serving organizations. She has also contributed to national strategic planning initiatives and serves as co-chair of the Provincial Leadership Advisory Committee, supporting collaboration among provincial 4-H organizations across Canada. 

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Before many of her leadership roles within 4-H, Mila spent nine years volunteering with the Junior Achievement Company Program. Working with high school students, she helped transform ideas into successful student-run businesses while teaching entrepreneurship, teamwork, and leadership. The companies she advised consistently achieved strong results, including one that earned Company of the Year honours. 

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Mila's service also extends to her local community. She has served on her condominium board for much of the time she has lived in her building, contributing to governance, planning, budgeting, and resident engagement. 

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The impact of Mila's work can be seen in the students she has mentored, the organizations she has helped strengthen, and the young people who have benefited from programs she has supported. Through her contributions to engineering, youth development, and community leadership, she has helped create opportunities for others while strengthening organizations across Nova Scotia and beyond. 

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For her distinguished professional achievements, her dedication to youth development through 4-H and Junior Achievement, her commitment to mentoring future engineers, and her outstanding record of community service and leadership, Mila MacLean, P.Eng., is the recipient of the 2026 Citizenship Award.