Andrea Lee Wang is a dedicated advocate for tower crane safety, a board-certified pharmacist specializing in psychiatry and sterile compounding, and a skilled violinist. Her commitment to safety stems from a personal tragedy: the loss of her 19-year-old daughter, Sarah Pantip Wong, to a tower crane incident on April 27, 2019, in Seattle, Washington. This devastating incident, which claimed the lives of two members of the public and two ironworkers, ignited her commitment for advocating for worker protections and public safety around construction sites.

In 2024, Andrea successfully lobbied the Washington State Legislature to pass groundbreaking crane safety legislation. This new law empowers construction workers to halt work over safety concerns and implements measures to protect the public around tower cranes. With more than 30 years of experience as a pharmacist and eight years in healthcare management, Andrea brings healthcare safety principles into construction safety discussions, challenging traditional industry practices.

Andrea also is a co-founder of The Crane Safety Research Center at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a testament to her commitment to safeguarding workers and the public. The Center addresses gaps between public safety and construction practices by researching crane safety problems and developing technology solutions to these problems. The first of its kind, the research center is educating engineering students and committed to finding solutions.

As a violinist and pianist, Andrea uses music to raise awareness about public safety and challenge common assumptions about construction. While she never anticipated this path, the tragic loss of her daughter gives her the resolve to commit all her experience to ensuring that no other family endures the loss of a loved one to a tower crane collapse. Her multifaceted efforts aim to create a safer environment for everyone. Inspired by Sarah’s mantra, “Leave people better than you found them,” Andrea endeavors to carry on her daughter’s words of wisdom through her efforts to leave communities better than we found them.