Real stories. Real impact. Real possibilities.
Accounting is more than numbers. It’s a foundation leadership, innovation, and impact. The Why Accounting video series shares the real stories of CPAs who are shaping business, and the community across Alberta and beyond.
Accounting connects to every part of business, watch the stories, find what inspires you, and imagine where accounting could take you next.
Featured Stories
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She followed the numbers
Law was the plan, but accounting had other ideas for Longbow CFO/CCO
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Making room for big ideas
Derek Payne’s accounting background helped him support ambitious ideas while keeping an eye on what makes a business work
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Accounting as a tool to benefit communities
How accounting can build careers, strengthen communities and create meaningful impact
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Where can accounting take you? Anywhere.
Synovus Energy CEO Jon McKenzie says accounting gave him the skills and flexibility to build a career across finance, operations and business.
Leadership
See how accountants guide strategy and decision making at the highest levels.
Jon McKenzie
Jon McKenzie is President and CEO of Cenovus Energy. Over a 30-plus-year career spanning finance, operations, and commercial leadership, he credits accounting with providing the analytical discipline and objectivity that underpin executive decision-making.
Chandra Henry
Chandra Henry is the CFO and CCO at Longbow Capital, a Calgary-based private equity firm. Her accounting background has enabled her to pivot into senior leadership roles, bringing discipline, strategic insight, and trusted oversight to investment decision-making.
Rob Geremia
Rob Geremia is the former President of Boardwalk REIT and Founder and Director of RKG Consulting. With deep roots in multifamily real estate, he credits his accounting training with sharpening the critical thinking and strategic judgement that underpin effective leadership.
Brian Banderk
Brian Banderk is Chief Accountant at the Alberta Securities Commission. With experience in both regulation and entrepreneurship, he plays a key role in shaping Alberta’s capital markets and navigating complex, judgement-driven accounting matters.
Sustainability
Learn how accounting drives environmental and social responsibility.
Janice Anderson
Janice Anderson is Senior Director of Technical Accounting and Sustainability Reporting at Nutrien. With experience in public practice, securities regulation, and industry, she now works at the forefront of ESG and global sustainability reporting, helping shape transparent and credible disclosure practices.
Entrepreneurship and Business Growth
Hear how CPAs and business leaders create value through entrepreneurship and innovation.
Janice Tran
Janice Tran is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kanin Energy, a clean energy company transforming waste heat into renewable electricity. A CPA, she views accounting as the language of business and uses its framework to drive strategy, innovation, and climate-focused entrepreneurship.
Kristen McGill
Kristen McGill is a Fractional Chief Operating officer and Executive Coach. A CPA by training, she leveraged her accounting foundation into operational leadership roles, using financial clarity and performance measurement to help organizations scale effectively.
Derek Payne
Derek Payne is the former Treasurer and Vice President of Finance at WestJet who now serves on boards and advises innovation and technology companies. A CPA by training, he built a career supporting early-stage entrepreneurs, balancing risk-taking vision with financial rigor.
Community and Purpose
See how accounting expertise strengthens communities.
Robert Andrews
Robert Andrews is Executive Director of the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Alberta and a member of the Blood Tribe. Grounded in First Nation worldview, he views accounting as a tool for accountability, community empowerment, and advancing economic parity.
Jade Shirley
Jade Shirley is an Accounting Manager at Wood’s Homes, where she supports frontline community work though financial clarity and stability. After beginning her career in public practice, she transitioned to the not-for-profit sector to align her accounting expertise with direct social impact.
Early Career Insights
Explore what it’s like starting out in the profession from recent graduates and young professionals.
Matt Van Der Sloot
Matt is a Financial Reporting Analyst at Pine Cliff Energy. A Metis CPA, he brings technical expertise together with community impact, having worked on indigenous audits and consulting engagements. He credits accounting with providing a foundation that make professionals valuable across departments, from operations to public markets.
Toki Adejuwon
Toki Adejuwon is a Junior Accountant at MNP. Through co-op placements and case competitions at Haskayne, she developed both technical skills and professional confidence. She is committed to expanding representation within the accounting profession.
Maisoon El Kardy
Maisoon El Kardy is a Business Development Manager at Trico Communities. After beginning in technical accounting roles and later working in the non-profit sector, she build a non-traditional path that bridges finance, strategy, and real estate development.
Project Credits
- Produced by: Centre for Excellence in Professional Accounting (CEPA), Haskayne School of Business
- In partnership with: CPA Alberta
- Project Lead: Steven McMeekin, BComm Accounting student and CEPA Project Associate
- Videography: Berryl Gamayao