2021 Alumni Story Series

Lana Paton, BMath '93, CPA
National Managing Partner of Business Units
PwC Canada

Historically, roles within the finance industry have been dominated by men with very little representation from women. Lana Paton’s (BMath ’93, National Managing Partner, Business Units, PwC Canada), generous gift to establish the Lana Paton Women in Finance Scholarship hopes to bridge this gap.

Sarah Cheng, BAFM '08, MAcc '09
Bluish Founder

Sarah Cheng (BAFM ’08, MAcc ’09) stepped into the Dragons’ Den with her five-year-old daughter while eight months pregnant. The Waterloo Alumnus pitched her small business, Bluish, and ended up striking a deal from Canadian investor Arlene Dickinson.

Interview with Sarah Cheng from Bluish- Transcription

Shana Laurie de Hernandez, MAcc '98, CPA
José Hernandez, MAcc '98, CPA

Throwback Thursday!

Our paths first crossed during a second year Calculus class at the University of Waterloo.  It wasn’t exactly “love at first sight”, but quite the opposite.  Although both Jose and I were in the Math Accounting class graduating in 1997, we followed different paths.

Julia Klann, MAcc '05
Patrick Klann, MAcc '05

We first met at co-op interviews at Needles Hall during our second year.  Pat and I had not crossed paths much during our first year at UW since he was in Math Accounting and I was in Arts Accounting, and we had different schedules.  During the co-op interview period, Pat had two conflicting interview times and needed to swap interviews with someone, and that’s how we met. We ended up spending quite a bit of time together at Needles Hall throughout the two-week interview period, and by the end of those two weeks, we both knew there was something special about the other. 

Shana Laurie de Hernandez, MAcc '98, CPA

In the span of only a few months, a large number of women have lost their jobs, lost advancement opportunities, or have voluntarily dropped out of the workforce. According to a new study from the Royal Bank of Canada, women's participation in the labour force has reached its lowest level in 30 years due to COVID-19.

Chester Dawes, BMath '99, PDAcc '99

Before his start at Waterloo, Chester Dawes (BMath ’99, PDAcc ’99) didn’t know what a high-powered career in finance could look like. To begin with, his parents emigrated from Jamaica in the early ‘70s to start a new life; Chester and his two brothers grew up going to schools in Canada where most kids did not look like them. As a child growing up in an immigrant family environment, Chester’s career goals were quite humble: “My measure of success was a career where I could go on a vacation and not worry about where the money came from.”

Throwback - Graduate Success 2016

Adnan Khan, MAcc '17
Fineas Tatar, BAFM '20

Two ambitious School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) alumni were bold enough to start a venture amid a tumultuous global economic environment.

Christine Wiedman, MAcc '88, PhD, FCPA

As the global pandemic enters its second year, research is showing women with children are spending significantly more time in caregiving and housework than their male counterparts. This is true in the corporate and service worlds as it is in academia. This is also true for dual-career couples in which women still bear the larger burden of what is traditionally accepted as “women’s work.”

Akash Kapoor, MAcc '14
George Tsai, MAcc '13
Juliana Yuen, MAcc '11
Vicky Au, MAcc '10

Throwback Thursday story!

Annu Puri, MAcc '19
Jacqueline Sue, MAcc '19

Elaine Lee, BA '03

Michelle Lam, BA '01, MAcc '01

Cousins Elaine Lee (BA ’03, pictured first) and Michelle Lam (BA ’01, MAcc ’01, pictured second)spent their university days together. Both were accepted into the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program and became roommates, supporting one other through their studies and university life. SAF caught up with the two to reminisce about their academic and career paths.

Shikha Gandhi, MAcc '04, CPA, CA

Thowback story

Original publish date: May 25, 2020

When we first chatted with Shikha Gandhi (MAcc ’04) last May, Purolator had delivered a total of 8 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) across Canada. Since then, they’ve delivered over 50 million pieces of PPE – including masks, gloves, and gowns – and are still going strong! They are also delivering COVID-19 testing kits and diagnostic equipment to hospitals to help the federal government accelerate its testing goals.

Michael Wong, MAcc '19

Throwback story!

On February 20, 2020, the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) faculty, staff, alumni, and members of CPA Ontario gathered in downtown Toronto to celebrate the successes of 2019 SAF graduates in their Common Final Examinations (CFE) to become a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).

Celebrating the grads on the 2020 Honour Roll

Mike Garvey, BA '69, FCPA, FCA

On a wintry day in 2019, the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) celebrated alumni, donors, and scholarship winners at the annual SAF Awards Celebration event…one of the last in-person celebrations before the global pandemic.

Professor Ken Klassen, MAcc '89

The Waterloo Centre for Taxation in a Global Economy (Tax Centre) has taken a significant role in advancing and supporting tax research and education, not only at the University of Waterloo, but across Canada. As the Tax Centre enters its 25^th year, Ken Klassen (MAcc ’89), Director of the Tax Centre and professor with the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF), sits down for a conversation about the Tax Centre's accomplishments and the influence that it has had on the accounting profession and the SAF curriculum.

Celebrating the 25^th anniversary with your graduating class is a milestone. Reunions provide opportunities for classmates to reconnect, engage, and reminisce. But for the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) Master of Accounting (MAcc) class reunions, it was also a call to action.

Vitu Jeyakumaran B.Math/CA '14
Deployment Lead, Afresh Technologies

Vithushan Jeyakumaran (BMath/CA ’14), Deployment Lead at Afresh Technologies shares his career trajectory and provides insightful advice to current SAF students.

Pamela Steer, MAcc '94, FCPA, FCA, CFA

In a year defined by the global pandemic, it is more important than ever to recognize and acknowledge those who have positively impacted our businesses and communities. Being named in 2020 as the School of Accounting and Finance’s (SAF) Alumni Achievement Award recipient, alum Pamela Steer (MAcc ’94, FCPA, FCA, CFA) is honoured by the recognition and will be using it as a way to benefit future students of SAF and the University.

Dinesh Balakrishnan, MAcc '14

Like many freshman university students, Dinesh Balakrishnan (MAcc ’14) did not have a definitive goal in mind for his career. One certainty was his vision to build a career focused on supporting others and providing value.

Elizabeth Demers, MAcc, MSc, PhD

The value and potential profitability of being environmentally conscientious has placed more accountability on corporations to be transparent about how they get to their bottom line. Consumers and investors, and increasingly, younger investors are wanting to align their investment choices with their own values of environmental sustainability, equity, and human rights.

Benjie Thomas, PDAcc '98

Jocelyn Blanchet, MAcc '00

When running due diligence on transactions and tax planning on multi-million-dollar deals, what exists between Jocelyn Blanchet (MAcc '00) and Benjie Thomas (PDAcc '98) is a desire to deliver the best with a unique camaraderie and mutual trust.

Susan Uthayakumar, MAcc '95

Two points Susan Uthayakumar (MAcc ’95) wants to make clear: Sustainability is not just a trend, and climate change is not an ‘if’ but a ‘when’. As president of the Global Sustainability Business Division at Schneider Electric, Uthayakumar advocates for diversity and green practices in business to not only save our environment but to stay relevant in the marketplace.

Arthur Wang, BAFM, MAcc '13

As an estate planning specialist at RBC Wealth Management Financial Services, Wang has been focussed on building and expanding his team, and on pursuing professional development opportunities. Most recently, he’s obtained his Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation.

Tracy Elop, MAcc 1989

Referring to her worldwide excursion in 2008, Tracy Elop, CEO of Carizon Family and Community Services, fondly recalls her days exploring distant lands with her husband Kevin and three young children.

Siddhi Purohit, MAcc '08

For many, gone are the water cooler and lunchroom conversations that while mundane, were important in staying connected with colleagues. Workplace rituals we’ve long taken for granted have been removed by the pandemic. You would expect that these changes could be detrimental to every company’s culture, however, employees like Siddhi Purohit (MAcc’08) are currently very impressed with their employer’s culture and the values exhibited during the pandemic.

Annu Puri, MAcc '19
Jacqueline Sue, MAcc '19

AFM and MAcc graduates, Annu Puri (MAcc ’19) and Jacqueline Sue (MAcc ’19) virtually meet with SAF to chat about their new venture, &Vision, and how they hope to change how prospective students research and select university business programs.

Lana Paton, BMath '93, CPA
National Managing Partner of Business Units
PwC Canada

Historically, roles within the finance industry have been dominated by men with very little representation from women. Lana Paton’s (BMath ’93, National Managing Partner, Business Units, PwC Canada), generous gift to establish the Lana Paton Women in Finance Scholarship hopes to bridge this gap.

Boris Bong, Macc '94, MSc Finance (UK), CPA

After attaining his CPA designation, Bong sought a career path beyond accounting and pursued a Master of Science in Finance at the London Business School (UK). He then built his finance career by working in Canada, the UK and Hong Kong for EY, Barclays Capital, Prudential plc, Search Investment Group, and JP Morgan Asset Management. SAF caught up with our accomplished alum to learn more about his career path and his insights and observations of the financial industry in Asia, where he now resides.

Phil Hipkiss, BAFM '10, CPA, CA
CFO and VP Finance for WS Audiology

Vikram Somasundaran, MAcc '11, CPA, CA
Director, Prodigy Game Partnerships

Prodigy Game, developed by two University of Waterloo Engineering grads, has filled the resource gap for building math skills and confidence, especially during the present school-year interruption due to COVID-19.

Shubham Datta, BMath, MAcc '13

Original publication: September 2019

Shubham Datta (BMath, MAcc '13) discovered his love for entrepreneurship while still going through the Math/CPA program at Waterloo. Waterloo’s innovative eco-system and entrepreneurial spirit encouraged Shubham to explore a career path that worked with start-ups and entrepreneurs. This interest morphed into a career in finance, working for Shopify.

Hear how Shubham navigated his career in accounting and finance through a love of entrepreneurship.

Adam Presslee PhD '14, CPA

Originally published on July 7, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed many workplaces from bustling offices with shared work spaces to remote, telecommuting networks. Employees around the world now find themselves working in isolation away from the familiarity of their colleagues and their workplace. This unplanned, but profound, shift in job design can have detrimental effects on employee engagement.

Elaine Lee, BA '03
Michelle Lam, BA '01, MAcc '01

Originally published on March 25, 2021

Cousins Elaine Lee (BA ’03, pictured first) and Michelle Lam (BA ’01, MAcc ’01, pictured second)spent their university days together. Both were accepted into the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program and became roommates, supporting one other through their studies and university life. SAF caught up with the two to reminisce about their academic and career paths.

David Ha, MAcc '09

This week, we interview David Ha (MAcc ’09), Professor and MAcc Co-Director, who has been with the School for ten years. Fun fact: At Grad Ball when Ha was a university student at Waterloo, he was voted by his class as most likely to become a professor one day—guess they were spot on in their assessment! 

Lawrence Zhang, MAcc '18

We revisit Lawrence Zhang's 2018 CPA CFE Gold Medal speech. We are looking forward to honouring our 2021 MAcc graduates in their completion of their CPA Common Final Exam (CFE).

Kevin Strain, MAcc '90
President and CEO Sun Life

As the President and CEO of Sun Life, Kevin Strain brings close to thirty years of insurance industry experience to his new role. Strain spent much of those years with Sun Life in various finance and business roles to advance his career to eventually assume the responsibility of Sun Life’s leadership. The School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) caught up with the very busy President and CEO to chat about his career, how he hopes to lead Sun Life beyond the global pandemic, and why he chooses to give back to Waterloo to help build future talent.

Manjit Singh, BA '93, CPA, CFA
Executive VP & CFO, Sun Life

As the world tentatively transitions back to in-person office environments, the newly appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Sun Life, Manjit Singh, (BA ’93, CPA, CFA), is excited to implement digital and people focused strategies to lead Sun Life beyond the global pandemic.

Elaine Lee, BA '03
Siddhi Purohit, MAcc '08
Shana Laurie de Hernandez, MAcc '98
Joanne Gutwinski, MAcc '14
Michelle Lam, MAcc '01

Globally, 2020 has been a year of unanticipated decision-making as organizations pivoted to ensure business success, often with very tight timelines. With the common theme of the global pandemic as the driving force of these strategies, the School of Accounting and Finance leveraged its annual Women In Accounting and Finance event to invite five SAF alumni from across the globe to share their stories and insights in managing and pivoting their teams, organizations, and personal lives through the global pandemic.

Carol Leaman, MAcc '89, CPA
CEO, Axonify

For Carol Leaman (MAcc ’89, CPA), the solid foundation in accounting from the University of Waterloo led her toward a winding, yet interesting and life changing career path of founding early-stage technology companies and leading them through to acquisition…four times over. From the wild rides of founding to the sale of the tech companies she’s led, Leaman has remained humble with the firm belief of creating an environment and culture that empowers everyone with knowledge, transparency, and honesty. Her latest start-up, Axonify, is a demonstration of Leaman exemplifying these qualities through her leadership which has translated into multiple years of recognition for Axonify as one of the best workplaces in Canada. Axonify was acquired last April by an American private equity firm to which Leaman has remained in the leadership role to take her passion project to the next stage of growth.

Julia Klann, MAcc '05, CPA
Eastern Canada Leader in U.S. Corporate Tax
Grant Thornton

Carmen D. Chung, MAcc '10
Managing Director, Head of Finance and Business Advisory, General Account Investments, Manulife Asia

As the world begins to transition back to business as usual, it is more important than ever to provide forums, such as the Women in Accounting and Finance events to serve as inspiration to current students and young alums in amplifying the importance of female leadership and perspectives in business. The 2021 Global Summit event for the Women in Accounting & Finance panel discussion brought together three School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) alums to share their career stories and answer questions from event attendees. As stated by Elaine Lee (BA ’03), Senior Manager, Change Management Office, The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and President of the UW SAF Alumni Association, a panelist from the 2020 event, “We need more stories of successes and leadership to continue to inspire young women to make a mark in fields that are traditionally dominated by men.”

Carmen Chung (MAcc ’10), Managing Director, Head of Finance and Business Advisory, General Accounting Investments with Manulife Financial in Hong Kong was one of the panelists for this year’s Women in Accounting & Finance event, hosted by SAF in early October. Leveraging her co-op experiences in accounting and early career opportunities in finance after attaining her Master of Accounting (MAcc) degree and the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation, Chung launched a career that combines both accounting and finance.

After detailing her career path, Chung answers questions submitted by event attendees.

Oni Prisecaru, MAcc '16
Executive Director, Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory

The SAF caught up with Oni at the Kitchener Deloitte Office to chat about his career path, Deloitte’s innovative D Space, and how aspiring professionals can leverage their knowledge and skills to lead them to executive level roles.

Paul Langill, MAcc '91, CPA, CA
CFO, Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo.)

Even during his time at the School of Accounting and Finance when studying in the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program, Langill was drawn to complex problems that needed solving. This curiosity and tenacity led Langill to build an impressive career in the financial services industry.

Nitish Sharma, BMath '14
Associate Vice President, Instar Asset Management Inc.

As a Mathematics/Chartered Professional Accountancy student, Nitish Sharma (BMath '14) was part of the second team that led the development of the hEDGE Financial Services Conference.

The last 18 months have been challenging to say the least, for individuals as much as it has been for organizations and businesses. By December 2020, Canada and much of the world were optimistic that communities and businesses would be transitioning back to some semblance of a pre-pandemic environment come 2021. In anticipation of a return to normalcy, the SAF launched a weekly alumni story series to celebrate and acknowledge our alums for their leadership in pivoting their teams and organizations through and beyond the pandemic.

Reflecting on this past year, the stories we’ve told of the successes of our alums have not only celebrated their leadership, adaptability, and courage, but the stories have also served as inspiration and benchmarks for the resiliency of human nature and what can be done when you’re given the right tools, opportunities, and education to meet and surpass uncertainties and challenges head-on.

I invite you to peruse the SAF Alumni Story Series to find insight and your inspiration to make a positive impact, regardless of how small or big, for yourself, your team, and your organization.

Patty Mah
Associate Director, Communications & External Relations

Entrepreneurs

For the week of November 28^th, we’re revisiting the entrepreneurial alums with which we’ve had the pleasure of sharing their stories. In this round-up are stories of a beer mogul, a start-up instigator, a tech start-up magnate, visionaries of education, and a Dragon’s Den pitch winner.

The common dominators of these stories have been how each alum has successfully leveraged their SAF education to see and seize opportunities to take a calculated risk to start their own ventures and journeys beyond the accounting and finance fields.

If you’re an entrepreneurial visionary, mogul, or instigator, I invite you to connect with the SAF so that we can share your unique story of success.

Phil Hipkiss, BAFM '10, CPA, CA CFO and VP Finance for WS Audiology To celebrate International Beer Day, we caught up with Phil, the co-founder of Block Three Brewing Company in St. Jacobs, Ontario. In addition to the craft brewery, Hipkiss is also CFO and VP of Finance for the hearing aid manufacturer, WS Audiology. Hop, hop, hurray! Cheers to another SAF Alumni Story.	Raising a Glass to Phil Hipkiss, entrepreneur, and finance director
Shubham Datta, BMath, MAcc '13 Original publication: September 2019 Shubham Datta (BMath, MAcc '13) discovered his love for entrepreneurship while still going through the Math/CPA program at Waterloo. Waterloo’s innovative eco-system and entrepreneurial spirit encouraged Shubham to explore a career path that worked with start-ups and entrepreneurs. This interest morphed into a career in finance, working for Shopify. Hear how Shubham navigated his career in accounting and finance through a love of entrepreneurship.	A love of entrepreneurship fostered through accounting
Carol Leaman, MAcc '89, CPA CEO, Axonify For Carol Leaman (MAcc ’89, CPA), the solid foundation in accounting from the University of Waterloo led her toward a winding, yet interesting and life changing career path of founding early-stage technology companies and leading them through to acquisition…four times over.	Purchase of an early-stage tech company led to a career of founding to sale of four
Annu Puri, MAcc '19 Jacqueline Sue, MAcc '19 AFM and MAcc graduates, Annu Puri (MAcc ’19) and Jacqueline Sue (MAcc ’19) virtually meet with SAF to chat about their new venture, &Vision, and how they hope to change how prospective students research and select university business programs.	SAF Alumni launch new social venture, &Vision
Sarah Cheng, BAFM '08, MAcc '09 Bluish Founder Sarah Cheng (BAFM ’08, MAcc ’09) stepped into the Dragons’ Den with her five-year-old daughter while eight months pregnant. The Waterloo Alumnus pitched her small business, Bluish, and ended up striking a deal from Canadian investor Arlene Dickinson.	From mommy bluesand tutus to a deal with a Dragon

The last 18 months have been challenging to say the least, for individuals as much as it has been for organizations and businesses. By December 2020, Canada and much of the world were optimistic that communities and businesses would be transitioning back to some semblance of a pre-pandemic environment come 2021. In anticipation of a return to normalcy, the SAF launched a weekly alumni story series to celebrate and acknowledge our alums for their leadership in pivoting their teams and organizations through and beyond the pandemic.

Reflecting on this past year, the stories we’ve told of the successes of our alums have not only celebrated their leadership, adaptability, and courage, but the stories have also served as inspiration and benchmarks for the resiliency of human nature and what can be done when you’re given the right tools, opportunities, and education to meet and surpass uncertainties and challenges head-on.

I invite you to peruse the SAF Alumni Story Series to find insight and your inspiration to make a positive impact, regardless of how small or big, for yourself, your team, and your organization.

Patty Mah
Associate Director, Communications & External Relations

Inspiring Female Leaders

For the week of December 6^th, we’re revisiting stories to celebrate the powerful women who inspire and motivate through the leadership and actions they take. In this round-up are stories of SAF women who face and overcome challenges head-on; advocate for equity, inclusion, and sustainability; and have successfully balanced work and life, all while effectively pivoting and leading their teams and organizations through and beyond a global pandemic.

COVID-19 has spotlighted the issue of gender equality regression with lots of research having been published on the topic. The courage and leadership demonstrated in these stories provide positive lessons to create an assertive effort in all career fields for compassion, empathy, and eventually elimination of gender disparity.

SAF invites you to stay engaged and connected so that together we can continue to build equity and diversity within our teams and organizations and to be inclusive of all equity-seeking groups.

The last 18 months have been challenging to say the least, for individuals as much as it has been for organizations and businesses. By December 2020, Canada and much of the world were optimistic that communities and businesses would be transitioning back to some semblance of a pre-pandemic environment come 2021. In anticipation of a return to normalcy, the SAF launched a weekly alumni story series to celebrate and acknowledge our alums for their leadership in pivoting their teams and organizations through and beyond the pandemic.

Reflecting on this past year, the stories we’ve told of the successes of our alums have not only celebrated their leadership, adaptability, and courage, but the stories have also served as inspiration and benchmarks for the resiliency of human nature and what can be done when you’re given the right tools, opportunities, and education to meet and surpass uncertainties and challenges head-on.

I invite you to peruse the SAF Alumni Story Series to find insight and your inspiration to make a positive impact, regardless of how small or big, for yourself, your team, and your organization.

Patty Mah
Associate Director, Communications & External Relations

Diversity and Inclusion

For the week of December 13^th, we’re revisiting stories of alums who push boundaries and go above and beyond to extend diversity and inclusion for all. In this round-up are stories of alums who faced and surpassed adversity, alums who transcended their humble career goals, and alums who are leveraging untapped talent to even the playing field.

Diversity and inclusion are more than employment policies and headcounts. It is an ambition to create an environment that embraces all perspectives and leverages the skills, knowledge, and talent of all to enhance a culture that empowers all.

The courage and consideration showcased in these stories offer inspiration and motivation for everyone to propel positive change within the world of their influence to create a world where everyone is equal and treated without bias. Connect with SAF to share your story of diversity and inclusion.

The last 18 months have been challenging to say the least, for individuals as much as it has been for organizations and businesses. By December 2020, Canada and much of the world were optimistic that communities and businesses would be transitioning back to some semblance of a pre-pandemic environment come 2021. In anticipation of a return to normalcy, the SAF launched a weekly alumni story series to celebrate and acknowledge our alums for their leadership in pivoting their teams and organizations through and beyond the pandemic.

Reflecting on this past year, the stories we’ve told of the successes of our alums have not only celebrated their leadership, adaptability, and courage, but the stories have also served as inspiration and benchmarks for the resiliency of human nature and what can be done when you’re given the right tools, opportunities, and education to meet and surpass uncertainties and challenges head-on.

I invite you to peruse the SAF Alumni Story Series to find insight and your inspiration to make a positive impact, regardless of how small or big, for yourself, your team, and your organization.

Patty Mah
Associate Director, Communications & External Relations

C-Suite and Executive Roles

For this last week before we welcome the new year, we’re revisiting the inspirational stories of alums who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and skill with aplomb in navigating their careers to executive or C-suite levels. The pathways these alums and many others we’ve profiled over the past year have not been direct career routes, let alone the alum’s sole objective.

The stories told all come from a place of gratitude and humility. Each alum expressed their gratitude to the SAF and the University of Waterloo for equipping them with the education and experience to kick start an exciting and robust career. And in true Canadian fashion, our alums are humble in recounting the opportunities and risks they took to add value and positively contribute to the organizations for which they work.

It seem that the key to building a successful and exciting career is the winding path explored to discover the direction you’re meant to be on. As Manjit Singh, CFO of Sun Life, fittingly stated, “…think of your career as a lattice, so branch out… build a foundation, get different skills. [Your career] grows across and up versus just straight up.”