Career Skills for CPA Students

Phase 1: Creative a Powerful Professional Brand

September 16 – 19, 2025

Participants will begin their professional journey with strategic insights designed to help them be effective and accountable.  From improved communication to critical thinking and time management skills their path to success starts here.

Phase 2: Investing in Your Career

January 8 – 9, 2026

Strengthen your students’ skills with a deeper understanding of the connection between professional skepticism and critical thought while exploring the role of a CPA in a professional context.

Phase 3: Driving Your Professional Success

October 1 – 2, 2026

The final phase of the program focuses on fostering accountability and providing a solid understanding of Canadian business ethics, equipping participants with the skills to take on responsibilities and drive value in the business.

Ryan Standil leads seminars on the topic of effective written communication. He teaches at CPA Ontario, the Law Society of Ontario, individual firms, large corporations, and government organizations. Ryan attended Western University, where he graduated from the Ivey Business School and the Faculty of Law. After graduating, Ryan joined a corporate law firm in Toronto. Today he owns and operates a seminar company, called Write To Excite. Ryan’s mission is to help professionals grow their income by improving their writing.

Kamya Mehra, CPA is a speaker with over 8 years of various work experiences ranging in areas of finance, audit quality assurance, external audit, corporate accounting, financial reporting, corporate and personal taxes. She currently works in the Regulatory Risk Governance team at Scotiabank. Kamya is passionate about learning and development and enjoys mentoring and coaching students.

Jane M. Bowen, FCPA, FCA, has been involved in professional development and education for Members and students for many years. She currently lectures in financial accounting and audit at UOIT in Oshawa. She authors or mentors courses in this professional development program, and has contributed to CPA Canada publications: Guide to Accounting Standards for Private Enterprises (GASPE); and Guide to International Financial Reporting Standards in Canada. Jane is currently the Chair of the CPA Canada Competency Map and often authors publications issued by CPA Canada’s Research Guidance and Support Group., addressing the implementation of new accounting and assurance standards.

Dr. Krista Fiolleau, CPA, PhD, is an associate professor at the University of Waterloo, School of Accounting and Finance.  She joined the school in 2012 after completing her PhD at the University of Alberta.  Her published and current research focuses on the effect of organizational controls and governance on ethical reasoning, and accounting ethics and the influence of corporate governance on auditor effectiveness. Through her work as Director of the Centre for Accounting Ethics she speaks and facilitates conferences on ethics research and teaching.

Paul Mascarenhas, BSc. MBA., President of Avancer Learning Inc., is a specialist in Strategic Analysis, and Communications. Paul has conducted his much sought after brand of hands-on IT Skills workshops, to globally renowned names as the Canadian Forces, Canadian Tire, Carlson Wagonlit, SKF Bearings (I) Ltd, CGI Inc, Scotiabank, Colgate Palmolive GSSO, Tetra Pak (I), ICICI Prudential, to name a few.

Hassan Khalid is a Risk Assurance professional specializing in Controls Assurance, IT Assurance, Third Party Assurance, Project Assurance and Advisory.  He has a strong background in systems and process assurance, advising clients on the management of risks associated with the implementation and operation of complex business systems and information technology. With 17 years of controls, risk, audit and assurance experience at Big 4 firms (KPMG and PwC) and entrepreneurship of 2 years in software development Hassan is passionate about client service.

Soraya Sarif is an expert in organizational efficiency, specializing in strategic communication skills programs. She facilitates global learning initiatives with a focus on early career development, leveraging her extensive banking experience to ensure her interactive workshops reflect real-life practical scenarios. Soraya's banking career began in 1998 at CIBC before she transitioned into professional skills training.