Short Bio

As Director, Governance, Performance & Strategy at the IESO, Dania Ciampini is a governance and strategy executive with nearly 20 years of experience driving organizational transformation. She supports executive decision-making and strategy execution in a complex, highly regulated environment and has served on several boards, providing oversight of financial stewardship, risk management and organizational sustainability. Drawing on leadership experience at Deloitte, across the public sector, and through board service, Dania is committed to strong governance, public accountability, and ensuring the CPA profession remains relevant, trusted and resilient in a rapidly changing environment.

Detailed Bio

Voluntary work with CPA Ontario or other professional bodies:

Dania currently serves on the board for Stride, where she sits as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. In this capacity, she provides oversight on financial planning, resource allocation and risk management to support the organization’s long-term sustainability. She also contributes to key governance priorities, including executive leadership succession and board effectiveness.

Her prior board experience includes serving as president, past president, and board member of the University of Toronto Alumni Association, where she led strategic planning efforts, strengthened governance practices, and partnered closely with senior institutional stakeholders to advance organizational objectives.

Career achievements:

Dania Ciampini is an experienced governance and business leader with approximately 20 years of experience across the public and private sectors. She brings a strong track record in board governance, financial oversight and strategic decision-making, combined with deep business and operational acumen.

In her executive career as the Director of Governance, Performance & Strategy at the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), Dania is a trusted advisor to senior leadership, supporting complex decision-making related to governance, strategy and organizational performance. She leads the development of strategy execution frameworks, ensuring alignment between business priorities, financial resources and measurable outcomes.

Previously, Dania held leadership roles with the City of Mississauga, Canada Life and Deloitte, where she built a strong foundation in financial analysis, enterprise strategy, and managing large-scale, multi-stakeholder operations. Across these roles, she has consistently demonstrated the ability to assess complex business situations, provide clear recommendations and lead teams to deliver results.

Dania is recognized for her strength in governance, strategy and her ability to bring disciplined, informed judgment to both board and executive environments.

Other professional accomplishments:

Dania holds several professional certifications and has completed advanced executive education to strengthen her expertise in governance, strategy and organizational performance. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, reflecting her strong foundation in disciplined execution, process improvement and change leadership. In addition, she has completed executive programs at leading institutions, including Strategic Execution at Harvard Business School (2024) and Strategic Management of Regulatory and Enforcement Agencies at Harvard Kennedy School (2025), further enhancing her ability to operate effectively in complex, regulated environments and support high-impact decision-making.

Other voluntary service and recognition:

Dania’s commitment to community service and leadership has been recognized through several distinguished honours. She is a recipient of the Rotary Service Above Self Award and a Paul Harris Fellow, reflecting her dedication to service, ethical leadership and positive community impact.

She has also been awarded the University of Toronto Arbor Award, in recognition of her sustained volunteer contributions and meaningful engagement with the university community.

Candidate statement

Why are you interested in joining Council?

I am interested in joining CPA Ontario Council as an opportunity to give back to a profession that has played a formative role in my career. As CPAs, we are entrusted with upholding high standards of integrity, judgment and public accountability, and I am motivated to contribute to the governance that sustains that trust.

Throughout my career, I have developed a strong appreciation for sound governance, effective oversight and balanced decision-making in complex, regulated environments. My board experience has reinforced the importance of asking the right questions, providing constructive challenge and supporting management through difficult trade-offs – perspectives I would bring to Council.

I am also mindful of the evolving demands on the profession, from increasing regulatory complexity to shifting expectations of business and society, and I am interested in contributing to how CPA Ontario continues to protect the public interest while remaining relevant and forward-looking.

Ultimately, I am motivated by the opportunity to contribute meaningfully, learn from experienced peers, and help shape the future of the profession with care and integrity.

How do your experiences align with the following skills, attributes and experiences that have been prioritized for incoming members of Council?

• Strategic and Transformational Leadership
• Emerging Technologies
• Board Experience and Governance
• Business Acumen

My experience aligns closely with the prioritized skills and attributes, particularly in strategic leadership, governance and business acumen.

1. Strategic leadership and execution
   In my current role at the IESO, I recently led the refresh and launch of a new five-year strategy, including the development of aligned performance metrics to track outcomes and ensure accountability. Building on this, I am now leading the development of an integrated risk framework to strengthen alignment between strategy, execution and risk oversight.
   
   Prior to this, at the City of Mississauga, I led similar strategic planning efforts across large, complex portfolios, aligning the executive team on priorities, resource allocation and delivery roadmaps. These experiences reflect my ability to translate strategy into measurable outcomes in highly regulated, stakeholder-intensive environments.
2. Emerging technologies and transformation
   Across my recent work, I have applied advanced analytics and AI-enabled insights to improve decision making and execution. In my current role, I led an initiative using time-based data to enhance capacity planning through improved forecasting, scenario modeling and resource optimization.
   
   Previously, at the City of Mississauga, I introduced advanced analytics to support transit decisions, including insights on ridership patterns and models to inform design and cost optimization. This experience has given me a practical understanding of both the opportunities and governance considerations of emerging technologies, including data integrity, transparency and risk.
3. Board experience and governance
   I bring extensive governance experience through both formal board roles and executive accountability. Through my board role with Stride, including currently serving as Treasurer, I have provided direct oversight on financial planning, risk management and organizational sustainability.
   
   I also served as President of the University of Toronto Alumni Association, where I provided board-level leadership on strategy, governance and stakeholder engagement.
   
   Currently, as Director of Governance, Performance and Strategy at the IESO, I am responsible for the reporting relationship to the Board, ensuring transparency, alignment, and decision-ready insights. I also recently led the development of a governance enhancement package that was endorsed by the board, addressing long-standing governance challenges and strengthening oversight practices.
4. Business acumen
   Across my career, I have consistently applied strong business judgment to complex decisions, while also attaining my PMP and Prosci Change Management Practitioner certifications.
   
   At the IESO, I advise on risk tradeoffs tied to the multi-billion-dollar energy system.
   
   At the City of Mississauga, I led cross-functional programs delivering measurable cost savings and productivity improvements.
   
   Earlier roles at Canada Life and Deloitte further strengthened my foundation in financial analysis, operational planning, and managing large, multi-stakeholder initiatives. These experiences demonstrate my ability to assess complex situations and drive disciplined, value-focused decision making.

What is the greatest opportunity and challenge facing the accounting profession and CPA Ontario?

The greatest opportunity facing the accounting profession and CPA Ontario is redefining the CPA’s role amid rapid technological disruption. Advances in AI, automation and data analytics are shifting the focus from retrospective reporting to forward-looking insights, enabling faster, more informed decision making and positioning CPAs as more strategic, data-driven advisors.

At the same time, this transformation presents a challenge in maintaining the trust and reliability that underpin the profession. As technology evolves, risks related to data governance, AI use and output integrity require strong oversight and professional judgment.

For CPA Ontario, the opportunity lies in leading this shift by equipping members with new capabilities while reinforcing standards, ethics and public trust.