Here are some of our speakers:
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Chris Wyman, CPA, CIA, CRMA
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Ken Lewchuk, MBA, MA, CPA
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Anya Spark, MA, BA, DKATI
Every Wednesday, October 22 - Nov 12, 2025
8:30am - 4:30pm
Live Webinar
Mindfully curated and purposely tailored for today’s public practitioners!
We are pleased to present the return of the highly rated Public Practice Series for Fall 2025. This year’s series will span four dedicated days, each focusing on key areas of public practice:
- Day 1: Oct 22
- Day 2: Oct 29
- Day 3: Nov 5
- Day 4: Nov 12
To maximize your learning, each day will feature three separate, practical sessions. Participants will begin with a half-day seminar in the morning, followed by two 90-minute seminars in the afternoon.
Flexibility is key! There is no obligation to register for the entire series. Pick and choose only the days that align best with your interests and enjoy exclusive discounts by signing up for multiple days in a single transaction. Take the next step - connect with peers and explore new ideas that are not only practical but also pivotal to the public practice landscape
Oct 22 Only Oct 29 Only Nov 5 Only Nov 12 Only
Course Fee: $1425 full series, $425 per day
PD Passport: 40 credits full series, 10 credits per day
Eligible CPD Hours: 28 hours full series, 7 hours per day
Here are some exclusive savings!
Dual-day Discount: Save $125 with promocode PP25TWO at checkout
Three-day Tip: Save $300 by purchasing a Mini Passport first!
Full-series: Built-in savings, or explore our Personal Passport to learn more and save more.
Series Agenda
Oct 22 | Oct 29 | Nov 5 | Nov 12
Day 1: October 22
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:25 am - 8:30 am | Join Session |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Polish Your Practice: Enhancing Your Review Process Presenter: Greg Buck, FCPA | Partner, KEY Financial Group LLP This session is specifically directed at small practitioners that review their own files and their own correspondence (email, letters, instruction etc). It is designed to provide tips and tricks, along with checklists that may help in improving the review experience. It will be valuable to those who span the era from paper writing to ChatGPT and everything in between. Key Takeaways:
This session will encourage participants to share their experiences - get ready to improve your practice! |
| 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm To be recorded | CRA’s Expanded Audit Powers Presenter: Jennifer Reid, CPA, CGA, TEP | Managing Director, International Tax, RSM Canada LLP What powers does the CRA have when requesting information in connection with an income tax audit? When representing taxpayers in a CRA audit, it’s important to understand what the CRA can request and in which format to ensure legal obligations are met without exposing a client to additional risk. Participants will learn what powers are currently granted to the CRA by enacted legislation as well as what proposed changes are still awaiting enactment and what those proposals signal with respect to broadening the scope of power available to the CRA. Key takeaways:
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| 2:45 pm - 3:00 pm | Break |
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm To be recorded | The Strategic Opportunity: How CPAs Can Lead the Exit Planning Conversation and Deepen Client Relationships Presenter: Gerry Lalonde, CPA, CGA | Principal and President, X-Roads Technology Partners Inc. In a rapidly changing business environment, proactive exit planning has become critical for business owners - and a significant opportunity for CPA firms to deepen their client relationships and expand advisory services. In this session, Gerry Lalonde, CPA and Growth-Driven Exit Strategist, will show how CPAs can lead the exit planning conversation, enhance client value, and position themselves as essential advisors for clients’ long-term success. Participants will learn practical frameworks, conversation starters, and service models to incorporate exit planning into their existing practices. Key Takeaways:
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Day 2: October 29
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:25 am - 8:30 am | Join Session |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm No recording | Leadership in Economic Uncertainty Presenter: Chris Wyman, CPA, CIA, CRMA | President, Pathfinder Business Consulting and Training This session will equip leaders with a structured framework to navigate economic uncertainty and lead through disruption. Participants will learn to respond proactively to external pressures such as tariffs, tax shifts, and unexpected economic cycles – both contraction and expansion. Emphasis is placed on real-time adaptation, strategic clarity, and resilient leadership that anticipates change rather than reacts to it. Key Takeaways:
|
| 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm To be recorded | On Purpose, With Presence: Redefining Work-Life Balance for Accounting Professionals Presenter: Chris Ho, COC | Certified Executive Leadership and Organizational Coach In a profession where accuracy, deadlines, and performance rule the day, balance can feel like an afterthought. This session invites accounting professionals to step back, breathe, and re-evaluate how they lead themselves: on purpose, and with presence. Through the lens of his personal cancer and leadership journey, Chris helps high-performing professionals realign their energy with what matters most. Key Takeaways
Walk away not just with new strategies, but with a renewed sense of clarity, purpose, and presence in both your work and your life. |
| 2:45 pm - 3:00 pm | Break |
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm | From Risk to Readiness: What Every CPA Should Know About Cyber Liability Presenter: Dylan Lenaghan | Director, Operations, Innovation Networks Inc. Cyber liability insurance is becoming a non-negotiable layer of financial protection for firms of all sizes. Still, many CPA firms and their clients are unknowingly out of compliance with insurer expectations. This session explores the critical intersection between IT posture, policy wording, and professional responsibility. Whether you're a sole practitioner or part of a larger firm, this session will help you protect your practice, reputation, and clients. Learn:
Key takeaways:
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Day 3: November 5
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:25 am - 8:30 am | Join Session |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Your Leadership Clock: Leveraging Time and Talent Effectively Presenter: Julie Ruben Rodney, M.Ed., CHRL | Founder and CEO, MaxPeople Executive leaders face the challenge of balancing strategic vision, personal wellbeing, and the constant demands of leading a business. This session supports participants focus on their true role by elevating productivity, aligning priorities, and creating sustainable impact. Participants will learn to shift their focus from working in the business to working on it, prioritizing high-value activities that drive growth, innovation, and long-term success. Throughout the session, participants will also reflect on personal and professional priorities to support a positive outlook, peak performance, and reduced stress. At the heart of this session is a holistic perspective that considers the self, others, and the environment. Participants will build skills to delegate effectively, harness technology, and “leverage their village” by empowering those around them. In addition, participants will explore how to create a culture of accountability that drives results. Through tailored insights and strategies, participants will rediscover the freedom to lead strategically and inspire others, ensuring their time adds measurable value to the business, their team, and themselves. |
| 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm To be recorded | Increase Productivity: Understanding & Building Your First Copilot Agents Presenter: David Fortin, CPA, Microsoft MVP | Founder of Piggy Bank Accountant In this session, David will discuss Copilot 365 Agents. Whether you know what an agent is or not, or if you already have experience creating your first agent, David will share insights to help you get more while working less, with the help of your agent! Key takeaways
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| 2:45 pm - 3:00 pm | Break |
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm No recording | Ethics: Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Presenter: Ken Lewchuk, MBA, MA, CPA This session will provide a high-level overview of two intrinsically linked topics, corruption and money laundering. Rather than focusing on compliance with specific local laws and regulations, this session will view these topics through an ethical lens. Topics to be discussed
Key takeaways
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Day 4: November 12
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:25 am - 8:30 am | Join Session |
8:30 am - 12:30 pm No recording | Understanding Clients in Financial Crisis: Emotional First Aid for Accountants Presenter: Anya Spark, MA, BA, DKATI | Art Therapist, Certified Intentional Creativity Coach By understanding the emotional undercurrent of financial decision-making, accountants can improve client outcomes, reduce friction, and preserve professional integrity. With 72% of Canadians reporting anxiety around financial planning, it is essential for accountants to understand the effects of stressed clients. From delayed decisions to disengaged and reactive behaviour, these are the effects clients can experience. However, financial professionals’ unique position can not only provide advice, but also ground clients’ worries. Accountants can build relational trust to reduce churn, increase compliance and improve retention. Key takeaways
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| 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm | Better Know a Lawyer! Presenter: Lorne Kotler, JD, MBA | Partner, Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP With his trademark sense of humour, Lorne will give advice on the most common mistakes by accountants that cause them to get to know their lawyer better (maybe too well!). Participants will learn from others’ mistakes and (hopefully) avoid the need to hire a lawyer of their own. Among other topics, participants will learn how to:
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| 2:45 pm - 3:00 pm | Break |
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Harnessing AI for CPAs: Transforming Public Practice Presenters: Ryan Minor, CPA, CA, PhD | Director, Taxation, CPA Canada Melissa Robertson, CPA | Principal, Research & Thought Leadership, CPA Canada This session will explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the way CPAs in public practice approach accounting, assurance, and tax services, offering both new opportunities and challenges for firms of all sizes. Attendees will gain insights into the practical applications of AI in streamlining compliance work, enhancing assurance through data analytics, and providing more proactive tax planning for clients. By attending, participants will learn how to leverage AI to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and deliver higher-value advisory services. This session is a must-attend for CPAs looking to future-proof their practice and elevate the services they provide to clients. Key takeaways:
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David Fortin is a CPA in Quebec, Microsoft MVP and LinkedIn Learning Instructor. He has accounting experience at a Big 4 accounting firm and a major video game company. David is the founder of Piggy Bank Accountant, a YouTube channel and online training platform that focuses on Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Copilot topics.
Since 2023, David’s channel has taught more than 2,000,000 people, with 12,000 people currently subscribed to his channel. David has contagious energy and loves to help others become more productive and efficient in daily tasks.
Greg Buck, FCPA, FCA is the founding partner of KEY Financial Group LLP in Abbotsford and Kamloops, where he is widely respected as an innovator, known for testing technology that drives efficiency in public practice and generously sharing his extensive knowledge with other small public practitioners.
Greg also inspires the next generation of CPAs as a mentor and educator. In addition to teaching business and accounting at the University of the Fraser Valley for almost two decades, he has instructed and authored numerous CPABC professional development courses since 2004. He’s also an organizer and presenter for CPABC’s Abbotsford Practitioner’s Forum, which he introduced to the Fraser Valley in 2015. Through his myriad efforts, Greg has fostered countless successful CPA careers.
Chris Ho, COC, is a Certified Organizational Coach (COC), and certified Advanced Certification in Team Coaching with the International Coaching Federation. Chris is a dynamic leader with over 17 years of multifaceted experience spanning financial services, media, marketing, software, technology, and professional training.
His leadership journey has seen him excel in operations, sales, marketing, consulting, and coaching. As the founder of Conscious Studio, Chris brings his rich leadership experience and coaching skills to help leaders take their professional goals to the next level. Additionally, Chris is a Senior Coach and Consultant with FranklinCovey, a global leadership development organization focused on building leadership capacity through workshops and 1:1 executive coaching.
Lorne Kotler, JD, MBA, maintains a broad legal practice encompassing administrative, regulatory, securities, corporate governance, employment, real estate and general commercial matters.
In addition to his appearances as counsel before the British Columbia Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Lorne has represented clients before the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC). As part of his broader practice, Lorne frequently assists Chartered Professional Accountants navigate legal issues relating to the practice of public accounting including by providing opinions on risk management, advice concerning ongoing engagements (including resignations), assistance with complaints to CPABC, and representation in court.
Gerry Lalonde, CPA, CGA, is a seasoned executive and trusted business advisor with over 25 years of experience helping companies grow from early-stage ventures to market leaders. As a CPA and founder of X-Roads Technology Partners, Gerry brings deep expertise from decades spent in the C-suite, serving nationally and internationally as CFO, CIO, COO, and CEO.
He’s taken two companies public, one on NASDAQ and one on the Canadian Venture Exchange, and is known for developing strong leadership teams and building strategic exit plans that secure both legacy and long-term growth. Gerry believes the real strength of any business lies not just in its numbers, but in its people, and their ability to meet the challenges ahead. His clients often describe him as a rare mix of strategic thinker, practical doer, and deeply committed mentor who consistently delivers results.
Dylan Lenaghan is Director of Operations at Innovation Networks, an award-winning managed IT & cybersecurity provider, one of the fastest growing companies in BC. He engineers operational excellence and measurable service reliability - while steering technology planning and governance.
Dylan has been with Innovation Networks since 2017. Earlier roles with Indigena Solutions, Rockwell Collins, YVR, and HSBC give him a practitioner’s edge across enterprise and SMB environments. Known for turning complex situations into predictable outcomes. He has gained a wealth of experience in system administration; IT leadership and service desk management. Dylan can seamlessly bring together the worlds of IT operations and technology.
Ken Lewchuk, MBA, MA, CPA, is also a Certified Public Accountant in Texas. He graduated with an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School and with an MA in Applied and Professional Ethics from the University of Leeds (Distinction).
His career has spanned technical accounting, risk management, internal audit, and corporate compliance, working in public accounting (PwC) and for corporations in United States and Canada. He has taught technical accounting and finance classes to corporate employees in several countries, been a conference speaker, and a guest lecturer at Texas A&M University on the topic of business ethics.
Ryan Minor, CPA, CA, PhD, practiced income tax for over twenty years with several firms including, most recently, Baker Tilly in Sudbury prior to joining CPA Canada. Ryan recently completed a PhD in Law from Queen’s University. His research focuses on the effectiveness of tax policy to achieve beneficial economic outcomes.
He has also taught numerous courses for various universities and for CPA Ontario. Ryan sits on numerous tax related committees including the Joint Committee on Taxation and the SR&ED Committee as well as numerous working groups including the Green Technology Working Group. He also contributes to tax education by giving numerous seminars across the country on emerging tax topics. Members will also note that he provides important, timely updates on CRA administrative issues through LinkedIn and national media.
John Oakey, FCPA, FCA, TEP, CC is the Vice-President of Taxation at CPA Canada and leads the Tax group which influences the development of an equitable, effective, and efficient tax system in Canada John is also involved in delivering practical information and fresh perspectives on tax to members and the broader tax community.
A strong proponent of tax education, John aims to increase CPA Canada’s reputation as the preeminent provider of core tax education in Canada. John serves as a spokesperson for CPA Canada, and acts in the public interest, providing tax-related information and perspective. He leads committees and working groups, consulting with the federal government regarding the development and administration of federal tax policies, while also providing thought leadership and education to CPA members.
Jennifer Reid, CPA, CGA, TEP, is Managing Director, International Tax, at RSM Canada LLP in Calgary. Jennifer specializes in assisting private clients with international tax and estate planning issues such as immigration and emigration, dual citizenship considerations, foreign inheritance and foreign investment and asset ownership.
Jennifer also assists in designing meaningful executive compensation plans where cross border considerations are front of mind. Jennifer has practiced tax services in Calgary for over 15 years, with a focus on private companies and their owners, as well as trusts and estates.
Melissa Robertson, CPA is a Senior Manager of Assurance and Reporting at CPA Canada focused on the impact of technology on the CPA profession. Melissa is responsible for developing CPA Canada’s research and thought leadership on emerging trends, innovation and technology, including CPA Canada’s recent thought leadership series with the AICPA & EY on artificial intelligence.
Prior to joining CPA Canada, Melissa was an auditor and data analytics specialist with PwC, working with the federal government, private sector, and not-for-profit organizations. Melissa also a Board member of the Canadian Audit & Accountability Foundation and teaches Data Analytics for Accounting at Carleton University in Ottawa.
Julie Ruben Rodney, M.Ed., CHRL, is the Founder and CE of MaxPeople. With over 30 years of experience as a Consultant, CEO, Founder, and Mother, Julie specializes in time management, delegation, and productivity strategies that drive professional and personal success.
At MaxPeople, these principles shape our culture and client solutions. Julie brings this ethos to every workshop, equipping attendees with practical tools such as Time-Boxing, Technology, and Priority and Delegation Models, while exploring barriers to effective time management and delegation. Julie’s facilitation is anchored in adult learning principles gained through her Master’s in Education in Adult Learning, blending storytelling as a CEO and founder with evidence-based techniques to connect with audiences on both an emotional and intellectual level.
Anya Spark, MA, BA. DKATI, is a certified Intentional Creativity® Coach, a professional art therapist and a retired accountant who developed a unique 7-step process of integrating art in the business development. She has MA in economics and finance, including many years managing a successful accounting practice.
Anya’s main product is Financial Crisis Therapy that combines business knowledge and psychotherapy. In her own words: “I always felt that I can give more to my clients than just a business advice, I wanted to encourage them, support them emotionally and mentally, but I had to stay professional and keep my advice to the numbers only. I felt that by offering counseling services linked to accounting advice would give my clients a better chance to reach their goals and feel successful.”
Chris Wyman, CPA, CIA, CRMA, is the President of Pathfinder Business Consulting and he is a licensed partner with Leadership Management International. LMI is the largest and most successful personal and organizational development company in the world.
LMI motivates people to their full potential through clarifying and achieving goals, developing a positive attitude, and enhancing leadership ability. Chris had over 25 years of experience within the finance industry and has experienced a variety of roles, from Internal Audit Director to Commercial Banking Account Manager.
Past Participants
"This was a great session, probably my favorite I have ever taken with CPA BC. The instructor was great, the content was engaging and relevant and we got to network with other CPAs in the group."
"Made some useful connections and learned about resources I wasn't aware of."
"Very relevant topics and practical reference materials and techniques to implement."
"All of the sessions were useful. It was excellent professional development. I was impressed with how seamless the virtual part was."
"This was just what I needed. Thank you for putting on this topic!"