2026 Program & Speakers
This page will be updated as speakers and details are confirmed
Program
| TIME | SPEAKER | TOPIC | COMPETENCY | PD HOURS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00/08:15 | AV & Exhibitor Install | |||
| 07:45/09:00 | Breakfast | |||
| 08:20/08:30 | Opening Remarks | 0.25 | ||
| 08:30/10:30 | Kim Moody, Moodys Tax/ Moodys Private Client | Tax Update | Taxation | 2.0 |
| 10:30/11:00 | AM BREAK | |||
| 11:00/12:00 | David Nayer | Fraud investigations | Ethics | 1.0 |
| 12:00/13:15 | LUNCH | |||
| 13:15/13:30 | Rachel Miller | Update on CPA Alberta | Other | 0.25 |
| 13:30/15:00 | Victoria Magpantay, CPA Alberta Larry Brownoff, CPA Alberta David Nayer John Oakey, CPA Canada Brad Boese, Boese & Co. LLP | Ethics Round Table | Ethics | 1.5 |
| 15:00/15:30 | PM BREAK | |||
| 15:30/16:30 | Jack Daiter, CPA Professional Liability Insurance | CPA Liability, risk areas in tax and accounting (tax, compilation engagements, and review engagements) | Other | 1.0 |
| 16:30/17:30 | John Oakey, CPA Canada | CPA Canada tax advocacy and resources for small practitioner | Taxation | 1.0 |
| 17:30/19:00 | Room Flip | |||
| 19:00/21:30 | Canadiana Dinner |
| TIME | SPEAKER | TOPIC | COMPETENCY | PD HOURS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00/08:00 | BREAKFAST | |||
| 08:00/10:00 | Kyle Ross, Felesky Flynn John Fuller, Felesky Flynn | Tax Cases | Taxation | 2.0 |
| 10:00/10:30 | AM BREAK | |||
| 10:30/12:00 | Mark Parsons, ATB | Alberta Economic Update | Self Management | 1.5 |
| 12:00/13:00 | LUNCH | |||
| 13:00/14:00 | Jessica Janzen, Mindset coach, philantropis, and joy expert | Mental Health/Wellness | Self Management | 1.0 |
| 14:05/15:05 | Monica Stark, ATB | FINTRAC | Other | 1.0 |
| 15:05/15:30 | PM BREAK | |||
| 15:30/17:30 | Andrew Bateman, Miller Thomson Bryant Frydberg, Miller Thomson | Tax Cases | Taxation | 2.0 |
| 20:00/22:00 | RECEPTION |
| TIME | SPEAKER | TOPIC | COMPETENCY | PD HOURS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00/08:00 | BREAKFAST | |||
| 08:00/10:00 | Hugh Neilson, KRP LLP and Video Tax News | Tax Update 3.0 | Taxation | 2.0 |
| 10:00/10:15 | AM BREAK | |||
| 10:15/11:15 | Erik Solbakken, Accountant Sucess Formula | Client Engagement | Self Managment | 1.0 |
| 11:15/12:15 | Chris Nowell | IT Security Update | Innovation & Technology | 1.0 |
| 12:15/13:15 | LUNCH | |||
| 13:15/14:45 | Laurie Rauk, Lauranne E. Rauk Professional Corporation Dil Sran, True North Accounting Erik Solbakken, Solbakken Consulting Group Ghalib Abdulla, GNA LLP Chartered Professional Accountants | Best Practices | Innovation & Technology | 1.5 |
| 14:45/15:00 | SPF Committee | Closing Remarks | Other | 0.25 |
The 2026 Program will be published as speakers and more information becomes available.
| TIME | SPEAKER | TOPIC | COMPETENCY | PD HOURS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00/08:15 | AV & Exhibitor Install | |||
| 07:45/09:00 | Breakfast | |||
| 08:20/08:30 | Opening Remarks | 0.25 | ||
| 08:30/10:30 | Kim Moody, Moodys Tax/ Moodys Private Client | Tax Update | Taxation | 2.0 |
| 10:30/11:00 | AM BREAK | |||
| 11:00/12:00 | David Nayer | Fraud investigations | Ethics | 1.0 |
| 12:00/13:15 | LUNCH | |||
| 13:15/13:30 | Rachel Miller | Update on CPA Alberta | Other | 0.25 |
| 13:30/15:00 | Victoria Magpantay, CPA Alberta Larry Brownoff, CPA Alberta David Nayer John Oakey, CPA Canada Brad Boese, Boese & Co. LLP | Ethics Round Table | Ethics | 1.5 |
| 15:00/15:30 | PM BREAK | |||
| 15:30/16:30 | Jack Daiter, CPA Professional Liability Insurance | CPA Liability, risk areas in tax and accounting (tax, compilation engagements, and review engagements) | Other | 1.0 |
| 16:30/17:30 | John Oakey, CPA Canada | CPA Canada tax advocacy and resources for small practitioner | Taxation | 1.0 |
| 17:30/19:00 | Room Flip | |||
| 19:00/21:30 | Canadiana Dinner |
| TIME | SPEAKER | TOPIC | COMPETENCY | PD HOURS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00/08:00 | BREAKFAST | |||
| 08:00/10:00 | Kyle Ross, Felesky Flynn John Fuller, Felesky Flynn | Tax Cases | Taxation | 2.0 |
| 10:00/10:30 | AM BREAK | |||
| 10:30/12:00 | Mark Parsons, ATB | Alberta Economic Update | Self Management | 1.5 |
| 12:00/13:00 | LUNCH | |||
| 13:00/14:00 | Jessica Janzen, Mindset coach, philantropis, and joy expert | Mental Health/Wellness | Self Management | 1.0 |
| 14:05/15:05 | Monica Stark, ATB | FINTRAC | Other | 1.0 |
| 15:05/15:30 | PM BREAK | |||
| 15:30/17:30 | Andrew Bateman, Miller Thomson Bryant Frydberg, Miller Thomson | Tax Cases | Taxation | 2.0 |
| 20:00/22:00 | RECEPTION |
| TIME | SPEAKER | TOPIC | COMPETENCY | PD HOURS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00/08:00 | BREAKFAST | |||
| 08:00/10:00 | Hugh Neilson, KRP LLP and Video Tax News | Tax Update 3.0 | Taxation | 2.0 |
| 10:00/10:15 | AM BREAK | |||
| 10:15/11:15 | Erik Solbakken, Accountant Sucess Formula | Client Engagement | Self Managment | 1.0 |
| 11:15/12:15 | Chris Nowell | IT Security Update | Innovation & Technology | 1.0 |
| 12:15/13:15 | LUNCH | |||
| 13:15/14:45 | Laurie Rauk, Lauranne E. Rauk Professional Corporation Dil Sran, True North Accounting Erik Solbakken, Solbakken Consulting Group Ghalib Abdulla, GNA LLP Chartered Professional Accountants | Best Practices | Innovation & Technology | 1.5 |
| 14:45/15:00 | SPF Committee | Closing Remarks | Other | 0.25 |
2026 Speakers
KIM G C MOODY, FCPA, FCA, TEP CEO
Moodys Private Client Accounting, Moodys TaxCEO
The antithesis of the status quo, Kim is driven to innovate new and better ways to do things for the clients he serves, the advancement of the firm, and other professionals in tax. His relentless obsession with getting to know everything in the Tax Act makes him a highly sought-out resource for peers and clients. In March 2020, Kim published his first book, Making Life Less Taxing: Pay Attention To Your Taxes So You Can Pay Less Tax and Build a Strong, Smarter Canada – an Amazon bestseller in a number of categories.
Kim’s primary area of expertise is tax and estate planning for owner-managers of private corporations and executives, particularly those who have entered into the tax complexities that come with being affluent. Though admittedly not one himself, Kim works with many professional athletes (a guy has got to dream after all). Kim also has expertise in trust and estate taxation and enjoys solving the complexities that arise in developing a well-thought-out estate and succession plan and dealing with testamentary taxation matters.
Larry Brownoff, FCPA, Director, Member Relations
CPA Alberta
Larry began his professional career in public practice with Clarkson Gordon (now EY) in 1980.
Throughout his career, Larry excelled as a financial expert and leader with General Systems Research / GSR Technologies / CAE Aviation, Can-Cell Industries Inc. and in his role as VP Finance & Administration, and later VP Special Projects at Inventronics Limited.
Larry found his true calling in 2001, when he moved from industry to the professional financial staffing business, Robert Half, first as Senior Recruiting Manager and later VP Managing Director. In his current role as Director, Member Relations at CPA Alberta, Larry leverages his industry experience, extensive network of accounting professionals, financial acumen, and strong leadership to advance the organization, the profession, and CPA Alberta members.
Larry continues to develop his thought leadership and contributions to the profession as an active member and long-term leader on the committees of Financial Executives International (FEI) Canada and the FEI Edmonton Chapter. He is a member of FEI Canada’s National Board and serves as the co-chair of FEI Canada’s National Member Recruitment and Retention and DEI Committees. He also dedicated many hours of support in serving the profession as a member of the profession’s Merit Review Committee and the Members in Industry Working Group. As well, he authored, co-authored, and instructed CPD courses on internal control documentation and certification, and invested countless development, update, and instruction hours, and expertise to improve and support competency maintenance for hundreds of members of the profession.
Andrew Bateman, Partner
Miller Thomson
Andrew’s practice covers a broad spectrum of taxation law, with a primary focus on private corporations, trusts, family groups, and individuals. Areas of focus include transactions and reorganizations, tax dispute resolution and litigation, trust and estate matters, First Nation taxation, and goods and services tax.
As a sought-after speaker and writer, Andrew provides insights to respected associations and publications, such as the Canadian Tax Journal, Legal Education Society of Alberta, Canadian Bar Association, Banff CA Small Practitioners Forum and the University of Calgary Faculty of Law.
Before becoming a lawyer, Andrew earned his Bachelor of Commerce and spent 10 years in the franchising industry, where he worked in a number of sales and executive roles. This hands-on experience shaped Andrew’s aptitude for negotiations, strategy, problem-solving, and conflict management.
Andrew obtained his Juris Doctor degree, from the University of Calgary, and received a number of tax and other academic awards. Prior to joining Miller Thomson, Andrew practiced for 15 years at a boutique tax law firm in Calgary.
Kyle A. Ross
Felesky Flynn
Kyle’s practice covers a wide range of taxation law matters with a focus on corporate and personal tax planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, estate planning and dispute resolution with taxation authorities.
Kyle is a sessional instructor in tax law at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law and is a regular presenter on tax topics in other forums. Kyle received many academic awards in law school including the Law Society of Saskatchewan Gold Medal, the Thomas Dowrick Brown Prize for Most Distinguished Graduate and Desjardins Top Eight Academic All-Canadian. He was also the captain of the University of Saskatchewan Men’s Huskie Hockey Team during law school and won various athletic awards during his hockey career.
Hugh Neilson, KRP/VTN
Hugh Neilson FCPA FCA TEP is an independent contractor to Kingston Ross Pasnak LLP, where he is a Director, Taxation Services. He is also an independent contractor to Video News Inc., where he serves as a member of the Editorial Board of Video Tax News, and appears regularly in their monthly video and newsletter.
Hugh has over 30 years of public practice experience, focusing on income tax services for individuals and owner-managed private corporations. He provides tax consultation in many diverse areas, including business structuring and restructuring, negotiations with Canada Revenue Agency auditors and Appeals Officers, tax-effective compensation strategies, immigration and emigration planning and strategies for tax-effective personal, family and estate tax planning.
Vanito Pobran
Assante
As Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning, Vanito Pobran works closely with our high net worth clients to identify issues and provide complex, tactical wealth planning support that complements their wealth plans. Vanito has a particular focus on tax and estate planning strategies for business owners, professionals and other affluent individuals and families.
Vanito joined CI Assante Private Client in 2015 after holding a tax manager position in the Calgary office of KPMG LLP. At KPMG, he worked in their tax group providing tax compliance and planning solutions to individuals and owner-managed businesses. Prior to this he was a Senior Accountant, Assurance and Business Advisory at Grant Thornton LLP in their Independent Business Group.
Rachel Miller
CEO of CPA Alberta
Rachel Miller FCPA, FCA is Chief Executive Officer of CPA Alberta. Since becoming CEO of CPA Alberta (previously CPA Alberta Joint Venture) on January 1, 2015, Rachel has led the evolution of the profession under the Chartered Professional Accountants banner. She is instrumental in setting the vision and foundation for the organization.
Rachel was previously CEO and Executive Director of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta (ICAA) and CMA Alberta, and the ICAA’s Director of Practice Review from 2006 – 2013.
Bryant Frydberg, Partner
Miller Thomson
Bryant Frydberg is an experienced corporate tax and mergers and acquisitions lawyer who works mainly with owner/manager and other private corporations. Bryant also carries on a complementary business law practice.
Bryant is committed to providing excellent service. He is accessible and responsive; he takes a pragmatic approach to solving problems and helping clients achieve their goals and objectives.
Bryant’s practice includes:
Corporate tax law: Bryant advises on all matters of corporate tax law including mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, planning and implementing other corporate reorganizations, and tax-driven corporate restructurings for private corporations.
Mergers and acquisitions: Bryant acts for both purchasers and sellers in Canadian and cross-border merger and acquisition transactions, including structuring of the purchase and sale transaction.
Corporate/commercial law: Bryant assists with unanimous shareholder agreements, cost-share agreements, and general business law matters.
Bryant has considerable experience in transactions with dental support organizations (DSO) including selling dental practices to DSO’s and structuring of DSO’s.
Bryant is a frequent writer and speaker on tax and corporate/commercial matters. He is also the editor of the “Estate Freeze” chapter in Miller Thomson on Estate Planning.
John Fuller, CPA, CA, TEP, FEA
Felesky Flynn
With over 25 years of tax experience, John specializes in tax planning, estate planning and dispute resolution for private corporations and family farm organizations.
He holds his Bachelor of Laws, along with his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) and Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designations.
John lends his wealth of knowledge and specialized relational “soft” skills as a regular presenter at various tax related forums. He is recognized as a leading tax lawyer by Best Lawyers in Canada and made the short list of nominations of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers of 2020 in the Changemaker category.
James Gottselig
Compasstax
James joined the firm in 2008 as Practice Director and became Senior Partner in January 2010. Prior to joining CompassTAX, James was a partner at Mah and Company for 5 years. He specialized in owner-manager tax planning & compliance which encompassed in-depth corporate and individual taxation. The expanse of activities associated with his clientele included real estate, engineering services, medical professionals, oil and gas exploration and production and energy services.
James brought tax expertise in these areas to Mah and Company as a result of his prior experience. Before joining them, he had operated as a sole practioner providing the same owner-manager taxation services with a similar range of business activities. And prior to establishing his own practice, James’ role as a Tax Manager with KMPG also gave him a number of years of experience in these areas of taxation.
Recognized as a leader in his field of professional accounting, James now offers over 25 years of tax expertise related to cross-border corporate tax compliance, planning & implementation as well as income tax planning & compliance services for individuals. This provides his clients with a solid foundation of tax expertise, ensuring that all their taxation needs are well-addressed.
Mark Parsons
Vice President and Chief Economist, ATB Financial
Mark is the Vice President and Chief Economist at ATB Financial, where he leads a dynamic team in providing insightful commentary and strategic economic outlooks, primarily focused on Alberta. With over two decades of experience in senior economic positions, including notable roles at Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the Department of Finance Canada, Mark has established himself as a trusted authority in the field. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences and a frequent contributor to media discussions on economic trends. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Alberta and is a CFA charterholder. Mark is on the Board of Directors for Nordiq Canada, the national sport organization for cross-country and para-nordic skiing.
Jeff Evans
Financial Advisor, Assante
With over 23 years experience in the financial services industry, Jeff has dedicated his career to understanding the issues and concerns of business owners and high net worth families. Jeff’s role is to work directly with clients as their Personal CFO. Once Jeff has a complete understanding of your financial position, goals, and dreams, he will collaborate with our Wealth Planning team, and your accounting and legal professionals to help make these goals a reality. Originally from Chicago, Jeff grew up in southern Alberta, attending the University of Lethbridge prior to moving to Calgary in 1990. He holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and has completed the Canadian Securities Course with Honors. Jeff is married to Paula, and has two adult children, Josh and Alexandra. In his spare time, he enjoys golf and being outdoors.
Jennifer Buchanan
Vice President and Chief Economist, ATB Financial
Jennifer Buchanan, MBA, MTA, stands as a trailblazing music therapist, keynote speaker, and best-selling author. With over three decades at the helm of JB Music Therapy, she has played a pivotal role in introducing hundreds of music therapy programs across Canada.
Jennifer Buchanan’s company, recognized thrice with nominations for the Community Impact Award by her local Chamber of Commerce, is home to a diverse team of Certified Music Therapists. These professionals cater to a wide age range across medical, educational, and community care settings.
Having served as the past president and Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists, Jennifer Buchanan now holds a Director position at the National Music Centre (NMC). Here, she frequently presents and is celebrated as a national authority, guiding all visitors to tap into the transformative power of music.
Vince Fung
Expera Information Technology Inc.
Vince Fung is the Founder and CEO of Expera Information Technology Inc., a premier IT Managed Services Provider delivering technology solutions to businesses across Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from the Queen’s School of Business.
Mr. Fung is a leading IT industry expert and award-winning speaker at numerous technology conferences across the US and Canada including the Harvard Club of Boston and the NASDAQ. He is the author of several books including “Fortify I.T. – Cyber Security & The Modern Workplace,” recognized as one of the Top 20 Leaders of 2019 by Business in Calgary, was featured in Avenue Magazine’s prestigious Top 40 Under 40 List and nominated for EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Sonya Dolguina
Senior Tax Advisor, Raymond James
Sonya Dolguina is a Vancouver-based CPA licensed in both Canada and U.S. (Illinois), specializing in individual cross-border tax planning. She currently works as a Senior Tax Advisor at Raymond James. Sonya has a decade of experience working in tax, including at a small Vancouver-based tax firm, one of the Big 4, and as a tax consultant in wealth management.
Sonya is also the co-author of the best selling book, Your Move To Canada, all about navigating the financial and tax aspects of moving from the U.S. to Canada.
Sonya has appeared as a tax expert on BNN Bloomberg’s Talking Tax and has published cross-border tax material for the Globe & Mail. She has a passion for writing, presenting, and helping people navigate complex financial transitions.
Nicole Madaisky
Expera Information Technology Inc.
Nicole Madaisky is a Vancouver-based CPA, dual-licensed in Canada and the United States, specializing in cross-border Canada-US tax planning and compliance. She has completed the CPA Canada In-Depth Tax Program and began her career in the International Tax Group at one of the Big 4 firms before founding her boutique practice, serving professional athletes, entrepreneurs, content creators, and high-net-worth individuals with complex cross-border situations.
Nicole is also active in tax education through her TikTok platform, where she shares content on tax, personal finance, wealth, and small business topics for a professional audience. She has a particular interest in how independent and boutique practitioners can build sustainable, profitable, and ethically sound practices while serving clients with sophisticated needs.
Sam Cao
Sam Cao Chartered Professional Accountant Inc.
Sam Cao is a CPA and the founder of his own tax practice. He built his tax career at PwC before going independent, and completed the CPA Canada In-Depth Tax Course along the way.
Beyond his practice, Sam is known as Canadian Tax Enthusiast on social media, where he mainly shares short form videos explaining tax concepts. This has helped him build a following of over 500,000 across social media platforms, earning him features in CPA Pivot Magazine and invitations to numerous interviews and podcasts.
Sam is also passionate about sales and marketing. He has used social media and paid advertising to generate a steady stream of leads for his own business, and has helped other accounting firms generate leads so they don’t rely solely on referrals.”
Melanie Garon
Director of Practice Review at CPA Alberta
Melanie is an Associate Director of Practice Review at CPA Alberta. She is responsible for assisting in the planning, execution and monitoring of the Practice Review program. Her role includes supporting the activities of the Practice Review Committee, conducting practice reviews, performing consistency reviews of completed practice reviews, and overseeing the management of the Practice Review area.
Clayton Achen
Achen Henderson CPA’s
Clayton is Achen Henderson’s Canadian tax expert and has a background in tax compliance, planning, and strategy. He has worked with a wide variety of clients ranging from owner-managed small businesses to publicly traded oil and gas companies and has testified before the finance committee in the Canadian parliament about tax issues for private companies. He specializes in the taxation of private companies, transactions, and high-net-worth families. Clayton has served on several Boards of Directors including Music Seeds International, and the Elder Statesmen Group. Clayton also hosts a 3to5 CEO Mastermind to help business owners get off the treadmill and make more money in less time.
Gustavo Jimenez
Partner, SG LLP Chartered Professional Accountants
Gustavo has more than twenty years of experience in business and accounting. Gustavo brings his business acumen and exceptional interpersonal skills together with his knowledge and experience in accounting and taxation to meet the needs of your business. His business experience includes working with public companies, owner-managed businesses, construction, property development and real estate companies as well as, provision of a variety of taxation services including working on succession planning and estates. Gustavo has worked in internal audit and in fraud investigations, identifying misappropriation of funds and assets, and assisting in the development and review of internal controls. Gustavo also worked as a controller in the public sector, adding a unique dimension to his accounting knowledge and experience.
Sara Jimenez
Partner, SG LLP Chartered Professional Accountants
Sara has more than twenty years of experience in professional accounting. With an extensive background in accounting, assurance, forensic evaluation, and litigation support services, Sara is able to meet the various accounting challenges you may be presented with. Her investigative experience includes forensic investigations in connection with bank theft and investigating banking and investment transactions in cases of fraud, including mortgage fraud, and on behalf of creditors in insolvency and restructuring cases. Sara also performs damages quantification with regards to breach of contracts and has worked on mandates in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, professional services, construction and engineering. Sara has worked extensively with CPA Canada and CPA Alberta, developing and reviewing materials, facilitating and working with professional accounting students and fellow professionals.
Victoria Magpantay
Manager, Member Engagement at CPA Alberta
As Manager, Member Engagement at CPA Alberta, Victoria provides technical advisory leadership and oversee province‑wide initiatives that strengthen member engagement, professional competence, and ethical practice. My work is outcomes‑driven, connecting CPAs with practical strategies, tools, and opportunities that support effective decision‑making and sustained professional relevance.