Board of Directors
CAGFO President
Lorrie Schmalenberg, Director, Financial Planning & Reporting, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency
Lorrie has been working in the public sector for over 27 years and believes government finance officers play a crucial role in providing trust, credibility and transparency to our stakeholders through excellence in budgeting, reporting, financial management and through the assurance/audit functions. Prior to moving over to the province of Saskatchewan, Lorrie worked at the City of Regina in various roles for over 25 years.
She has been with the board of GFOA of Western Canada, now CAGFO, since 2010 and is honoured to be president. In her work life, Lorrie has a passion for people, progress and the public sector and is currently on the Public Sector Accounting Discussion Group and always looks forward to discussions around public sector accounting standards.
CAGFO Vice President
Paul Wills, CPA, CMA, Director, Municipal Finance, Nova Scotia Department of Finance and Treasury Board
On December 1, 2022, Paul became the Director, Municipal Finance when the Nova Scotia Municipal Finance Corporation was dissolved and rolled into the Department of Finance and Treasury Board. Before the dissolution of the Corporation, he was the CEO of the Corporation. Prior to this, he was a Municipal Advisor with Municipal Affairs with the Province of Nova Scotia and was in this roll since September 2008. In 2007, he started his provincial career as the Manager, Municipal Finance with the same department. He graduated from Saint Mary’s University in 1987 and obtained his Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation in 1994. Paul spent the first ten years of his career working in the private sector at various organizations ranging from small family run organizations up to international corporations before moving into municipal government. His first experience with municipal government was with the County of Kings where he was employed as the Chief Accountant for eight years. From there, he moved to the Town of New Glasgow in the role of Director of Corporate Services for two years before accepting the Manager’s position with the Province.
Paul is the past chair of the Tangible Capital Asset Committee for Nova Scotia, as well, represented the Province on the National Tangible Capital Asset Committee. He is also the past chair of the Financial Reporting and Accounting Manual Committee.
CAGFO Treasurer
Wes Anderson, Manager, Financial and Treasury Services, Mississauga, ON
Wes Anderson is the Manager of Financial and Treasury Services at the City, where he oversees the banking, cash management, payroll, payables, investment portfolio and accounting needs for Canada’s 6th largest City. Wes is accountable for the City’s financial accounting and reporting needs, financial controls, overseeing all payments to employees and vendors, commodity and income tax compliance, and management of treasury services including debt, banking and investments.
Previously, Wes was the Lean Program Manager at the City, where he led the largest Lean transformation in Canadian municipal government, solving complex problems, working across multiple industries, and engaging staff from the front line to executives in building a culture of continuous improvement. The thousands of improvements through the City of Mississauga’s Lean Program have saved and avoided over $10 million in Wes’ time building the Lean Program. Prior to that, Wes managed the Operational Planning team for the City’s Parks and Forestry Division, overseeing financial and business analysis; he also started his full time career as a Business Advisor.
Wes has a degree in Economics and Finance from York University, is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, certified in Project Management (PMP) and Programme Management (MSP), and is currently completing his CPA designation.
CAGFO Secretary
Tanis Yanchishyn, CPA, CA, Manager of Taxation and Financial Services, Assessment and Taxation, City of Winnipeg
Tanis is currently the Manager of Taxation and Financial Services with the City of Winnipeg’s Assessment and Taxation Department. She has worked in public municipal finance for the past 17 years holding various financial roles at the City of Winnipeg. She has worked in and/or supported multiple different departments in the Controllership role gaining experience in many different issues facing municipalities. In addition to her new role at Assessment and Taxation, her experience includes supporting Winnipeg Transit, Corporate Finance, being the finance lead for the Emergency Operations Centre, among various other roles and projects. Tanis is also a volunteer reviewer for the Government Finance Officers Association Canadian Award for Financial Reporting. Tanis is dedicated to mentoring junior financial professionals to prepare them for future leadership roles.
Director at Large
Karen Grommada, City of Port Coquitlam, Deputy CAO, Port Coquitlam, BC
Karen Grommada is a CPA, CMA and has over 24 years of experience in BC Local Government and First Nations Finance including City of Port Coquitlam, District of Sechelt, Mount Currie Indian Band, Village of Pemberton, Resort Municipality of Whistler. Karen has been with the City of Port Coquitlam for over 12 years and as the Director of Finance for the past six years, she has the statutory responsibility of Finance Officer and oversees the Accounting Services, Financial Planning and Systems, Revenue and Collections, Payroll, Purchasing and Risk Management functions of the City. The City of Port Coquitlam is a community of 61,000 with a strategic location in Metro Vancouver, a healthy base of businesses, new commercial and industrial areas, 271 hectares of parkland, well established neighbourhoods, and a strong sense of community spirit known as PoCo Pride.
Karen has also served in the role of Executive Director of the Port Coquitlam Community Foundation since 2013. The Port Coquitlam Community Foundation is a registered charity with a sole purpose to make the community a better place to live.
Director at Large
Jason Turnbull, CPA, CMA, Senior Financial Business Partner, City of Saskatoon, SK
Having worked in various industry jobs in Alberta during the early years of his CPA, CMA designation, Jason found himself moving to the City of Saskatoon in 2004 where his career in municipal government began. Working with such a diverse corporation such as the City has allowed Jason to be exposed to all levels of budgeting and dealing with various committee’s and City Council.
Director at Large
Jamie Black, President, F.H. Black & Company Incorporated
Jamie Black is President of F.H. Black & Company Incorporated. For the last 20 years, he has consulted and trained finance officers, auditors & accountants in government, higher education, and corporations throughout Canada and the U.S. His work focuses on increasing efficiency & effectiveness through the implementation of technology & best practices to ensure that finance departments do more with less, do it better than it was done before and do it in less time.
Director at Large
Seema Deol, Business Analyst, Corporate Accounting, Reporting, and Policy Branch, City of Edmonton
Seema works as a Business Analyst with the City of Edmonton in the Corporate Accounting, Reporting, and Policy Branch.
Corporate Accounting, Reporting & Policy section is dedicated to providing quality service and controls, which oversees accounting activities, financial reporting, ensures compliance, and provides business process improvement efforts. Seema’s experience includes implementation of financial systems, business process improvement, financial analysis, and implementing recommendations to improve financial services and ensuring controls. In addition, Seema is a member of the Financial Services Joint Health and Safety Committee and Workplace Learning.
Director at Large
Catherine Nolan, CPA, CGA, Deputy Director of Finance, City of Maple Ridge
Catherine Nolan is a CPA, CGA and has over 22 years of experience in BC Local Government with the City of Maple Ridge. She is the Deputy Director of Finance for the City and oversees the Accounting, Payroll and Procurement functions. The City of Maple Ridge is one of the fastest growing communities in the BC Lower Mainland with a population approaching 100,000.
Director at Large
Elana Wentzell, CPA, CMA, Director of Finance/Municipal Treasurer, Municipality of the District of Lunenburg
Elana is currently the Director Finance for the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL). She has 22 years of experience in public sector finance, having worked as a Junior Accountant for MODL and both Accountant and Finance Director for the Town of Lunenburg. As well, she had a six-year foray in the Lumber Industry serving as a Corporate Controller from 2000-2006.
She is a member of the Education Committee for the Association of Municipal Administrators -Nova Scotia and has also served on the Financial Reporting and Accounting Manual Committee for the Provincial Department of Municipal Affairs.
Elana has other volunteer experience as past Treasurer for her local church, teaching Sunday School, directing the Sunday School youth choir, and coaching her eldest daughter’s curling team. She is currently a charter member and Treasurer for Seaside A Cappella, a chapter of Harmony Inc which an international organization of women singers who sing in the barbershop style. As an empty-nester, singing and performing with the chorus has become more than just a hobby.
Advisor
Penny Bruin, Retired
Advisor
Erin Stephen, CPA, CA, Managing Director, Office of the Chief Risk Officer, Risk Management, ATB Financial
A former government finance officer, Erin is currently Chief of Staff to ATB Financial’s Chief Risk Officer. Erin is a CPA, CA who has held leadership roles in public practice, as well as in the government, banking, and mining industries. Since 2003, Erin has been involved in CPA Canada’s professional education and development programs. She was a key contributor to CPA Canada’s Public Sector Certification Capstone program, and has instructed several CPA Alberta Public Sector Accounting Standards courses. Erin currently serves as a public audit committee member of Elk Island Catholic Schools, is the youth services director for the Rotary Club of Sherwood Park, and is a financial advisor to the Aboriginal Head Start Urban and Northern Communities program. In 2020, Erin was a recipient of CPA Alberta’s Distinguished Service Award.