Cairine Wilson

Cairine Wilson is vice-president, Corporate Citizenship, at Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada). She advocated for CPA Canada to become a national leader in financial literacy, knowing that the organization could develop and implement a program that would make a meaningful contribution to the financial well-being of Canadians. Under her leadership, in 2012 CPA Canada launched a ground-breaking and innovative program combining thought leadership research and best-selling publications with a huge grassroots volunteer outreach program across the country. The Community Connect member volunteer network numbers 11,000 CPAs who volunteer their time and expertise as a public service. They deliver free financial education sessions to Canadians of all incomes and age groups, including seniors, students, newcomers, employees in the workplace, business owners and entrepreneurs.

In July 2014, Cairine was appointed to the National Steering Committee on Financial Literacy by Jane Rooney, Canada’s Financial Literacy Leader, where she is one of 15 sector leaders who developed and implemented Canada’s National Strategy for Financial Literacy — Count me in, Canada. In January 2016, she was appointed chair of the Research Committee on Financial Literacy.

CPA Canada’s financial literacy program has been recognized as an international role model and has been awarded six prestigious E.I.F.L.E (Excellence in Financial Literacy Education) awards from the U.S.-based Institute of Financial Literacy, including Best Nonprofit Organization of the Year.  

Cairine also leads CPA Canada’s Volunteer Management Program, which coordinates recruiting, training, recognition and engagement initiatives for CPA Canada’s 800 CPA volunteers.