Charlene Taylor, FCPA, FCA

“I feel privileged to receive this remarkable honour,” says new FCA Charlene Taylor of her election to Fellowship. 

Charlene is a director at the Office of the Auditor General of Canada in Vancouver, and the first aboriginal woman to hold this title. She works with a variety of government departments and Crown corporations on attest audits, and has been involved in a number of high-profile performance reports, many of which have contributed to changes in the areas of education and child and family services. 

Charlene previously worked as an audit project leader for the Office, performing attest and performance audits involving comprehensive land claims, the BC Treaty Process, and the economic development of First Nation communities. 

Prior to joining the Auditor General in 2000, Charlene was a senior audit consultant with Westcoast Energy for 10 years, performing and leading a wide variety of audits in major areas such as gas distribution/transmission and international operations. She was the first female internal auditor hired by the organization.

Charlene also broke ground in 1986 as the first aboriginal woman to earn a CA designation in Canada. She began her career with the firms Nordahl, Craig, Cummings and Gares and Yada, Tompkins, Humphries, Palmer & Co.

“The CA designation has given me the opportunity to work in a variety of positions and areas, and this variety has been beneficial professionally and personally,” she says. “I’ve been fortunate to have an invaluable mix of public practice, industry, and government experience, and to work with so many first-rate colleagues and professionals who have freely provided support and shared a wealth of experience and knowledge.”

Charlene, in turn, has applied her experience and knowledge to benefit her First Nations culture. 

“I believe I have a responsibility to act as a role model for my people and as a bridge between my professional life and my community,” she says. “I strive to make a positive difference, and I feel very fortunate to have been able to integrate my community involvement where possible with my career.” 

Charlene has spoken about topics such as career advancement, women’s health, and youth and education at First Nations conferences, and is a past board member of the Aboriginal Peoples Business Association. A member of the Heiltsuk Nation, she also frequently participates in cultural sharing events and potlatches. 

Support from her community and her colleagues, combined with a mix of hard work, discipline, drive, preparation, dedication, and a willingness to learn, are her recipe for success. “An amazing, supportive family” is another key ingredient.

“My father is of Scottish descent and my mother is First Nations, and I have always been taught to respect both cultures,” Charlene says. “My parents have been such an inspiration to me. My father Alan has master’s and doctor of education degrees. My mother Brenda has worked tirelessly for her people, and received a Confederation Medal for her work with aboriginal students and for the numerous job programs she helped develop. My sister Cindy is an amazing mother and grandmother, and works with the Coquitlam School Board. And my nephew Ryan, niece Erica, and great nephew Colton provide me with inspiration and hope for the future.”

This article originally appeared in the Feb/Mar 2011 issue of Beyond Numbers.