“In 2019, I had my first daughter, Olivia,” says chartered professional accountant, Amy Bonner, CPA, CA. “She was born super-duper small and she wasn’t meeting her milestones, so we had a number of tests done. When she was seven months old, she was diagnosed with Williams syndrome.”
Amy, who is a director of finance at TELUS and a recent recipient of CPABC’s Distinguished Service Award, continues, “Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic condition that affects 1 in 10,000 births per year worldwide. Olivia is missing a portion of genes on one copy of her seventh chromosome, which is associated with medical problems such as cardiovascular and kidney issues, in addition to developmental delays. She just started walking when she was three-and-a-half years old, and let me tell you, it was one of the proudest moments that we’ve had.”
Olivia’s diagnosis was a catalyst that led Amy to get involved with the Canadian Association for Williams Syndrome (CAWS), a charitable organization that provides support to people with WS, their families and caregivers. Her involvement has had far-reaching effects, including increasing education levels and awareness of WS, helping people affected by WS to access supports and resources, and raising significant funds to bolster CAWS’ programs and services.
From a PowerPoint for preschoolers to an international resource
When her daughter started daycare, Amy decided to help Olivia’s classmates understand Williams syndrome. “Being an accountant, it started with a PowerPoint presentation to let the kids know what’s going on with Olivia,” she recounts. “For example, why isn’t she walking? Why doesn’t she talk the same as you? Why is she eating different food or why does she have a special drink or a special seat? Then I thought, ‘What if I printed this? What if I made it rhyme?’ I ended up publishing a book called Life with Williams Syndrome for her classmates.”
After publishing her book, Amy reached out to CAWS. Through that connection, she was eventually asked to be the BC director and in 2024, she became Treasurer. “I realized the book was a great resource; there was nothing like it out there,” she explains. “I thought, ‘Why don’t I make this widely available?’ I ended up publishing it on Amazon and now it’s in four different languages – English, Spanish, French, and Chinese – and it’s sold in 11 countries all over the world.”
Establishing events that raise awareness and bring people together
Amy has also put together events from the ground up to raise awareness to WS. “I’ve organized two awareness walks in Delta,” she says. “The first was two years ago and we raised $13,000 and had about 160 participants. Remember, this genetic condition is incredibly rare. There’s only about one in 10,000 births per year worldwide, so bringing people from BC together, as well as those who support them, was really important. Last year, we raised $20,000 and had over 200 participants.” Through the funds raised, CAWS was able to set up a scholarship to send kids to the Williams syndrome camp in the US where they can enjoy a week at camp designed especially for them and a variety of activities and programs.
Using her CPA skills to make a difference for others
As a member of the CAWS board of directors, Amy has used her CPA expertise to revitalize governance practices, introduced AI to develop meeting transcripts and minutes, secured new funding, and advised on strategic planning. She also shares her CPA knowledge to support other families who have loved ones with WS, mentoring them on how to set up a Registered Disability Savings Plan, apply for the Disability Tax Credit, and access other resources. She notes, “I think about the skills that I gained from my time in audit and my training as a CPA, being really resourceful and figuring things out, and I apply that to my volunteerism.”
Giving back to a lifeline
Amy also makes time to volunteer as a director with the REACH Child and Youth Development Foundation, which serves children with support needs and their families. “This is where Olivia did all her therapies from the age of seven months to when she transitioned to kindergarten last year,” she explains. This included physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and infant development and the organization also helped facilitate getting a government-funded one-on-one caregiver in Olivia’s daycare.
“REACH was the lifeline for me and my family in supporting us through this journey,” she reflects. “It was amazing to have that kind of support and to feel like we weren’t alone because it’s incredibly isolating when you get a diagnosis like this. You have an expectation of what your life with your family is going to look like, then it’s shattered and you go through a grieving process. Then you get connected with teams that love your daughter as much as you do and really appreciate the development and celebrate all of her milestones.”
Amy decided she needed to give back to this organization, “In 2024, our family was featured for their annual gala and main fundraiser,” she explains. “It was a video of our journey and how REACH supported us. Let me tell you, there was not a dry eye in the room. I’m so happy to be able to give back and to raise money to provide support to families like us because we benefited so greatly from these organizations.” Through her fundraising efforts, she has helped REACH secure new sponsors and generate high ticket sales for the annual gala, which raised gross proceeds of $193,000 in 2024.
A key ingredient: Buying back your time
On juggling her significant commitments at work, as a volunteer, and in life in general, Amy says, “You definitely can’t do it by yourself. It really takes a village, so lean on your support system and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
This is especially important because over the years, her volunteerism has extended beyond her involvement with WS. Amy has supported newcomers to Canada by hosting refugees from Ukraine in her home in 2023, as well as hosting international students attending high school. She also founded UNION Swimwear in 2016, a socially responsible creative venture that donated profits to HOPE International Development Agency, which worked to provide clean water in Cambodia and Ethiopia. She is also a mentor at TELUS, dedicating numerous hours to guiding students pursuing their CPA designation.
To accomplish everything she prioritizes, Amy notes that “It’s essential to recognize how you can buy back your time and outsource certain day-to-day tasks. I try to have things planned and organized to reduce the number of decisions I need to make. Working from home also helps; I choose when I’m going to be in the office with my team. I’m incredibly intentional with my calendar.”
Celebrate and connect with CPABC’s 2024-25 Member Recognition Program honourees! Join us for the gala Member Recognition Dinner on April 2, 2025.
Leah Giesbrecht is a communications specialist at CPABC.
