Our team
The team behind Densmore
Densmore invests in helping CPAs start and grow in their careers by providing the lifelong learning you need, in accounting, tax and beyond, to be successful and thrive.
A WholeCareer™ approach
Taking a WholeCareer™ approach to your learning. From high quality exam-prep to dynamic CPD courses, we help you start and thrive in your career.
Leading edge content
Providing you with leading edge content. We deliver timely content and tech-savvy solutions to keep you up to speed and moving forward.
Powered by experts
Offering courses and resources powered by experts. Our industry experts craft courses with the content you need to ensure success and teach in a way that helps you learn more effectively.
An engaging experience
Delivering an engaging experience to you. From content and courses to customer service, we’re designed to be relevant, responsive and engaging.
Amie Lear
Amie is the Managing Director at Densmore. She passed the UFE in 2001 and has been involved in the exam training process ever since. After managing the UFE training program for a national firm for two years, she joined the Densmore team in 2005. Amie now oversees Densmore’s pre-certification and continuing professional development. She continues to be heavily involved in the creation of our CFE Prep courses and CFE practice exams. As a lecturer in our CFE Prep courses, Amie has taught thousands of students over the years.
Amie lives in Milton, Ontario and takes advantage of having the Niagara Escarpment in her backyard to spend time cycling and hiking.
Lacy Trussell
Lacy is the Director, Canadian Pre-Certification Education at Densmore. She received her CA designation in 2005, earning a spot on the National Honour Roll, and has been involved in CPA training ever since. She was UFE coordinator for her local firm offices for 2 years, before leaving for industry in 2007 where she was the manager of financial reporting for a large public company. She has participated in the UFE and School of Accountancy marking centres, was a facilitator for the PEP modules, and has also authored, edited, and marked for Densmore since 2005. Lacy joined the Densmore team full-time in 2015 and has a variety of responsibilities, including authoring, editing, and developing PEP and CFE course materials as well as overseeing the CFE marking process.
Lacy lives in Niagara, Ontario, with her husband, Matt, and 2 children. They enjoy camping during summer vacation and actively serving in their local church community.
Amy Chandler
Amy is the Senior Administrator at Densmore. Amy obtained a bachelors of Art History from NSCAD University in 2016, and a diploma of Business Administration from NSCC in 2019. She joined the Densmore team full-time in 2019, and currently handles the administrative functions for course registrations and student queries.
Amy lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and is involved in her local textile arts community as a hand embroidery artist, and a volunteer. She also enjoys bouldering, hiking, and reading in her spare time.
Kelsey Withrow
Kelsey received her Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in accounting in 2012. She started with a large public accounting firm right out of university, but family life soon took over. She stepped back from employment to be a full-time mom.
At Densmore, Kelsey’s major role is the hiring and management of our marking center. There are over 9,500 candidate practice cases to be marked each year. Kelsey pre-plans for our marking needs as much as possible, but many times there are last minute adjustments that need to be made. Being quick on her toes and keeping communications timely and clear ensures each marking session is a success.
On her off time, you can find Kelsey at various hockey rinks in Nova Scotia with her boys or cheering on her daughter at horseback riding competitions. Her favourite place is their cottage in Seafoam, Nova Scotia where they have a beautiful view of Prince Edward Island.
Paul Morris
Paul is a lecturer, author and editor at Densmore. Paul received his designation in 1987. After 11 years in public practice in assurance and taxation with a national firm, he continued his career in industry. Paul has been a marker, lecturer, content developer, curriculum designer and course coordinator in the Atlantic region and a marker, marking supervisor and content developer at the national level. In addition to lecturing for Densmore, Paul develops case materials, produces online training sessions, and edits the Taxation chapter of the Competency Map Study Notes.
Paul and his wife, Sheila, live in Bedford, NS and have two children in university. Paul is an avid photographer and enjoys fishing and other outdoor activities.
Cara Chesney
Cara is a lecturer, author and editor at Densmore. She received her CPA in 2005 and in the same year became a marker with Densmore. In the years since then, she has developed a passion for helping CPA candidates work towards their designation.
Cara spent 10 years of her career at a large public accounting firm. She then returned to her hometown to work at a company in the aerospace industry. During that time, she had the opportunity to act as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Prince Edward Island, which made her realize how much she enjoyed working directly with students.
Upon returning to Ontario in 2014, she joined a mid-sized accounting firm, but in her spare time she is involved with Densmore as a marker and lecturer, CPA Ontario as a session leader and facilitator and is an adjunct professor with the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.
She also enjoys running (although slowly) and recently completed her third Dopey Challenge at Disney World.
Darren Lee
Darren is a lecturer, author and editor at Densmore. He obtained his CA designation at a Big Four accounting firm and worked there for several years as a tax manager. He now operates a tax and finance consulting practice in Toronto that focuses on advising high net worth clients and small businesses.
He began marking for Densmore in 2001 and over the years his roles have evolved to include editing, authoring, and lecturing. Darren was also a marker at the UFE marking center and a marker and lecturer for the Ontario School of Accountancy for several years. Outside of Densmore, he is involved in the same roles in preparing students for the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exams.
After learning from Densmore that success on the CFE requires a good work-life balance, Darren continues to apply it in his life. He travels the world as a competitive and award-winning marathon runner who is always in search of the perfect race. Any other spare time is spent with his first love, the piano.
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