Bernadette Charan
Bernadette Charan is currently the Manager of Trust Safety at the Law Society of Alberta. She joined LSA in 2016 as the Supervisor, Audit and Compliance. She manages the compliance, audit and analytics programs with a lens on Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing processes and controls. Prior to joining LSA, she was the Manager of Internal Audit for Newalta, a leading North American environmental solutions provider based in Calgary. She is a board member for the Calgary Chapter for the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
“Although I was born and raised in Calgary, my parents immigrated to Canada in the 1970’s. At that time there were not many programs to support immigrants, let alone women. I know my mom struggled with two young children to find her way to adapt to Canadian culture, find employment and childcare. However, my parents both persevered and this allowed me to grow up with many opportunities and I feel I had the chance to give back to my community.
Volunteering with Dress for Success Calgary is my way of paying it forward to those who may be in the same place as my mom, who migrated to Canada 50 years ago, and in a way that was fun and aligned with my love of fashion. It was the right “fit.” I love meeting the women at each appointment, helping them find their style, and allowing them to see the best in themselves. It usually also leads to a boost in their confidence and a shine of optimism by the end of the appointment.
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Bernadette has extensive experience in compliance, managing risk, internal controls, and process efficiencies. She has managed the execution of a comprehensive internal audit program including SOX compliance, CEO/CFO Certification, and operational, financial, and forensic audit projects. She is passionate about continuous learning, growth, developing, and bringing out the best in her teams. She believes in intentional and authentic leadership based on providing and receiving continuous feedback. Having fun but staying challenged.
She is a graduate of Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario where she obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honors). She is also a designated Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and working towards becoming a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS).
