Throughout Melisa Williams’ childhood and teenage years, the only constant was change. Her family frequently moved across the prairies, and by the age of eight, she had already lived in three cities and lived on the reserve with her grandma, often going back and forth between different family members’ households.
“I didn’t have the most stable childhood, but I do remember itemizing food and household items and working out pricing. I loved to pretend I ran a store. My siblings played along and ‘bought’ items,” she said.
She also enjoyed travelling to different reserves with her grandmother. She compared urban centres and reserves and was struck by the differences in infrastructure and resources. She often asked herself, “What can I do to start making a difference in Indigenous communities and for my people?”
Although Melisa always wanted to have an impact, she struggled as a teenager and dropped out of high school. When Melisa learned she was pregnant at 18, she and her partner took stock of their lives. They acknowledged the challenges they had experienced and decided it was time to dream bigger. Her first step was to return to school to complete a mature high school diploma.
“My father was a residential school survivor. Despite everything he went through, he did see strengths in some Canadian systems. He said education is very important, and as Indigenous people, we need to understand the Canadian system while preserving our culture to grow and work towards reconciliation.”
The high school program included a bookkeeping course, which ignited her passion for numbers. She knew the path to becoming a CPA was the right one for her.
With financial support from Birdtail Sioux First Nation, Melisa enrolled in Yellowquill University College with the goal of earning her Certified General Accountant (CGA) designation.
Although Melisa worked hard in school and completed the coursework, some administrative hiccups made her path to attaining the CGA designation a meandering one. She earned her Certified Aboriginal Financial Management diploma, which opened some doors but not as many as she wanted.
“I always felt like I was stuck at one level for accounting roles, and I could never go any further without the letters behind my name. I wanted people to take me seriously and to have a voice for Indigenous Peoples.”
She started exploring other options. After applying for a program that trained Indigenous women to become truck drivers, she received a call from Fillmore Riley LLP, a full-service regional law firm in Winnipeg, about a position with the finance team.
She accepted the offer because she was told there would be room for growth. She settled into her role as Finance Team Lead, but the feeling that she should be a CPA never left her. After Fillmore Riley’s Director of Finance returned from a CPA conference, she called Melisa into her office to share information about the Indigenous Learners in Accounting initiative.
Melisa called both the CPA Manitoba and the CPA Western School of Business offices to get more information about the program, including the particulars about funding.
In early 2025, she officially enrolled in the Introductory Financial Accounting course, getting her back on track to becoming a CPA.
“This is the program I needed all along,” Melisa enthused. “Our cohort has become like a family, and the program leaders truly care about us.” The cohorts connect in person at meaningful points throughout the course, fostering a strong sense of community and peer support.
When a classmate was having a hard time understanding the content, Melisa eagerly shared her own personal T-account tricks and tip sheets, which visually map out the relationships between accounts. “The connection with my classmates is so important. We are building an Indigenous community of future CPAs that I never would have had the chance to meet otherwise.”
The content, including Indigenous storylines about a Bannock store and a beadwork artist, resonates with Melisa. “I have a lot of artists in my family. My mom and auntie do beadwork and star blankets, so the content is very relatable. It connects our culture with accounting and business.”
Melisa wants to encourage other Indigenous people to join the program. “Don’t hold back. You have nothing to lose and only knowledge and strength to gain. You will start recognizing changes in yourself that can open the doors to so many different pathways.”
Melisa now sees a path to the CPA designation that will allow her to make a meaningful impact in First Nations communities. She wants to assist communities by shaping strong policies, procedures and training for accounting staff and creating opportunities for economic reconciliation.
“As a mother of five, it is important that I show my kids that it is possible to overcome obstacles and achieve goals. My husband and kids are very proud.”
Learn more about the Indigenous Learners in Accounting Initiative.