CPABC congratulates the 711 BC and Yukon candidates who successfully wrote the Common Final Exam (CFE) in September 2025 and extends special recognition to BC writers Jevon Chahal, Sophia Cherkashyn, Lucas Darke, Karrah Parke, Harshita Punyani, James Russell, Brent Wu, and Winnie Zhao for making the National CFE Honour Roll. Here’s what the candidates had to say about the CFE experience.
Jevon Chahal
Employer: KPMG (Langley)
Job title: Senior Accountant
What will you remember most about your CFE experience? As part of the KPMG CFE study program, all of the 2025 writers spent a week in Victoria for a study bootcamp. That week became one of the most memorable parts of my journey. I had the chance to spend time with friends, learn what the CFE truly demanded, and experience both the highs and lows of the process. From walking to the beach with my friends to writing my first Day 2 case and feeling completely exhausted afterward, those moments shaped how I approached the exam and are memories I will never forget.
What’s one thing you wish you’d known when you started CPA PEP? I wish I’d known how normal it is to feel overwhelmed at the beginning. I still remember that nervous feeling after my first CPA PEP exam—if I’d known that almost every candidate has that feeling at some point, it would have saved me a lot of stress. Even though the pressure is common, what truly matters is how you adapt, how you recover, and how you navigate the challenges that come your way.
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies? I’d like to thank my family, especially my parents, sister, and brother, for their constant support and encouragement. Whether it was helping me take my mind off studying, making meals, or talking me through difficult moments, they were always there for me.
I’m also grateful to my mentors and colleagues both within KPMG and outside of the firm. Within KPMG, I want to thank my study partner, Narayan Bains, for always pushing me to improve, and my CFE mentor, Gabrielle Roberts, CPA, for her guidance throughout the summer. Their support played a meaningful role in my success.
Sophia Cherkashyn
Employer: Telus (Vancouver)
Job title: Financial Analyst II
What will you remember most about your CFE experience? I’ll always remember that strange feeling of freedom mixed with emptiness when I finished the CFE. Completing this final educational milestone gave me the exciting challenge of figuring out what to do with my newfound time and energy, which I’ve since invested in training for a half marathon and learning Punjabi!
Tell us about a breakthrough or ‘aha’ moment during your studies. One of my ‘aha’ moments was when I finally felt confident using outlines for my cases. Throughout the modules, I’d skipped outlining entirely, as I always felt like it would waste precious writing time. But when I started preparing for the CFE, I knew that had to change—the cases were longer and the time pressure was more intense.
I experimented with different formats and eventually figured out an approach that felt natural and helped keep me on track, which was instrumental to my success on the CFE.
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies? First, I’d like to thank my husband, Joban, for his unwavering support, encouragement, and confidence in me throughout this process. I’d also like to thank my family for inspiring me to study hard and give it my best effort. Further thanks to my friends for listening to my endless CFE struggles and always believing in me: Kevin, Kristian, Nick, and Jeevan, I promise I’ll be there to support you when it’s your time to write!
Finally, a big thank you to my colleagues, mentors, and managers at Telus. Sam and Natalie, my CFE support squad; Candy, my buddy since the start; Blake, our incredibly supportive program manager; and so many more! This achievement would not be possible without their support.
Lucas Darke
Employer: Schibli Stedman King (Victoria)
Job title: Staff Accountant
What will you remember most about your CFE experience? I’ll remember the time spent with my study group during my time off from work. It was a small group of fellow candidates from the same firm, and while we did work hard, we also spent time enjoying each others’ company, making inside jokes, and getting lunches after hard mock exams.
What’s one thing you wish you’d known when you started CPA PEP? While I knew the program was going to be rigorous, I was surprised by how much time, effort, and energy it took. I wish I’d known better habits to deal with the stress from the beginning. Through self-reflection and conversations with former candidates, though, I was able to develop a schedule for studying that worked best for me.
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies? First, I would like to thank my partner, family, and friends for their support throughout my studies. I will forever be grateful for their patience, especially when I was waiting for marks to be released. I promise to no longer pace in every room!
I am also thankful for my mentor, Jason Martinson, CPA, who provided guidance on good study habits and was always available for a call. Thank you also to Denton Grose, CPA, CGA, for recognizing my ambition and providing learning opportunities at Schibli Stedman King. Lastly, thank you to my work team, fellow candidates, and coworkers who have always provided fantastic support.
Any hobbies that helped you manage stress during your studies? Exercise—whether it was a workout at the gym or going on a walk with my puppy—helped get my mind off studying. I also started a Pokémon card collection this summer as a way to derive some excitement during a stressful time.
Karrah Parke
Employer: PricewaterhouseCoopers (Vancouver)
Job title: Senior Associate, Core Assurance
What will you remember most about your CFE experience? Studying with my best friend Nava every day! We always found ways to laugh, which lowered our stress levels and made the marathon-like study plan that is CFE prep much easier!
What’s one thing you wish you’d known when you started CPA PEP? It is challenging to juggle the program with other commitments—work, family, volunteerism—and remain motivated, but discipline and patience will get you through it. You have to take it one day and one module at a time, and know that as long as you’re making progress each week, you’re headed in the right direction.
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies? I’d like to thank my mom and sister, who have always been my biggest cheerleaders; my study buddy Nava, who taught me so much and talked me down during some panicked moments; my boyfriend Joey and my friend Megan, both of whom also wrote the CFE, for being excellent sounding boards; and all the fabulous PEP course/workshop facilitators. I’d also like to thank the firm and my coworkers for providing the support and study leave materials needed to prepare for each of the PEP modules and the CFE!
Any hobbies that helped you manage stress during your studies? I think it’s important to have creative and physical outlets that allow you to turn off your analytical brain. For me, that meant baking, painting, sketching, and training for a marathon. My runs always helped me reset after a long day of studying—I even went running after Day 1 and Day 2 of the CFE, which allowed me to clear my head of that day’s material and step into the next day refreshed!
Harshita Punyani
Employer: PricewaterhouseCoopers (Vancouver)
Job title: Senior Associate, Assurance
What will you remember most about your CFE experience? What really stands out is how much I grew, both as a person and in my career. It was a tough process that sometimes felt overwhelming, but it showed me how to keep going and roll with the punches. I’ll never forget the chats with friends about our wins and stumbles, those late-night study grinds, and the feeling of tackling each new challenge. The whole journey changed me for the better.
What’s one thing you wish you’d known when you started CPA PEP? How important it is to develop a study strategy that works for you early on. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the volume of material and the pressure, but having a clear plan and understanding the exam expectations can make the process much more manageable. I also wish I’d realized sooner the value of connecting with peers and mentors, as their insights and encouragement truly make a difference.
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies? I was lucky to cross paths with some truly awesome people who helped me out in so many ways.
My CFE mentor, Scott MacDonald, CPA, a senior associate at PwC, stands out in particular. Every time I needed a push in the right direction, he was there with practical solutions and support to keep me going. I also want to thank both PwC and CPAWSB for offering valuable workshops and resources to help me prepare for the CFE.
And of course, I can’t forget my family. They had my back through thick and thin, cheering me up when things got tough, making sure I was eating well, reminding me to take breaks, and helping me avoid burnout. Their care and support kept me steady and focused, even during the hardest stretches.
James Russell
Employer: Ernst & Young (Vancouver)
Job title: Senior Accountant
What will you remember most about your CFE experience? The feeling of relief and disbelief after finishing the last case on the final day of the exam. I realized how “in the moment” I’d been for the last week, and it was hard to wrap my head around the fact that it was over.
Was there a time during your studies when you accomplished something you previously thought was impossible? My main challenge was overcoming the exam’s time constraints. I remember going hours over the recommended time in my first cases. It seemed impossible to finish on pace, but as I continued to practise case writing, I realized that I needed to give it my best shot and keep moving instead of aiming for perfection. I remember feeling shocked when I was able to finish cases with time to spare.
Tell us about a breakthrough or ‘aha’ moment during your studies. I realized that it’s impossible to memorize every section that can be tested. When I took a step back to see the bigger picture and started focusing on understanding the guiding principles and “why” things are done the way they are, unfamiliar questions no longer stressed me out. I was able to recall the foundations and work my way up into an answer, rather than moving from the top down.
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies? I’d like to thank my girlfriend Claire, who was incredibly supportive and encouraging. I’d also like to thank all of my friends at EY who I was able to bounce ideas off of and ask for help. Lastly, and most importantly, I’d like to thank my dad who was always my biggest supporter and loved to hear any good news I had to share.
Brent Wu
Employer: University of British Columbia (Vancouver)
Job title: Financial Analyst
What will you remember most about your CFE experience? Walking into the exam room on Day 1, sweating bullets! Regardless of how much I’d prepared, I still doubted myself, as it was the first time I’d written long, back-to-back final exams. And then the sense of relief when it was all over on Day 3!
Was there a time during your studies when you accomplished something you previously thought was impossible? When I first started studying, I thought it was impossible to review all of the technical knowledge and retain it for the exam in September. However, I later realized that it wasn’t about memorizing facts, it was about identifying weak technical spots during case-writing practice and brushing up.
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies? I’d like to start by thanking my family and friends for being so supportive and understanding of my needs during my CFE study period. I’ve received nothing but encouragement, which was very much needed!
I would also like to thank Carman Gao, my mentor throughout the entire process. She was instrumental in guiding me to success in the CFE. From small tips on question approach to big-picture study planning, she made the whole process so much easier! Lastly, thank you to Bo Yang, who wrote the CFE with me. Having someone to relate to and trade tips with was invaluable!
Any hobbies that helped you manage stress during your studies? Luckily, Vancouver is the perfect place to connect with nature and de-stress! The summer before the CFE, I frequently hiked and took short day trips. Between study sessions, I caught up on my favourite series on Netflix. Overall, I found it extremely important to take physical and mental breaks from studying to stay sharp.
Winnie Zhao
Employer: PricewaterhouseCoopers (Vancouver)
Job title: Tax Associate
What will you remember most about your CFE experience? What I’ll remember most is the challenge it presented and the opportunity it gave me to strengthen my discipline and knowledge. I’ll also remember studying alongside my study buddies. Our growth-driven attitudes in the way we supported each other, shared knowledge, and kept each other motivated is something I’ll always carry with me.
Was there a time during your studies when you accomplished something you previously thought was impossible? When I first started the CFE study process, everything felt extremely overwhelming. It seemed like there was so much to study in so little time. I thought it wouldn’t be possible to review enough of the topics confidently to feel “ready” for the CFE. However, by breaking down the content into each day of my schedule, I was able to organize my study plan so that I could spend sufficient time on the areas where I needed it the most. Unexpectedly, although I was still worried when it came time to write the CFE, I felt a lot less overwhelmed going into it.
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies? I am so grateful to have had such an amazing support system during my studies. I would like to thank my friends, family, and team for providing me with constant support and always believing in me. I would also like to thank my study buddy, Clara, for being by my side during the whole process and motivating me whenever I was struggling.
Finally, I want to thank the many CFE mentors—Ivy, Carman, and Bryan!—that I collected along the way for always being there when I needed someone to talk to and for all the ways they cared for me while I studied.
Photos of Jevon Chahal, Sophia Cherkashyn, Karrah Parke, Harshita Punyani, James Russell, and Brent Wu by Kent Kallberg Studios. Photos of Lucas Darke by Brit Kwasney Photo. Photo of Winnie Zhao provided by Winnie Zhao.
A version of these profiles will be published in the January/February 2026 issue of CPABC in Focus.
