With a passion for analytics, proud Mununjali woman Amy Lane is helping to close the gap in the accounting profession.
Recently Amy, who is Greensill Farming’s financial analyst, was invited to be a panellist on the Queensland Indigenous Accounting Forum, hosted by Griffith University with the support of CPA Australia.
The forum provided an opportunity for Indigenous members of the profession share their perspectives on closing the Indigenous accounting gap.
Amy’s thirst for numbers started at a young age when she helped her godmother, Vikki Graham, at her public accounting business in Bundaberg and it continued to flourish.
“I would help her out in the office on weekends and school holidays,” Amy said.
“I discovered that I had an aptitude for accounting, and a passion for analytics.”
She studied a Bachelor of Accounting and undertook a graduate certificate in project management at CQUniversity, and she is currently completing the foundation program for CPA.
Through her career Amy has overcome many challenges to continuously succeed, including facing a life-changing medical diagnosis in her twenties.
“I was diagnosed with Marfan’s Syndrome in my mid-twenties,” Amy said.
“Marfan’s is a rare degenerative genetic condition that affects connective tissue.
“Managing the pain and injuries that this condition causes and ensuring that there remains a balance between health, work, study, family can be very difficult.
“I’m fortunate to have a support group of friends, family, and co-workers.”
Amy Lane shares experiences
She said the purpose of the forum was to develop knowledge of Indigenous perspectives on the accounting profession, and to build awareness of the role of Indigenous education in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
“I found the experience deeply enriching and empowering, listening to the stories of other successful Indigenous people,” Amy said.
“I was particularly impressed by the number of non-Indigenous people who registered to develop their cultural awareness and to find out more information on what actions they could personally take to close the gap.”
Just as numbers are Amy’s passion, she also believes education is key to succeeding and for more than 10 years she has helped other students follow their dreams into the financial field.
“CQUniversity funds an Indigenous Student Engagement Team to provide support to all their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students,” Amy said.
“As a student undertaking my bachelor degree, I was supported through the Nulloo Yumbah centre with access to resources and a learning advisor to provide tutoring.
“I also made connections with other Indigenous students that provided me a community of support.
“I greatly credit the Nulloo Yumbah centre with completing my studies. Therefore, when I graduated, I registered as a learning advisor myself.
“I have provided dozens of students with tutoring over the last 10 years.”
Through Amy Lane’s career she has worked at Bundaberg Region Council and the Friendly Society Private Hospital before joining the Greensill Farming team.
She said her employment with these organisations had given her the opportunity to learn from some extremely accomplished mentors, in particular James Waters at the Friendly Society Private Hospital.
Amy said although she has a strong drive to succeed professional, her biggest victory will always be her three amazing sons – Hunter 15, Steven 13 and Kooper 11.
“They are my pride and joy, and no achievement or otherwise will ever be more meaningful to me than my men-in-the-making,” she said.
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