Shelley Cahill, Associate

Shelley has been an associate at Young Associates since 2001. Her responsibilities include senior bookkeeping and accounting functions including preparing and maintaining cash flow, budgets and financial statements, overseeing the work of junior staff, and training clients to use their accounting systems more effectively. Prior to joining Young Associates she was a Production Coordinator for Harbourfront Centre – York Quay Productions and an Administrator for Theatre Gargantua. Shelley holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts – Technical Production from Ryerson Polytechnic University. For clients, Shelley has played a leadership role in implementing procedural changes which have increased productivity within accounting departments, increased effective use of software and resources, and decreased the number of hours required for year-end preparation by 20%. Shelley has advanced knowledge of Simply Accounting, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Office Suite. She is fluent in conversational French and has some knowledge of Spanish.

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Katie Chasowy, Associate

Katie joined the Young Associates part-time in 2010 and full-time in 2011. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Ontario College of Art & Design (2007) and an Ontario Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration/Cultural Management from Humber College (2009). Previously, Katie worked at Factory Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Stephen Bulger Gallery, and Gallery 44. In her spare time, Katie tries to spend as much time on photography in the darkroom and also enjoys aerial circus arts.

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Julia Gaunt-Rannala, Junior Associate

Julia has a diploma in Theatre Production from Sheridan College and a BA in History from the University of Guelph. Before joining Young Associates in 2012, she worked as a stage manager in theatre and opera, for companies such as The Grand Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, Opera Hamilton, the Young Centre and the Luminato Festival. She is very pleased to have the opportunity to continue working in the arts, in a capacity that keeps her a little closer to home.

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Anna Mathew, Knowledge Associate

Anna has about a decade’s worth of experience in the not-for-profit and cultural sectors. She is currently completing her Master of Information (MI) from the University of Toronto’s iSchool, focusing on Special Libraries and Knowledge Management. Anna joined Young Associates in 2011 and is responsible for building a library of online resources, providing client support and training in data management, and assisting with the second edition of Finance for the Arts in Canada. She is also a Graduate Student Library Assistant at the Ontario Council of University Libraries’ Scholars Portal, assisting with RefWorks and Ask a Librarian support, and evaluation and assessment activities. Prior to joining Young Associates she worked in various roles for Tapestry New Opera, Theatre North West, Dance Ontario, and Framework, also undertaking a variety of editing and grant writing contracts. Anna holds a BA Honours in History from Queen’s University and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Arts Administration/Cultural Management from Humber College. She formerly sat on the Board of Directors for DreamNorth Theatre Company and is currently Secretary for the Special Libraries Association – Toronto Student Group Executive.

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Diann Missal, Associate

Diann joined the Young Associates team in 2010 as a bookkeeper and administrative assistant. She has a certificate in Arts Administration/Cultural Management from Humber College and a BA in History from the University of Guelph. Currently, she is working towards a certificate in Accounting from the University of Toronto. Work experiences include conference logistics, marketing, administration, and customer service, having previously worked for organizations including Orchestras Canada, the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres, CARFAC Ontario and Loop Gallery.

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Chris Mustard, Senior Associate

Chris Mustard’s career in arts management spans more than two decades, and has focused on charitable organizations’ financial systems and reporting needs. Currently working with Young Associates, a leading Toronto arts consulting firm, Chris specializes in working with managements to develop effective accounting systems, from software implementation through development of internal and external reports, and financial information management.

Chris is also an accomplished one-on-one trainer, helping individuals with limited technical backgrounds become proficient at maintaining their accounting records, preparing and interpreting accurate financial statements, and making sound financial decisions for their companies.

Her work includes consulting assignments as well as ongoing financial management support to a roster of Toronto arts and cultural companies, and some organizations in the broader charitable sector. In this capacity, she oversees accounting systems, prepares account reconciliations, assists with preparation for annual audits, and works with general managers on planning issues, including budgeting for annual operations and projects, cashflow forecasting and grant financials.

Chiaki Nemoto, Senior Associate

Chiaki earned a degree in Education in Japan and worked as a professional actor in Japan and the U.S., then went to Australia to earn her second degree in Arts Management. She joined Young Associates in 2008 after leaving the b current performing arts company as General Manager. Currently at Young Associates, she manages over 20 clients. Besides having completed both Quickbooks and Simply Accounting advanced seminars, she consistently attends seminars organized by CRA, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and Canadian Payroll Association, among others. Outside of her regular work, she has been enjoying working as a special event volunteer for the David Suzuki Foundation.

She is originally from Japan, and lived in the U.S. and Australia before coming to Canada in 2005. As a professional actor, she was a resident actor at the Subaru Theatre Company and worked mainly in contemporary theatre with some TV, radio, and other media work. She was involved in international co-productions and also worked as an interpreter/translator. With her arts management degree, Chiaki acquired skills in all areas of business management (finance, project, administration, law, marketing, human resources, front of house) as well as accounting. At Young Associates she has built on her accounting knowledge, further developing her skills in accurate and accountable record keeping and bookkeeping.

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Rose Shikatani, Senior Associate

Rose Shikatani started with Young Associates part-time in 2006. The transition from working in the commercial sector to the cultural, charities and not-for-profit world continues to be a wonderful experience. She feels that it’s afforded her a great sense of contribution to the efforts that they make to bring culture, art, history, dance and theatre to all Canadians. “The essentially supportive role that I play in the fabric of their organization is really quite humbling when I see how dedicated they are to making their organization the absolute best that it can be.”

While studying Design & Communications at OCA (now OCAD) Rose left to pursue a career with a typesetting company because she’s fascinated with type and how effective it is in graphic design and visual communications. While there she got into the accounting side of the business and never looked back. College courses in Accounting have increased her knowledge and abilities in accounts management to help support her clients.

For many years she was the Administrative Director for one of Canada’s leading design studios with a staff of 60+ designers, production artists and account managers. There she learned, among other things, about the dynamics of human resources, allowing her to offer instruction and advice to clients in managing their own staffing and the issues that they face with hiring, firing, payroll, benefits and policy. Rose enjoys the challenges of accounts management and the best parts of her workday are when things balance – “I love it when that happens and it happens all the time!”

For the past 10 years she’s also worked with a leadership training and self-development company that has helped many executives/managers reach success in their careers and everyday people find happiness and fulfillment in their lives.

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Jerry (Gerald S.) Smith, Senior Associate & Business Development

Jerry Smith has worked with Young Associates for over a decade, collaborating with Heather Young on a wide range of contracts and projects, and he officially joined the company as an associate in 2010. Together, he and Heather have carried out strategic planning work for Municipal Cultural Planning Inc., the Imperial Theatre in Sarnia, the Regent Theatre in Picton, and the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga. Over the last few years, they have partnered on original organizational development work for the Ontario Association of Art Galleries, CARFAC Ontario and ARCCO (Artist Run Centres and Collectives Ontario), as well as a Marketing audit for The Red Barn Theatre. Jerry contributed development work to the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy (COSI).As a free lance consultant, Jerry has carried out feasibility studies and program reviews, facilitated numerous community and public consultations, as well as delivered a series of workshops in the areas of Board Development and Leadership, Strategic Planning, Marketing, Fundraising and Sponsorship. In the private sector, Jerry has planned and executed market research and focus groups in the retail and service sectors.

Jerry’s experience includes a wide range of work on boards of directors on the local, provincial and national stage, and was selected as a Volunteer of the Year for the City of Toronto. Recently, Jerry was selected as a Cultural Champion for the City of Toronto. Currently, Jerry is the Chairman of the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of the Steering Committee for Contact Ontario, and a member of the ArtsVote Report Card Committee. He is also a member of Arts Consultants Canada.

For thirty years, Jerry was active inside Humber College and beyond, as an educator and trainer. In addition to his faculty position as Professor, Jerry established programs at all levels in the education system, including the professional theatre training program at Humber College, as well as the college’s post-graduate diploma certificate programs (full time and part time) in Arts Administration/Cultural Management.

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Carol Wang, Administrative Coordinator

Carol has over seven years experience providing effective administrative support and accounting clerk experience. Carol joined Young Associates in 2011. She is responsible for all administrative coordination for the company, working closely with Heather Young, Principal. Carol’s experience includes accounting and office administration in the commercial sector, both in China and Canada. She has specialist certification in Microsoft Word and Excel and is trained in Computerized Accounting and Office Administration from the Metro College of Technology and Commercial English from Liaoning University.

Carol is currently on maternity leave.

Heather Clara Young, Principal

Heather Clara Young has worked in the field of arts management for over twenty-five years. Her experience includes leadership roles with a variety of arts and heritage service organizations, theatre and dance producing companies, galleries and museums, facilities, festivals and community organizations, in both professional and volunteer capacities. Before founding Young Associates in 1993, Heather had served as General Manager for both Nightwood Theatre and the Fringe of Toronto Festival.

As the Principal of Young Associates, Heather has provided bookkeeping and consulting services to dozens of organizations, and delivered professional workshops, training and seminars on topics ranging from budgeting to sales tax, to setting prices, to reading financial statements. She has completed business and strategic planning assignments for an array of arts organizations in Toronto and across Southern Ontario, frequently in partnership with First Stage.

For 15 years, Heather has taught accounting and financial management to diploma and continuing education students in Humber College’s Arts Administration programs, and Humber’s Fundraising and Volunteer Management Program. She was a 2004 recipient of Humber College’s Continuing Education Award of Excellence for Outstanding Academic Contribution. In 2010, she was appointed to teach finance for the University of Toronto’s Specialist Program in Arts Management In 2012, Heather was awarded the Sandy Tulloch award for Innovation in Arts and Culture by Theatre Ontario. Heather is also a member of Arts Consultants Canada.

Finance for the Arts in Canada, published by Heather in 2005, is a unique self-study guide, reference source and textbook for the accounting and finance functions in cultural organizations. Used by numerous arts managers and various post-secondary institutions across Canada, it has been praised for its clear and straightforward approach to building excellence in financial skills.

Heather holds an honours BA in English and French from the University of Western Ontario, and a certificate in Finance and Accounting from Ryerson University.

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Samantha Zimmerman, Senior Associate & Data Management Consultant

Samantha joined the Young Associates team in 2008. She holds a degree in Environmental Studies with a Fine and Performing Arts Option from the University of Waterloo, as well as a post-graduate certificate in Arts Administration/Cultural Management from Humber College. Samantha is a Senior Associate and Data Management Consultant at Young Associates, and has played a leadership role in the development of Data Management services offered by Young Associates since 2009. She is also responsible for the practice management of the organization. Samantha continues to expand her knowledge of finance and the not for profit sector through workshops and seminars, including those offered by the Canadian Payroll Association, Revenue Canada, and Canada Helps. Sam currently sits ont he board of CARFO (Canadian Arts Resources Foundation of Ontario).

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