Meet our 2026 Young CA Award winners
This year’s recipients are recognised for their impact on the CA profession and community.
Jacklyn Ersan CA - ACT, Australia
Jacklyn was Chair of the ACT Young Chartered Accountants Committee from 2024 until 2025. She continues as a YCA member and joined the ACT Regional Council in July 2026. Jacklyn has delivered events, spoken at new member ceremonies, mentored emerging accountants and promoted Chartered Accounting as an accessible career.
Jacklyn’s impact goes further through education and mentoring. She facilitates CA Ethics and Business and CA Risk and Strategy courses, mentors CA candidates, and volunteers with the ANU Momentum Program and ANU Tax Clinic. She leads teams in Australia and the Philippines, driving technical capability and innovation in her firm.
Ben Eisikovich CA - NSW, Australia
Ben is a founding member and Vice Chair of CA ANZ’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Member Panel, serving since 2021. He has represented CA ANZ at national and international forums, including the 2024 World Indigenous Business Summit and the 2025 Empowering Indigenous Strengths in the Workplace event.
Ben’s advocacy includes early engagement with schools, stronger visibility of Indigenous role models and pathways for experienced Indigenous bookkeepers and accountants. He co-founded Indigenous Finance and Business to improve engagement between the finance profession and Indigenous business, supporting financial capability and economic participation.
Edwin Leong CA - VIC, Australia
Edwin served as a panellist on the Young CA Panel (WA) from 2019 to 2021, building partnerships with groups like the Perth Young Professionals. In Victoria, Edwin was a panellist from 2021 to 2024 and was elected Chair for 2025–26. As Chair, he led a high-performing board of 11 members, providing strategic direction for Young CA initiatives.
Edwin regularly contacts around 150 new members every six months, facilitating one-on-one conversations and supporting more than 100 emerging professionals. Through university presentations, member engagement activities and formal mentoring, he has promoted the CA program as a rewarding career pathway and inspired students and newly qualified members to stay engaged.
Jonathan Forest CA - WA, Australia
As the founder of Perth Spectres, Jonathan established Perth’s first and only LGBTQIA+ basketball club. He is also Treasurer and Board Member for Living Proud WA, a leading organisation supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals. In this role, he helps guide the organisation’s financial health and strategic direction, strengthening its ability to deliver vital services.
Jonathan supports emerging professionals through mentoring and volunteering. He has represented CA ANZ as a speaker at tertiary institutions, sharing insights about a career in Chartered Accounting and inspiring the next generation of accountants. His influence is felt across the professional and community sectors, including his tenure as WA State Lead for PwC’s ‘Shine’ LGBTI employee network.
Taylor Robinson CA - SA, Australia
As Co-Chair of the CA ANZ SA/NT Young CA Panel in 2024, Taylor played a key role in shaping opportunities for early-career professionals ensuring young members’ voices were heard. A passionate advocate for the CA designation, she regularly visits schools and universities to share her career journey and promote the profession as a rewarding and impactful career path.
Taylor’s community involvement began early with her involvement in university associations, organising events and managing finances to benefit her peers. She currently serves as Treasurer for ME/CFS South Australia Inc. and Ausdance SA Inc., both volunteer-run organisations. In these roles, she manages finances, ensures compliance and supports governance.
Alec Purkis CA - NT, Australia
Alec currently works in a senior risk and governance role at Jacana Energy where he is responsible for shaping strategic risk frameworks and ensuring robust compliance across the organisation. He served as a member for the NTCA Panel from 2017 to 2018, contributing to event planning and delivery, including with the NT Forum. His active participation has fostered member engagement and professional development across the region.
As Deputy Chair of the NT Government Department of Corrections Risk Management & Audit Committee, Alec provides strategic advice to the CEO and Executive Leadership Group. He helps identify emerging risks, ensures financial accountability and strengthens compliance controls, supporting the NT’s public sector.
Mehreen Lane CA - TAS, Australia
As Treasurer and Board Member of the Northern Young Professionals Network (NYPN), Mehreen provides strategic financial oversight and helps shape initiatives that connect professionals from diverse industries. She supports professional development opportunities and builds pathways for young people to expand their skills and advance their careers.
Mehreen’s outreach includes regular visits to accounting classes at Launceston College, where she shares insights from her journey and encourages students to consider accounting as a meaningful career. She volunteers to provide one-day work experience placements, giving aspiring accountants firsthand exposure to the profession and answering their questions about study and career pathways.
Ella Boberg CA - Central North Island, New Zealand
Ella was the founding president of Beta Alpha Psi – Waikato University Chapter in 2011 and 2012 and currently leads Scouts NZ Kea as a group leader. Since January 2022, Ella has served as a Waikato Local Committee member and Vice Chair. In March 2026, Ella joined the Microsoft Excel World Championships Esports Player Council as Asia/Pacific Representative, advocating for excellence and innovation.
Ella’s skills have taken her from Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) and Matamata to the world stage. She reached the quarter finals of the Excel World Championships in Las Vegas, placing 48th globally. Alongside her husband, Ella has hosted Excel World Championship battles live on YouTube, earning the title “The Excel Power Couple” on social media.
Allyssa Carle CA - Lower North Island, New Zealand
Allyssa has served as a committee member for the Public Sector Special Interest Group since 2024 and the Wellington Not-For-Profit and Social Enterprise Special Interest Group since 2021. She actively attends meetings, organises events, shares opportunities with her network and hosts sessions.
Allyssa also mentors graduates in the Public Sector Finance Graduate Programme (DIA), providing career guidance and financial insight. Her support extends to judging student programmes, participating in career events and encouraging professional development within her workplaces. Beyond her professional role, Allyssa applies her expertise to support not-for-profit organisations. She offers governance advice, financial stewardship and mentoring, and volunteers for community groups.
Joshua Ong CA - Singapore
Joshua has been a member of the Singapore Young CA Panel since January 2025 and is dedicated to promoting the value and diversity of a career in accounting to young people across Singapore. Through various outreach activities, he draws on his own experiences as a CA, auditor, public-sector professional and photographer to show students that accountancy offers more than traditional roles.
In his interactions with students, Joshua has shared insights from his own journey, highlighting the value of exploring personal interests and remaining open to unconventional career pathways. His commitment to supporting the next generation is also recognised by Ngee Ann Polytechnic, where he is featured on the School of Business and Accountancy Wall as part of their open house.
Tony Speight CA - United Kingdom
Tony began his CA ANZ journey as a member of the Queensland YCA Panel serving from June 2019 to October 2021 including a term as Vice Chair in 2020. Since November 2022, he has been on the YCA Panel in the UK, representing young CAs and advocating for their needs. Tony regularly speaks at YCA-led events, sharing insights and inspiring young professionals.
Tony’s influence extends beyond CA ANZ. He has represented Australian tax practitioners with the Australian Taxation Office, delivered professional training on technical accounting, ESG and ethics across Australia, the UK and India, and engaged with the UK Endorsement Board to comment on international financial reporting standards.