About Us
A Passion For Numbers
Parallel CPA is a forward-thinking accounting firm dedicated to environmental sustainability and excellent customer service. We specialize in tax, accounting and business management for individuals and small businesses. Our firm is almost entirely paperless, helping guide the accounting industry in an environmentally-conscious direction. We conduct business using highly secure email and online signature programs. Our deliverables are provided electronically by Sync, Dropbox or via a USB drive, greatly decreasing the paper we produce and the paper you need to carry around. Parallel is bullfrogpowered® with 100% green electricity. Our office policies are geared to significantly reduce landfill waste. We are excited to provide you and your business with highly professional accounting services while decreasing your carbon footprint.
Mark Jess
Founder, BA, CGA, CPA
Mark is the Founder of Parallel CPA (previously Jess & Clark, CPA). He loves tax, accounting and budgeting - he's been told that, although these are things he should not readily admit at non-office parties, they are perfectly acceptable within the office (and at office parties). Mark graduated with a BA in Economics from the University of Victoria in 2001 and completed his CGA designation in 2010. Mark has had the pleasure of working both in public practice and in various senior financial roles in industry (CFO, Controller) – which gives him great insight on a variety of business situations.
Fun Fact:
Mark loves construction! His current top-build is a 10 x 10 tree house (7 feet up, with a wrap around deck, solar panel and cedar shingle roof) located in his backyard - constructed with Ali and his kids.
Ali Jess
Manager, Bookkeeping & Payroll
Ali is the Manager of our Bookkeeping and Payroll division. She oversees all bookkeeping and payroll accounts, is our client onboarding specialist, cloud-based solutions architect, trainer, and client manager. Since 2016, Ali owned and operated her own cloud-based bookkeeping company, Niche Accounting, which merged with Jess & Clark, CPA in late 2020. Ali has detailed knowledge regarding cloud-based accounting and business management software, and is constantly researching and staying ahead of the curve on automating accounting processes.
Fun Fact:
Ali started one of the last remaining locally owned and operated pet stores, Paws on Cook, in 2010. She successfully ran it for its first four years before selling to the current owners. Ali is an animal lover to her core.
Crystal Mar, CPA
Accountant, Manager, Analyst
Crystal plays a senior role in our accounting Team and brings a variety of experience from across various industries and disciplines. She specializes in personal and corporate tax preparation and planning, management accounting, financial analysis, and business process planning, documentation and implementation. She received her CPA designation in June of 2023 and is excited to continue applying her ever-growing knowledge and expertise within the Firm.
Fun Fact:
Crystal is a novice forager and enjoys gathering edible flora including mushrooms, berries & nettles. It is hard to go for hikes without her stopping to analyse a plant or pick a snack along the trail.
Monica LeTourneux
PCP, Bookkeeping & Payroll
Monica is our in-house Payroll Specialist and part-time Accounting Technician. She completed the Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) certification in 2018 and is an active member of the Canadian Payroll Association. When not in payroll mode, Monica can be found performing bank reconciliations for some of our bookkeeping clients. Monica also earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Camosun College back in 2008 and due to her love of all things True Crime, can often be found listening to the latest podcast episode of Dateline while working.
Fun Fact:
Back in 2012, when Mark started Jess & Co in his basement, Monica was the very first hire and has continued to grow and adapt as the company has evolved.
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Shweinna Bhurtun
Bookkeeping
Shweinna is one of our Senior Accounting Technicians, performing daily bookkeeping using cloud accounting software for a real-time look at finances for our clients, as well as month end reconciliations and reporting. She completed a Bachelor of Applied Accounting in 2014 at Anglia Ruskin University, UK, and a Post Graduate Degree Diploma in Business Administration at North Island College. She is an Association of Chartered Certified Accountants student (UK Designation) and has three exams left to be qualified, with her next exam taking place in June 2022.
Fun Fact:
Shweinna’s first language is Mauritian Creole which is similar to the more well-known, Haitian Creole.
Mackenzie Read
Bookkeeping & Payroll
Mackenzie is one of our Accounting Technicians and Payroll Administrators. Mackenzie started at Parallel CPA in 2018 as an Administrative Assistant and has continued to grow her skills within the office. Mackenzie graduated from Camosun with an Associate of Arts Degree in General Arts with Honours in 2021. Along with her valued office skills, she is also our Office Gardener ensuring all our office plants and living green wall are happy, thriving, and well taken care of.
Fun Fact:
Mackenzie has been paddling outrigger canoe, a Polynesian watercraft, locally and internationally for over a decade. The highlight of her paddling career was competing in Tahiti at the 2018 IVF World Sprint Championships.
Karl Arbule
Accounting, CPA Articling Student
Karl is a CPA student within our accounting team. He completed his Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting from Camosun College in 2019. His previous work experience includes bookkeeping, public practice, and insurance.
Karl helps manage our diverse personal and corporate clientele.
Fun Fact:
Karl has a passion to see the world and travel. A highlight for Karl is when he taught English in China for 6 months in 2018.
Serena Sousa
Bookkeeping, Accounting & CPA Articling Student
Serena is one of our Senior Accounting Technicians. Serena is excited about the future of accounting and leverages her knowledge of technology, automation, and cloud software to help ensure that clients have the easiest experience possible. Serena graduated with a BA in Economics from the University of Victoria before completing a post degree diploma in accounting at Camosun College. She recently passed the CPA Common Final Exam in September 2021 and is in the process of completing the practical experience component of her CPA designation.
Fun Fact:
Serena spent 10 years working at various jobs in the music industry before pivoting to a career in accounting and even ran her own non-profit organization that helped foster and grow the Victoria local music scene.
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Marianne Kintoff
Bookkeeping
Marianne is one of our Bookkeepers, joining the Parallel Team as our newest member in 2024. She graduated from Okanagan College with a Bookkeeping/Accounting Technician Certificate and is currently pursuing her Certified Professional Bookkeeper designation. Marianne brings a fresh perspective and a keen eye for detail to her role, where she is dedicated to ensuring accuracy and efficiency in the financial operations of our Clients.
Fun Fact:
A self-proclaimed foodie, Marianne often experiments with new recipes inspired by local community events and farmer's markets. Her latest creation was a delightful batch of homemade jam using ingredients from a recent market visit.
Cady Brimacombe
Administrative
Cady is our Office Manager as well as the friendly face at our front desk. She manages all things administrative, assists and supports Mark and Ali, and plans a variety of office parties and celebrations. She graduated with her Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Entrepreneurship from the University of Victoria in 2017 and is in the process of a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology through Yorkville University.
Fun Fact:
Cady loves to bake and in 2018 decided she would try to make 100 pies. So far, she has made 43/100 including blueberry, lemon meringue, and a savoury favourite – tourtière!
Laura Thiessen
Bookkeeping
Laura is one of our Accounting Technicians with over 6 years of experience in cloud-based bookkeeping. She started working for Ali in 2017 and is her longest standing side kick. Laura excels in creating and maintaining relationships with clients and their team members and working closely with them to ensure accurate bookkeeping. Her specialty is in utilizing third party applications for expense capture automation.
Fun Fact:
Laura has a passion for mountain biking, with popular trails located literally in her backyard, bordering her beautiful property. Also, she has been wearing birkenstocks (not the same pair, and not while she’s mountain biking), since 1994.
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Kirstin Janzen
Bookkeeping
Kirstin is part of the bookkeeping team, joining the Parallel crew in late 2022. For the past 10+ years, she worked and lived in the Comox Valley, graduating from North Island College with a BA in Business Accounting. While sad to leave the beautiful Valley, she is very excited about supporting and living in the Victoria area. Starting out as the Office Manager, Kirstin used her administration, communication, and public accounting experience to help out and grow within the office. She quickly transitioned into a cloud bookkeeping role where she is currently thriving, tackling client books and saving the world one general ledger at a time. At her side always is her dog, Archie.
Fun Fact:
Kirstin is an avid believer of small, local businesses and lends a hand with modelling gigs to help support where she can. She recently participated in the ‘wearable art' flower installation at the YYJ Dine Around Gala event, in which she spent the entire evening crowned in Bespoke Blossoms florals.