In the Spotlight - LESLEY PARKS OF CANAUDIT

by Meghan Clark

If you meet Lesley at an EAC meeting, you will take away the impression that she is as a highly competent professional woman. Indeed, as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Canaudit of Simi Valley, your assessment would be spot on.

Born in Wales, Lesley's early years were spent in London until her family moved to Toronto when she was 6. During her high school years she spent summers working for the Canadian provincial government. On a temp assignment in the Accounts Payable of a computer manufacturing company, higher ups realized quite quickly that the gifted young lady was destined for more than her modest temp position. She climbed the ladder and eventually was Head of Finance for the Manufacturing Division.

In 1984, Lesley decided to try to strike out on her own and started Canaudit with a business partner. After a few years in Canada, Canaudit moved to Simi Valley. Canaudit provides audit consulting services and audit training services to other businesses.

Lesley is a true "Horse Show Mom," having supported her daughter for the past fifteen (15) years in her pursuit for equestrian excellence. Lesley's efforts have been well rewarded. Her daughter is an accomplished equestrienne at the highest levels of the sport and their beloved horse "Silver Shardick" is quite a well known character.

Aside from spending Saturdays and Sundays in the dust at any given horse ranch or horse show, Lesley is an aquaculturist! Her backyard ponds and waterfalls are an ever evolving project although she teases that she is "amazed that the fish have survived." She tries to travel frequently (she prefers warm weather) and loves Hawaii, the Caribbean and Singapore.

She has season tickets for local theatre companies and recently took in Wicked at the Pantages. Her self-described taste in movies is "artsy" and she enjoys movies about life in other countries. Her recent favorite was "The Kite Runner," about life in Afghanistan.

Lesley has consistently attended East and West County EAC programs for about seven years. She finds that the programs keep her up to date on employment issues and help ensure that her employees are well taken care of. Thank you so much to Lesley for opening up the pages on her biography to share with us.