Stephanie Poon, CFA, is the Vice President, RBC Capital Markets at RBC, and a CFA Society Toronto volunteer.

This is what she had to share about her experience:

"I have gained a lot through my volunteering experience, including the development of leadership, presentation and communication skills.  I enjoy working with the fantastic team at the Society.

My volunteer roles with the Society include being a mentor with the mentorship program, a panel judge for the Undergraduate Finance and Economics Scholarships and a panel judge for the CFA Institute Research Challenge.  In addition, I am currently serving as the Chair with the Awards & University Relations Committee.  I am also honoured that the Society has invited me to serve as the speaker for the New Member Welcome Reception.

One memorable experience is my panel judging role for the CFA Institute Research Challenge.  I have learned so much not only from the keen students, but also from the wisdom of the fellow judges, all of whom have very strong and qualified backgrounds.  The most rewarding part of the experience was having learned that some of the past winners are now working with prominent financial institutions.  To have helped them in some way before they started their career journey is very rewarding.

I strongly encourage everyone to consider volunteering with the Society to broaden your skill sets and widen your exposure."