Ethical Edge Meet Heidi

PRINCIPAL

Heidi J. T. Exner

Heidi Exner is the Principal of Ethical Edge, and she is a powerhouse of expertise. Heidi is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a pending Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), a licensed Private Investigator in the Province of Alberta, and a Level 1 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) candidate. She completed her courses to obtain her Bachelor of Arts (First Class Hons), Juris Doctor (JD), and Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Calgary, and she plans to complete the CFA and become a licensed attorney in the state of New York, USA.

Why did Heidi start Ethical Edge? After more than two decades of experience as entrepreneur, legal journalist, portfolio analyst, and equities and commodities trader in Canada, the US, and Australia, while Heidi was a law student in 2020, she also founded the Exner Foundation, which aims to address white-collar crime in Canada. She has always known that she is built to do things differently – and that she aims to make an impact on the way we do business.

Heidi's unique combination of credentials, entrepreneurial drive, passion, aptitude for investigating and auditing, belief in transparent communication on all fronts, and her acute understanding of business needs come together perfectly to form the basis for this services and advisory firm. Of course, Heidi is not Wonder Woman: while she is the heart of Ethical Edge, she has a highly skilled team of professionals to work in cohort on larger projects or files that require specific expertise.

Heidi has served on numerous boards, councils, and committees within non-profits and major institutions across Canada. She is locally and globally celebrated for her academic, entrepreneurial, and community contributions; her long list of accolades and awards is largely due to her philanthropic efforts and her formidable work in the realm of white-collar crime. In her personal time, Heidi is passionate about fitness and nutrition, and she is a zealous advocate for animal rights.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Alberta Association of Private Investigators (AAPI)
Alberta Fitness Leadership Certification Association (AFCLA)
American Bar Association (ABA)
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ)
Canadian Bar Association (CBA)
Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange (CCTX)
Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
Chartered Financial Analyst Institute (CFAI)
Council of International Investigators (CII)
Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
New York State Bar Association (NYSBA)

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

ACFE Foundation Ritchie-Jennings Award
Alyson Woloshyn Legacy of Leadership (f)
Avenue Magazine's Top 40 under 40 (n)
CFA Program Scholarship
Culbert Family Philanthropy Award (f)
Graduate Student Citizenship Award
Julius Schulich Award, Entrepreneurship
Ronald P. Mathison MBA Fellowship
University of Calgary Graduate Studies Award
University of Calgary Scholars Awards

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