FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

Let's build a brighter corporate landscape together!

Heidi J. T. 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), and a licensed Private Investigator in the Province of Alberta. 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 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 an entrepreneur, legal journalist, portfolio analyst, and equities and commodities trader in Canada, the US, and Australia, Heidi 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 impact the way we do business. This is precisely what Ethical Edge is all about: 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 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 

  • American Bar Association (ABA)
  • Alberta Association of Private Investigators (AAPI)
  • Association for Women In Cryptocurrency (AWIC)
  • Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
  • Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
  • Council of International Investigators (CII)
  • Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
  • New York State Bar Association (NYSBA)
  • OSMOSIS Institute for OSINT

 

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS 

  • ACFE Foundation Ritchie-Jennings Award
  • Alberta Women Entrepreneur Award (n)
  • 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 (multiple)