PRESSThe financial voice
first-gen professionals have been waiting for.
Lianne Hannaway is a CPA, financial educator and creator of the Bridge System™, and one of the only voices in Canadian personal finance speaking directly to the wealth-building realities of first-generation professionals.
AVAILABLE FOR— Expert commentary — personal finance, investing, cultural wealth gap
— Podcast interviews
— Speaking engagements — corporate, community, conference
— Panel discussions and moderation
— Press and media inquiries
MEDIA & SPEAKING INQUIRIESEmail me directly — responses within 48 hours.
FEATURED IN
WHY THIS VOICE. WHY NOW.The Canadian personal
finance conversation
has a gap.
Most financial advice is built on one assumption: that the person receiving it grew up in a single cultural context, has parents with retirement savings, and is building wealth for themselves alone. For millions of first-generation Canadians navigating family financial obligations, cultural expectations, and wealth-building simultaneously, that advice is not just unhelpful — it's actively misleading.
Lianne Hannaway has been living this reality since she started working at eleven years old to help support her family. As a CPA with 15+ years in financial services — including roles at KPMG Canada, KPMG France, and the Toronto Stock Exchange — she brings technical credibility to a conversation that rarely gets both cultural fluency and financial rigour in the same room.
Her proprietary Bridge System™ is the first financial framework designed specifically for first-gen professionals navigating multigenerational financial responsibility.
LIANNE SPEAKS TO:— Why traditional financial advice fails first-gen professionals
— How cultural guilt and family obligations interact with wealth-building behaviour
— What inclusive financial planning actually requires
— The $210 billion wealth gap and what closing it demands
SPEAKING & THOUGHT LEADERSHIPSpeaking on the money conversations nobody else is having.
I speak to corporate audiences, professional organizations, ERGs, and community stages on first-gen wealth building, cultural financial identity, and financial empowerment. Available as keynotes, workshops, or panel contributions — in person and virtually.
Minimum 4 weeks’ advance notice required. For ERG and Black affinity group engagements, discounted rates are available.
SIGNATURE TALKBuilding Wealth Between Worlds:
— How First-Gen Professionals Build Wealth Without Choosing Between Family and Financial Freedom
IDEAL AUDIENCES— Corporate Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
— Financial services firms and wealth management communities
— Women's professional associations and leadership conferences
— Community organizations focused on economic empowerment
SELECTED ENGAGEMENTSFrom corporate
boardrooms to community stages.
Speaking on financial empowerment, cultural wealth building, and creating more inclusive economic systems.
Available for bookings — info @ liannehannaway.com
WORKSHOPS— Black History Month Financial Wellness Workshop: University Pension Plan (2026)
— Inter-generational Wealth Building Lunch-n-Learn: Ontario Health / ARISE (2025)
— Healing Your Roots & Relationship with Money: In the Black (2023)
— We Should All Be Angel Investors: The51 Member Community (2023)
ARTICLES & MEDIA FEATURESInsights on culture,
finance, and impact.
Expert commentary and features on first-gen wealth building, investing, and the cultural dimensions of personal finance.
TELEVISION— Breakfast Television
Expert tips on how to talk to your parents about retirement →
ARTICLES— The GET / Neo Financial
How the Bank of Canada's interest rate announcement affects Canadians →
— The GET / Neo Financial
Should I invest my emergency fund? →
— MoneySense
How much are Canadian families really spending on extracurricular activities? →
— The Honest Talk
My journey along the glass cliff: A Black woman's perspective →
— LowestRates.ca
We can narrow the racial wealth gap by empowering Black people to invest →
PODCASTS & INTERVIEWSConversations on money, identity and building wealth between worlds.
— Tobi Adekeye | Wealth on Your Terms
What Wealthy People Learn That Most People Never Get Taught
MORE CONVERSATIONS— Nana Yaa Yeboaa Podcast
Building Black Wealth in Canada: Family & Generational Legacy →
— The Power of Why with Naomi Haile
How a CPA Redefines Personal Finance for First-Generation Professionals →
— Money With Mission with Felecia Froe, MD
Breaking Cycles of Wealth Disparity →
— Medium Lady Talks
Episode 51: Financial Self-Care →
MEDIA ASSETSEverything you need to book or publish.
Download the press kit for bios, headshots, and a one-liner for program descriptions — ready for immediate use.
KIT INCLUDES— Short bio (100 words) — for program listings and introductions
— Long bio (250 words) — for media profiles and press releases
— 2–3 high-resolution headshots
— Bridge System™ one-liner for program descriptions
— Speaking topics summary sheet
GET IN TOUCHReady to book or inquire?
For all media and speaking inquiries, email directly for the fastest response.
Please allow 48 hours for a response. For speaking engagements, a minimum of 4 weeks advance notice is required. Virtual presentations available worldwide.
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