A Canowindra based financial planner is using her own journey through education, family life and community service to inspire others across the Central West to pursue tertiary study and take control of their financial futures.

Emma McKenzie, a local provisional financial planner, has been nationally recognised for her achievements in the financial advice profession.

In 2024, she was awarded University Student of the Year by the Financial Advisers Association of Australia and was recently named one of Australia’s “40 Under 40 Future Financial Leaders.”

She has worked in financial advice since 2017 and said her decision to become an adviser came after changes to industry qualification standards and encouragement from her employer.

“I’d worked in financial advice in a support role since 2017 and the profession was going through some big changes,” she said.

“Advisers were being sent back to uni and my boss approached me and asked if I’d ever considered becoming an adviser myself.”

“I hadn’t really until then.”

Ms McKenzie completed her qualification with high distinction, an achievement that contributed to her national FAAA award.

“The award is based not only on academic performance, but also broader contribution,” she said.

Ms McKenzie said a turning point in her thinking came while attending a national conference, where discussions highlighted the broader economic challenges facing women beyond the gender pay gap.

“We’re all aware of the gender pay gap and the knock on effect of being the primary carer and the super balance gap,” she said.

“But there are other indicators where women aren’t succeeding economically as much as they should, including financial literacy and the way women invest.”

She explained that women tend to invest more conservatively than men, which can compound long term differences in wealth and superannuation outcomes.

“Biologically, women are generally more cautious with risk and that can flow through into super balances over time,” she said.

Ms McKenzie is also passionate about addressing financial elder abuse, describing it as an issue that often goes unnoticed.

“It’s really alarming to a lot of people that elder abuse includes financially taking advantage of someone over the age of 60,” she said.

“That’s a huge cohort of the population and it can affect inheritance, aged care decisions and whether choices are being made in the best interest of the person involved.”

Ms McKenzie plans to launch a free financial literacy evening in 2026, aimed at addressing gender gaps in superannuation, investment confidence and financial knowledge.

She said she hopes to start with younger audiences to build confidence and open conversations early.

“I’d love to run sessions for teenage girls and their mothers,” she said.

“The whole family would be welcome, but it’s really about empowering young women to start asking questions.”

Topics would include understanding inflation, compounding, good versus bad debt, and how financial decisions made early in life can have long-term impacts.

“By starting these conversations, I’m hoping to become a trusted source of information,” she said.

“So if someone in the community is vulnerable or unsure where to turn, they know there’s someone local they can approach.”

She emphasised that her work is not about selling financial products, but about awareness and access.

“I’m not selling anything,” she said.

“I just want people to know there is a community-minded, independent financial professional available locally and that regional communities have access to high-calibre professionals, not limited by geography.”

Ms McKenzie said one of her biggest hopes is to encourage more women to return to education, even later in life.

“Education is such a crucial pathway to independence and autonomy,” she said.

“I started studying at 32, and realistically, I could have a 40-year career ahead of me if I want that.”

She said online study has made professional careers far more accessible to regional Australians and noted that financial advice is a profession in urgent need of new entrants.

“There’s a huge decline in people entering financial advice, particularly women,” she said.

“It’s a fantastic profession, and we really need more people coming through.”

Community members interested in learning more or supporting Ms McKenzie’s planned programs are encouraged to reach out.