Meet the Team

Hi, my name is Andrea, and I am an accountant at Synergy Accountants and Estate Planners.  I have worked in the accounting industry since 2004. I began as a bookkeeper and quickly realised I love the detailed nature of the work. So, I decided to train and study my way up to become an accountant.  Since joining the Synergy Accountants family, I have relished the complex nature of the work as it has fed the detail-oriented side of my personality. The other side, who always likes to deliver the best outcomes for my clients, is also catered to by our firm’s motto of “do the right thing, even when it’s hard.” Sometimes this may mean our firm is disadvantaged by a smaller client fee, but as long as our clients are well looked after, we are happy.  I am a long-time Mackay local who has always had a finger in the business world. Over the years, my husband and I have owned and run three successful businesses. These skills have helped me with my accounting career as I am better able to relate and empathise with my small business-owner clients.  Outside of work, I spend my spare time with my husband and adult children along with Bob our Maltese Shih Tzu. We enjoy slowing down in our time off and taking small weekend getaways enjoying the best the Mackay and Whitsunday regions have to offer. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to live and work in such a wonderful part of the world filled with natural wonders and even better people.

Hi my name is Jackie and I am the first smiling face you see when you walk into Synergy Accountants & Estate Planners. I have been with Synergy since June 2019 and I love working here because of the personalised service and family environment that Gillian and Andrea have created. My administration career began at the age of 15 as an officer junior at a law firm.  After 6 years I went to an accounting firm as the receptionist where I stayed for nearly 20 years.  It was during this time that I first worked with Gillian before she started her own business.  After doing some time in the retail sector and administration contract work I decided to get back into accounting at Synergy Accountants as the receptionist and administration assistant. I am married and a mum to three energetic boys that keep me very busy.  We like trips over to the islands to fish and snorkel and taking the caravan on weekend getaways.

Hi, my name is Nicky, and I am an Office Admin Assistant with Synergy Accountants and Estate Planners.  I started working with Synergy at the beginning of 2020 and already feel like a member of the family. When I joined the team, I brought with me seven years of office administration experience. These skills have proven valuable in my new role and have allowed me to integrate seamlessly with this busy new work environment. While I love the office work, I am also relishing the opportunities given to me by the Synergy team. They are teaching me new skills and providing valuable insights into the financial industry.  One of the things I love most about this new work environment is the way we treat every client like family: we genuinely care and want to help them. This personalised touch is something I missed while working admin for larger companies.  When I am not at the office with my ‘work family’, you will find me exploring the beautiful outdoors with my biological family. We like to use adventures as a form of escape and reconnecting. When time allows, we take the caravan and seek out new experiences in places we have not yet explored.  

 Hi, my name is Shane. I joined Synergy Accountants and Estate Planners in February 2021, having moved to Mackay from the Gold Coast. I am a qualified CPA and have over 25 years of accounting experience including in both commercial and public practice. I also have a Self Managed Super Fund Licence and my Auditor’s Licence. I grew up on a dairy farm in South Africa. It was on this farm where my parents nurtured my interest in finance by allowing me to help them manage the books. I emigrated to Australia with my family in 1999 and have worked in many prestigious accounting firms ever since. My role with Synergy is Senior Accountant and Audit Manager. In my role as Audit Manager, I work side-by-side with our business owner clients to help them develop plans to track and achieve their long-term business goals. I thoroughly enjoy this part of my job as it allows me to gain a comprehensive understanding of my clients’ business which, in turn, fosters trusting relationships with them. All together this means, we can work collaboratively together to achieve great things. I have a passion for knowledge. I firmly believe that we should never stop learning, whether it be professionally or personally. That’s why, I have undertaken an Insolvency Reconstruction course. Personally, I am attempting to improve my golf swing.