Jessica Clahane

Approaching each business holistically is important to building meaningful relationships with our clients. Regular communication ensures I understand what is important, their ambitions, and the challenges they may face. Along the way, I facilitate business connections and introductions to relevant subject matter experts, ensuring the client has all the resources they need to address their unique issues.

As a Partner based in our Kentville office, I bring more than 13 years of experience specializing in Assurance where I oversee complex audit, review, and accounting matters, support detailed file completion, monitor quality control, and provide guidance on financial statement and corporate tax matters. I bring strong general business advisory practices to my clients, assisting businesses in analyzing potential risks and to think creatively about solutions. I’m a member of many internal Grant Thornton groups including the National and Nova Scotia public sector groups, the Nova Scotia First Nations group, and the National agriculture champions group. In all of them, I share my professional insights with my peers and stay up-to-date on emerging issues, ensuring I have the knowledge and tools to support our clients. I value my previous boots-on-the ground experience in operations roles that now helps me connect with clients’ staff, understanding difficulties they face, and helping them problem solve.

Living in the Annapolis Valley most of my life, I care deeply for the economic growth and sustainability of my community. I volunteer as a Director for the Valley Regional Enterprise Network, where we focus on leading a collaborative approach to economic development and supporting business, including labor force attraction, investment readiness, and tourism for the region. For more than eight years, I’ve also been a member of the Rotary Club of Kentville, engaged in various community services projects. Near and dear to my heart is our scholarship committee providing financial resources to students to support their continuous learning and development. Additionally, as a past president of the Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce, I’m also a committee member for their Women of Excellence Awards where I contribute to coordination of their annual event recognizing the accomplishments of women who truly bring excellence to their vocation. 

Outside the office, I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy being by the lake during the summer and board games all year long. Having always enjoyed cooking, I recently expanded my skills to include pickling, making relishes, salsas, and jams.