Our People
Our superior team of highly experienced, independent industry professionals work full and part time across our interstate offices. They take a long-term view to providing astute, practical finance strategies maximising our clients’ profits and developing their work/life balance.
Brent Kirchner
Managing Director
Brent began public practice in 1996 and became a Certified Practicing Accountant in 1999. He holds a Financial Planning Diploma and a limited license through CPA Australia Advice.
Brent’s experiences range across general tax and accounting; including but not limited to Fringe Benefits Tax, SMSFs, financial planning and business development and advisory. Brent focuses on long-term strategy rather than just reacting to circumstances from year to-year.
Brent thrives on the positive difference he brings to people’s lives. He’s nurtured and guided countless clients across numerous industries towards their financial and personal goals. His ongoing success ensures his clients trust his judgement and happily implement the strategies he developes in collaboration with them. And Brent like clients to contact him before making big decisions — buying a house, boat or car or taking a holiday — because he’ll usually have a tax effective strategy in mind.
Away from work, Brent’s passions are sport and music. He and his wife dedicate much of their spare time to their two boys sporting ambitions. So, if for some reason he doesn’t pick up the phone chances are he’s on the golf course, humming along to James Reyne or helping out with junior sport.
Julie Demetriou
Senior Accountant
Julie manages our superannuation division as well as general client work. She began public practice in 2007, became a Certified Practicing Accountant in 2011and holds a Limited Public Practice certificate through CPA Australia.
Her experiences range across general tax and accounting. She also has a keen interest in business development, advisory and tax planning strategies and has been capably administering SMSFs since 2007.
Before children, Julie was a fiercely competitive tennis player and returns to the court when commitments to her young family and love for the Essendon Football Club permit.
Kyla Wehipeihana
Senior Accountant
Kyla has joined our team as a senior accountant. She is a member of the Institute of Public Accountants and has been since 2014. After working as practice manager of an accounting firm as well as in auditing, she found that taxation and business advisory was her best fit. She has 12 + years experience mainly in taxation & advice for SMSF’s, Companys, Trusts, Sole traders and Individuals.
One of her favourite things about accounting is building client relationships and being able to assist them in achieving their goals.
Located on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in QLD, she enjoys exploring the outdoors in her spare time. She loves to lift heavy weights and is always chasing the next physical challenge – most recently surf boat rowing.
Karlie Charles
Practice Manager
Karlie has been working in the Accounting industry for over 14 years, first starting her career as an Administrator/Client Services Officer for a multi partner firm.
She then progressed to the role of Acting Practice Manager before moving on, after a decade of service, to challenge herself both personally and professionally.
Karlie has also experienced working for a larger accounting firm in the role of Executive Support to the CEO, taking are of personal affairs to helping manage an entire office relocation.
This has provided Karlie the opportunity to develop a wide range of knowledge within the accounting industry, such as administration, implementation, debt management, processes and procedures.
In her spare time Karlie enjoys socialising with family and friends, especially her two boys whom she adores.
Franklene Sullivan
Client Administration
Franklene was a legal secretary in 1996, before deciding in 2000 that accounting was a better fit. Starting in a junior administrative role she quickly worked her way up, gaining a vast array of experience while honing her work ethic.
Franklene holds a Certificate IV in Financial Services (Accounting) and Diploma of Office Administration (Legal).
Her time in accounting firms taught Franklene more about administration and office management than most of us will ever need to know. Her dedication, down-to-earth, hands-on approach keeps the wheels of ABA turning.
In her spare time, Franklene enjoys travelling, spending time with her husband and family and watching her two children play sport.
Libby Kirchner
Bookkeeper
Libby has been a Director of Coach Approach since 1996, where her business inspires “kids to keep active” by taking elite athletes into schools across Australia.
During 2020 and 2021 in the covid lockdown, Coach Approach was unable to work in schools, so Libby conducted an Accounting Principles Skills Set and then a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping.
So ABA Bookkeeping was launched, where Libby can assist clients with their bookkeeping needs.
Outside of work, Libby was a Victorian softball player and coach and now just keeps active herself whilst supporting her two boys in their sport endeavours.
