Simply put, our Administrator Emma Point is the glue that holds Ally Emergency Management together. Working both behind the scenes and up-front with clients, she has a hand in just about every facet of our daily operations. Between keeping Ally organized, and raising two small children, Point is a woman who never shies away from a challenge.
Before joining Ally, Point’s Master of Environmental Studies degree took her across Canada in search of green horizons. Point has always loved to help things grow, both with plants and businesses alike.
“Back in my university days, I discovered the world of tree-planting, and this led to managing the kitchen operations in camps for several years. The experience hugely shaped who I am today and opened doors to cooking in remote wilderness lodges up the coast of BC,” said Point.
Her interest in food later led her to study food systems in graduate school, which transitioned her career towards community-engagement work in the private and non-profit sectors.
“I’ve had a lot of different jobs!” said Point. “But my satisfaction from work and life ultimately comes from being thorough and detailed in whatever I’m doing, which is probably why I found a good space in the Ally team”.
Point was introduced to Ally in late 2017, while managing the volunteer program at a Richmond-based community farm. She met Ally Founder Paul Ursich while helping to organize a major festival held at the farm, and the two agreed they worked well together.
“Paul and I recognized that we liked working with each other,” said Point. “He liked the way I approached my job as a volunteer manager, and then offered me to join on with Ally.”
According to Point, Ally’s way of approaching business resonated with her, and was ultimately the reason why she decided to take Ursich up on his offer.
“Long before Paul had invited me to join, I’d already admired the way he was helping our organization become more structured in the way that we planned things,” said Point. “It was done in such a way that I thought ‘That’s just so sensible and useful, and I’ve never seen anyone do it in that way.’ And now I know, having insight into Ally’s approach, that Paul was leading us through the same cycle that Ally uses for planning all of their exercises.”
Point works with the Ally team part-time, which she requested in order to focus on what she considers her primary job: being at home with her children for their early years. Finding the balance is not easy, but Point says it is a challenge well worth the effort.
“I know a lot of parents feel the pull between advancing their careers and being home with family, and it’s often viewed as a trade-off,” said Point. “I try not to see it that way; when we started a family, I was at a point in my life where I felt comfortable to take a step back from full time work and focus my energy on raising our kids. I get to keep them close and be very present for their childhood, but still maintain a foot in the professional world.”
However, Point says she has no plans to leave the full-time workforce behind forever. Once her children are in school, she will be ready to take on the next challenge life throws her way.
“When my kids are a little bit older and both in school, I’ll enter back into the working world with vigor,” said Point. “I still have a couple decades to chomp down on my career, so I just feel very fortunate that I was able to take this pause and focus on raising two small humans.”
