|
Lorna Parry is a former marketing and advertising consultant who co-founded Underwater Earth, an Australian not-for-profit organization set up to promote the protection of the world's oceans. She lives in Sydney's East with her daughter Lola, 4. They have no pets, but are very proud of their worm garden.
C4K: What is Underwater Earth and how did the idea come about?
LP: Underwater Earth was founded by a bunch of ex-advertising friends, all passionate about the oceans and scuba diving. We recognised that the oceans and the issues they are facing go largely unnoticed. No one can care about things they do not know about and understand. We saw this as an advertising issue. How do we reveal the oceans to the world - and in doing so, get people to love and care for the oceans more? From here our idea of mirroring the Google Street View concept underwater was borne.
We designed an innovative underwater camera system which took 360 images, structured a unique sponsorship program that combined ground breaking scientific research with impactful communication, landed a commercial sponsor, Catlin Insurance, and the power of Google as an outreach partner - and suddenly, our first major project was a reality - the Catlin Seaview Survey.
After months and years of dreaming, discussions, planning and pitching, I was leaving my advertising job behind me, and making Underwater Earth my full time job. Daunting and very exciting.
C4K: What does your job entail on a daily basis?
LP:We're a small team of 6 at Underwater Earth in Sydney although the wider project employs some 25 people full time in Australia. With the dual role of MD to the company, and Head of Comms for the project, my days are varied, and somewhat challenging when I am forced to switch from big business strategic discussions and decisions through to the basics of day-to-day expedition and campaign management.
Corporate compliance, company legals and financials, contracts, budgeting, partner relations, expedition planning, PR and event planning, media relations, keeping the team together and focused. Juggling time zones and international conference calls seems a way of life for me now. Many I am sure think I'm mad being on calls early morning and late in to the night (just finished one now actually and its midnight), but when work is a passion, it's an easy decision to make.
C4K: You travel a huge amount with your job, how do you manage that with Lola? Does she go with you on scuba diving/photography trips?
LP:Travel comes in fits and bursts. I have reasonably frequent interstate trips, especially to Queensland. Less frequently there are long haul trips - for partner meetings or expedition trips. In the last 2 years I've had trips to NYC, UK & Europe, Bermuda and Galapagos (that one was a real highlight!).
Lola and I are actually off to UK again next week, and then I'm on to Miami for a 2 week expedition on the Florida Keys. And then a quick Singapore trip. And another trip to Bali later in the year. So yes, a bit of travel for sure. And taking Lola is often not practical (4yr olds and expedition boats/diving rarely works). So juggling this all as a single Mum has its definite challenges. I have great friends who help out when I make the shorter trips Lola cannot join.
I've taken friends along for a free trip to help look after her at times. I've arranged for friends local to where visiting to help out too. I tend to take her on the bigger trips if to UK/Europe as my Mum is in the UK and helps out massively. She can't get enough of her only granddaughter. Last year Lola got to experience the Great Barrier Reef first hand by coming to Heron Island with me (she hated the very rocky boat trip across though), and had 3 trips back and forth to the UK in 9 months. She's now an expert on the different airlines and the finer details of long haul travel.
C4K: How much does Lola love the ocean?!
LP:Lola loves marine life, names all the creatures and is fascinated by their quirky features. Hearing her share what she knows about her marine encounters with her friends is adorable. Taking her on reef walks, pointing everything out is such fun, she wants to know everything and get up close to watch. I gave a talk at her daycare to all her class mates about my work recently, and her excitement was infectious. She delighted in showing them all the different hand signals divers use to communicate underwater.
C4K: How do you juggle such a demanding role with a young child?
LP:My working week is not really a 5-day-a-week role, almost always more, weekends and early mornings/late evenings but luckily the role allows me flexibility to structure around Lola's needs as well as my work needs.
She's in daycare 4 days a week (has been since she was 12 months), and together we work and play at home on Mondays, not my most productive of days but important to us. I don't mind working late in to the night regularly if it gives me this extra Mummy/Lola time once a week.
I have structured my work days with the routine required to do early drop offs and late pick-ups, (she's pretty much always the first child to be dropped off so I can kick start my day as early as possible, when the US is still wake) and when the routine goes array because of late meetings, early/late flights etc, this is when my friends rally round, sharing pick-ups, sleepovers, drop offs etc. And I in turn help them out.
Having no family in Australia, friends become even more important. Luckily Lola's not really had many illnesses so very rarely has she missed a day due to sickness. Juggling those daycare can you pick your child up early' phone calls have been few and far between thankfully.
Have to say, next year, as she joins school and we tackle new challenges, pitching for limited before and after school care spots, timetabled school holidays, her ability to do the big travel trips will reduce, and I'll have to rethink how I manage the day-to-day and those big blocks of travel - au pair or nanny support perhaps. Have my head in sand somewhat right now regarding this one.
C4K: What are your main wishes for Lola as she grows up?
LP:What do I wish for Lola as she grows up - gentle confidence in herself, self fulfilment, simple happiness, good health, a world full of empathy, understanding and love, an improving world not one fraught with conflict, environmental and social change.
C4K: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a mum?
LP:Strengths as a mum. Hard question to answer. Does anyone think they are a good parent? The 'can I / should I be doing things better' often comes to mind. I guess being a calm influence, and listener and a confidence giver. So much can be sorted with simple love and respect. And being prepared to learn from my own mistakes, change myself to better her and I.
Weaknesses as a mum. Loving my job, demands of work can easily distract me from sitting and listening and sharing in the simple delights of having a little person growing up alongside you.
C4K: What three things could you not do without as a working mum?
LP:3 things could not do without as a working mum 1) my phone - connectivity on the go is critical 2) amazing network of friends to keep me sane, and help out along the way 3) sense of humour (and the occasional large glass of red wine!)
|
