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Cast of The York School Play, Matilda
The York School 2024/25 Year in Review - Alumni Spotlight: Alanna Wilson '93
Three decades after Alanna Wilson ‘93 performed as a York choir member at the Conference of Independent Schools Music Festival (CISMF), she was watching her daughter, Emma ‘31, sing on the same stage with students from independent schools across Ontario. “It was neat to go back to Roy Thomson Hall to see Emma sing, and to remember when I did that,” says Alanna.
Having Emma and her son, Leo ‘35, at York has given Alanna an opportunity to experience the community as a parent, a volunteer and a donor. During the 2024-25 school year, Emma moved to the Middle School for Grade 6 and enjoyed playing the saxophone, designing and launching a rocket made from a water bottle, and learning time management skills. In Grade 2, Leo’s teacher, Miss Rowland, “was really good at bringing out his personality and getting him to ask more questions,” says Alanna.
Alanna has been a Class Parent since Emma started at the school in Grade 1 and says she has thoroughly enjoyed being involved in planning and executing events like holiday and year-end parties, and ‘treats for teachers.’ “It’s been great getting to know the other parents,” she says.
York was a small Montessori School when Alanna joined at the age of four. When she graduated from Grade 8 she transferred to the gifted program at Northern Secondary School because York didn’t have a senior school at the time. Alanna has fond memories of being on York’s student council, playing on the basketball team, learning to play the flute and going on a class trip to Quebec City.
York was a small Montessori School when Alanna joined at the age of four. When she graduated from Grade 8 she transferred to the gifted program at Northern Secondary School because York didn’t have a senior school at the time. Alanna has fond memories of being on York’s student council, playing on the basketball team, learning to play the flute and going on a class trip to Quebec City.
The school has changed a lot since Alanna’s student days, but she’s happy that York is still a welcoming community that prioritizes experiential learning. She’s also grateful for the school’s internationally-recognized IB program. “The IB sets students up for success and opens up a lot of opportunities,” says Alanna.
Today Alanna runs a company she founded called POV Media Consulting that offers services that include integrated marketing strategies, data-led planning, media buying and audience analytics. She recently planned and executed a campaign to recruit anesthesiologists forThe Ottawa Hospital.
Alanna and her husband, Andrew Dowson, are happy to be York school donors. “We love the initiatives the school is moving forward with and we wanted to support those, particularly the expansion of the Junior School. We’re happy to help the community in any way we can.”
