Your team does meaningful work supporting the community, and offering employee benefits is a great way for your organization to support their health and well-being. Finding coverage that meets their needs and fits your budget can take time, especially if you’re unsure where to begin.
The Vantage Point Benefits Plan, offered in partnership with Schmunk Gatt Smith & Associates, is one of the many benefits available to Vantage Point members. Whether you're looking to implement a benefits plan for your staff or your organization is seeking a new provider, you can learn more in our free webinar on Thursday, November 19, where we’ll introduce the plan and walk you through how to get started.
A Shared Approach to Employee Benefits
One of the main advantages of the Vantage Point Benefits Plan is that it brings participating BC non-profits together through pooled group insurance. By combining their purchasing power, organizations can access coverage while retaining the flexibility to tailor plans to their staff, organizational structure, and budget.
Whether you’re introducing benefits as your team grows, reviewing coverage ahead of a renewal, or exploring what your organization might offer in the future, this webinar will give you a clear look at how the plan works and help you decide if you’d like to explore it further.
During the webinar, we’ll walk you through how pooled group insurance works, how coverage can be tailored to your organization, and what to expect when requesting a quote. There’s no need to be ready to introduce benefits or change your current plan to attend.
Join Us on November 19
This webinar is open to anyone interested in attending and is designed for executive directors, HR and operations staff, and anyone who helps their organization make employee benefits decisions.
Vantage Point Benefits Plan webinar
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026
Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm PT
Location: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free
What you’ll take away
- Understanding of pooled group insurance and how participating non-profits pool their purchasing power.
- A closer look at the Vantage Point Benefits Plan and how coverage can be tailored to your staff’s needs and your organization’s budget.
- An introduction to our membership program, including how the Benefits Plan fits within the support available to Vantage Point members.
- Clear next steps for requesting a quote, including what information to have ready, whether you’re introducing benefits or reviewing existing coverage.
About the Facilitators
Zahra Esmail, CEO, Vantage Point
Zahra joined the Vantage Point team as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in December 2021. Zahra has worked in the non-profit sector for over 20 years with experience in international development, housing and homelessness, community development, microfinance, governance, fundraising, and leadership.
Zahra is an active volunteer in the community. She is an active member on the Boards of BCIT, Cuso International, and Lookout Foundation. Zahra was also Chair of BC’s Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee for over five years, an independent committee that advises government on policy developments related to poverty reduction and prevention. She was recognized as one of Business in Vancouver’s Forty Under 40 in 2019, was nominated for a YWCA Women of Distinction Award in 2022, and received a King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025.
Zahra gratefully resides on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples with her husband and school-age daughter.
Julie Armour, VP of Operations, Schmunk Gatt Smith & Associates
As Schmunk Gatt Smith’s VP of Operations, Julie brings 15 years of experience and a broad understanding of the insurance and financial sector. She oversees various aspects of day-to-day operations, working to ensure the needs of both clients and the organization are supported.
Throughout her years with SGS, Julie has worked with a wide range of clients across industries such as social services, horticulture, and hospitality. Through these experiences, she has developed an understanding of the different needs and priorities that come with each group. She recognizes that no two clients are the same and that each requires an approach suited to their individual circumstances. Her experience has allowed her to work through a variety of challenges and help clients navigate available options and find solutions that are sustainable and suited to their specific needs.
Julie is involved in client portfolio analysis, negotiations and reviews, while maintaining close working relationships with various insurance carriers. She acts as a liaison between clients and carriers, helping facilitate communication and address client needs. Her role also involves overseeing a large number of client groups, each with its own requirements and responsibilities, while coordinating with different departments to keep operations running smoothly.
Maintaining client relationships is an ongoing part of Julie's role, extending well beyond the initial setup of a plan. She works closely with her team to ensure regular communication and follow-ups, particularly around annual renewals and plan reviews. By keeping clients informed of upcoming deadlines, changes, available options and new opportunities in a timely manner, she helps allow sufficient time for discussion, review and any necessary adjustments. Julie also provides guidance throughout this process to ensure clients are supported, and their questions are addressed along the way.
Julie values open communication, cooperation and building positive working relationships. She enjoys working with clients and believes that a collaborative approach is important to providing consistent service and success.
Not a Vantage Point Member Yet?
The Vantage Point Benefits Plan is part of our membership program, developed in response to feedback from non-profit leaders across British Columbia. Membership provides practical benefits to help organizations of all sizes support their teams, strengthen their skills, and connect with others across the sector.
By becoming a member, your organization also supports our work to strengthen the non-profit sector in British Columbia.
Not a member yet? Explore the program to see what’s available and learn about the advantages of membership.