Meet The People: partypoker’s Emma Casey

Each week the partypoker blog speaks to a member of the partypoker team or one of our awesome, valued players in our Meet The People segment. This week it is Emma Casey’s turn for a few minutes under the spotlight, keep reading to discover more about her.

Emma is a 22-year-old born and raised in North-West London but with an Irish background who joined the partypoker team in June 2016 as an Events and Sponsorship Associate. Before joining the partypoker team, Emma studied history at Sussex University, graduating in July 2015, before working as an Event Manager for a Central London hotel, a far cry away from the world of poker.

“I often get interested / surprised / funny looks when I’m asked what I did for work before partypoker as my degree seems pretty far away from what I’m doing now.”

The role Emma has at partypoker is challenging, demanding, yet rewarding. Emma told us the biggest challenges she’s faced in her role so far.

“When the event schedule goes crazy and you end up packing for a week in Montreal in November followed by a week in the Caribbean and trying to fit two different wardrobes into one suitcase! Joking aside, the travelling is a lot of fun but at the same time can be exhausting. Trying to juggle the regular office work and prepare for upcoming events while you’re away, as well as the work at the event can also be quite difficult. But they are enjoyable challenges.”

Despite being able to travel the globe with her job, Emma’s favourite thing about working for partypoker is the people.

“Those that I work with every day are very cool but I’m also lucky I get to meet so many people at our various events in so many different locations.”

Since joining the partypoker team, Emma has been involved in several projects which she has dealt with like a seasoned pro. She was present at WPT Montreal when Mike Sexton won his World Poker Tour title, and went to the Caribbean Poker Party, but neither of these fabulous events have been Emma’s favourite.

“The Big Bluff final in Brighton was great. It was my first event and I was so pleased/relieved when it went smoothly. Despite joining half way through the project looking back at it now it was a real success and it was great to be so involved in it so early on. Being thrown into a boxing ring to spar with ambassador Carl Froch (thank you Jessica) after only a week in the job was also quite fun (I think) as it’s not something many people ever get to do without leaving with a reshaped face. But out of all the events so far my favourite is probably the Irish Festival in Killarney as I got to meet so many great people and the event was such a success it was a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Until she joined partypoker, Emma hadn’t played poker before, but tried her arm at it during the WPT UK festival where she competed in the Ladies Event, describing it as both “scary” and “fun.” According to those who faced Emma in her debut game of poker, she was very difficult to read!

When she’s not busy organising major events at work, or pretending she hasn’t got a clue how to play poker in a casino, Emma is a massive sports fan and loves to spend her spare time getting her sporting fix, just don’t ask her to watch golf.

“I love going to watch sport – whether it’s football, rugby, boxing, horse racing or most recently an ice hockey match in Montreal. I think I could sit down in front of most sports and be happy enough to watch it. Maybe with the exception of golf. I’ve always said I don’t understand how people can watch golf and fight my brothers when they put it on TV. But saying this, I had a similar thought about American Football until I went to Montreal and partypoker ambassador Tony Dunst started trying to teach me the rules. I wouldn’t say I’m converted just yet but definitely willing to watch it again. So maybe there’s hope for golf…”

So the next time you’re at a partypoker-sponsored event, keep an eye out for Emma and go say hi to her. She probably won’t bite, that is unless you ask her for an opinion on Tiger Woods!