Our Chapter

About Us

Make-A-Wish® Greater Bay Area is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that fulfills the wishes of children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 who have critical illnesses. Make-A-Wish® has granted more than 375,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories since our inception in 1980. Last year, Make-A-Wish granted more than 16,200 wishes throughout the U.S. and its territories. Our chapter was founded in 1984, we serve 17 counties in Northern California, from Siskiyou to Monterey. Our chapter has granted more than 9,500 wishes to date and grants around 350 life-changing wishes per year.

Blowing out candles at the Wish Insiders Summiy
Our Staff
Our Board
Catherine Aker
Catherine Aker

Director

Vice President, Communications & Community, Oakland Athletics
Ash Baraghoush
Ash Baraghoush

Director

Managing Director, Structured Finance, Pacific Urban Investors
Kara Baysinger
Kara Baysinger

Director

Co-Chair, Insurance Regulatory Practice, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Dana Green
Dana Green

Director

Realtor, Compass
Charles Halladay
Charles Halladay

Director

Senior Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc.
Peter Hilliard
Peter Hilliard

Director

Chief Human Resources Officer, Corsair
Our Advisory Councils

Our chapter is supported by several generous and active Advisory Councils, a Youth Board, and our new Wish It Forward alumni community. Read more.

Our Diversity Statement

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Organizational Goal Statement 

To better fulfill our mission of creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses across the greater Bay Area, we are committed to making urgent and thoughtful changes. We will continually work to become a more diverse and inclusive organization by:

  • Examining and confronting our own internal biases 
  • Nurturing a culture of accessibility and equity across all areas of our work
  • Challenging and addressing structural racism in our everyday policies, practices, and procedures

News & Publications

Wish kid Miles

For The Media

Best Wishes 2024 Header

Best Wishes

Managing Our Funds

Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area finances endeavors through corporate sponsorships, special events, foundation grants and individual contributions. However, we do not solicit funds by telephone and receive no federal or state funding. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, all contributions are deductible to the extent permitted by law. Our financial statements are audited locally by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. 

For full financial details please review our most recent FY23 Audited Financial StatementsFY23 Impact Report or our latest 990.  

We are proud to be a BBB Accredited Charity Seal Holder, having met all 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. 

Careers and Internships

Join the Make-A-Wish team! 

Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area is committed to a diverse work environment where people from all backgrounds are welcomed and valued. 

At Make-A-Wish, we are more than a great place to work—our work is life-changing. We are an inclusive and diverse group of people who, through a mosaic of backgrounds, thought and experiences, are united in purposeful work. We are fueled and guided by our values—values that are represented in the inspired people we work with and the life-changing work we do, every day.

Open staff positions

Marketing Manager

Corporate Development Manager

Senior Development Associate

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