When former Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area board member and trustee Dan Karthas reflects on his decades-long involvement with the organization, the memories tumble out. 

He’ll never forget a girl named Stanzi, who wanted to attend the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It required a long flight, so Karthas—who worked at United Airlines—helped her get an upgrade to business class. “The US fencing team kind of adopted Stanzi as their mascot,” he remembers. “She was thrilled beyond belief.” 

Upon her return, Stanzi presented Karthas with a faux gold medal. “I was thrilled just to be part of the wish, and then to have her make such a personal gesture was pretty special,” he says. 

Karthas got involved with Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area in 1990, when he was working with United in their Human Resources department. He soon became the chapter’s wish travel champion. In 1992, he launched a program that allowed people to donate their United Airlines miles to nonprofits including Make-A-Wish and local children’s hospitals. 

By 1997, Karthas joined the board, serving two consecutive three-year terms. Karthas was integral to building a solid foundation for the effective board that serves today, in terms of governance and participation. He helped recruit and welcome new board members and was also on the board when Patricia Wilson was hired and began her tenure as Executive Director. 

“We got some new blood in,” Karthas says, of that time of growth for the chapter. “We were fortunate to get some really good talent.” 

For her part, Wilson felt fortunate to have Karthas on the board. “Dan was amazing,” she says. “Better than amazing. Extraordinary. He definitely comes from the camp of he doesn’t understand the word ‘no.’ He will say, ‘What do you mean, no? There’s got to be another way.’” 

Wilson recalls that Karthas would use that determination to upgrade the travel experience for wish kids. “If we had a child that just had surgery and needed extra leg room because their knee literally didn’t bend, he would get them upgraded,” she says. “He would find a way, he would talk to the staff, he would physically come and meet them at the airport and get them checked in. He would let the pilots know and the child would get a tour of the cockpit and then the pilot would make an announcement and the whole plane would applaud. That kind of love and compassion just breeds more—people want to be a part of it, right? And Dan was instrumental in making that happen.” 

One of Karthas’ fondest memories over the years is United Airlines annual Fantasy Flight, which flew children from local hospitals from the San Francisco International Airport up to the Golden Gate Bridge, down to Monterey and back. “I got to meet a lot of wish kids and families that way,” he says, “which was great. It was really special.” 

Karthas is now retired from United Airlines but remains committed to Make-A-Wish. “When he ended his board service, Dan spent time on our advisory council and continues to support wish kids and their families whenever he can, which is often,” says CEO Betsy Biern. “He and Alene donate personally as well. I’m so grateful for their ongoing support.” 

One of Karthas’ great enjoyments is having the opportunity to talk about wishes and the impact they’ve had—not just on children and families but on him too. 

“I made money at my job, at my career at United, but my real pleasure was working with Make-A-Wish, and making things happen,” he says. “When they ask me about my affiliation with Make-A-Wish, I tell people ‘If our wish kids and their families are getting the joy that I am out of Make-A-Wish, then we’re all doing our job.’”