Staff Spotlight: Lilly Arriaga-Walker
Job title: Program Director
Years at Make-A-Wish: 15 (where did the time go!)
Work anniversary date: March 8, 2008
What’s a typical day look like for you? I’m not sure if typical is defined in wish granting but as a member of the of the logistics team I have the honor of coordinating and fulfilling wish experiences with my emphasis being on shopping sprees, animals, electronics, project, and an occasional travel wish. This consists of shopping for items on a wish list or visiting with wish granters to discuss the expectations of an in-person shopping experience or connecting with a family to confirm the final details to coordinate travel, or puppy options. On other days I have planned meetings with the team to work through challenges, barriers and celebrate how well we are doing based on the goal in conjunction with working with the other directors on processes, reporting and all things wish related.
Favorite part of your job: Over the years my favorite part has transitioned and although seeing the smile on a child’s face ranks first, I truly enjoy being a part of mentoring a team of young professionals and seeing them grow- They have all taught me so much over the years and their energy and enthusiasm is an enjoyable part of my days.
A memorable wish experience: My most memorable wish was the first wish I granted less than a year into my role as an admin assistant for the Texas Plains Chapter. When I was hired at Make-A-Wish I knew very little about what we did and being a part of the administration side, I was not as hands on as I would be later in my tenure. Seneca’s wish was to go Disney World with her family. She was a patient at St. Jude in Tennessee and had transitioned living there for treatment and we had hoped they would be able to assist with granting her wish while they were living in their area. As her prognosis worsened and treatments options had been exhausted, we had to move quickly as her wish turned into a rush. I was not prepared for what that meant, and I’ll be honest I had my doubts of being able to fulfill that wish on my own so with the help of my colleague in Lubbock we decided we would bring Disney to her and celebrate her 5th birthday with a princess party. Seneca was beautiful in her princess dress arriving in style with a red carpet limo escort, her favorite food, fun gifts and a visit from one of her favorite princesses-Princess Belle (we sort of bent the rules-oops!). Seneca was very ill and so we had her comfortably laying on a soft pink carpet and fold-out couch surrounded by her parents, siblings, and family. Things worked out perfectly for “Belle” to join us that night; she was a Chi-O who had been an intern for Disney and she was honored to play a small part in making this day extra special. She was in full character the entire night and showered Seneca with love, songs, and storybooks. As the night came to a close her parents looked at me and said, “they wanted to do this”, at first I wasn’t sure what they meant but they wanted to be a part of granting a wish for kids like Seneca. It was that night that I truly realized the power behind a wish and the impact it has on kids, their families, and the community. Seneca passed a few short days after her wish on Valentine’s Day and 14 years later and she’s still my why for doing what I do!
Hobbies: reading, watching movies, walking, and enjoying time with my family
Something people might not know about you: I’m going to be a grandma; we just found a few weeks ago. We have two sons, so we are uber-excited to be welcoming a sweet baby girl into the family! I can’t wait for dresses, bows and all things girly