At Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, staff are devoted to the organization's mission to provide life-changing wishes for children battling critical illnesses.

Jule Keese, is a dedicated team member, who helps bring wishes to life in her role as a Wish Manager.

Before joining Make-A-Wish, Keese worked in education and as an entrepreneur. She served as both a substitute teacher and did marketing for a company that placed educators in Philadelphia’s charter schools. Additionally, she owned her own small business, Hidden Jules, which sold women’s athleisure.

During her time working in the classroom, Keese developed a strong passion for working with children. Her ability to connect with her students and give them joy fueled her to seek new opportunities where she could do more fulfilling work.

“I wanted to be the fun person for a kid, provide them with some sort of happiness and good memories,” said Keese.

Keese first learned about Make-A-Wish through a childhood friend who received a wish during their youth. When Keese’s sister brought to her attention an advertisement for a position open at Make-A-Wish, she knew she wanted to apply to the organization.

In 2022, Keese was brought on board and today is responsible for making those wishes a reality.

“We plan the wish from start to finish in every aspect,” said Keese.

From discovering wishes, planning, sourcing, budgeting, communicating, organizing, and executing, Keese is there every step of the way for wish kids along their wish journeys. Even when she has to navigate through expected roadblocks that come up along the journey, her goal remains the same: make each wish as special as possible.

“Every wish is super cool because it means so much to the child,” said Keese. “The fact that they are so passionate about it makes me want to be able to do my best to create it for them.”

The individuality of each child and wish is what makes Keese's work so unique.

“There is no exact streamlined plan for a wish because every kid is so different, everyone wants something different,” said Keese.

From an Arizona horseback riding ranch experience to a celebrity wish that didn’t go as planned, but still made special, Keese has had a front-row seat to the magic of the organization.

“There is a little bit of magic for everyone,” said Keese. “The parents see the magic in the kids having so much fun, I see the magic in the feedback from the parents. Even the doctors, nurses, and social workers, everyone’s getting that magic from the wish and it’s fulfilling.”

Keese appreciates the supportive atmosphere fostered at Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, which helps her perform in her role and make each wish the best it can be.

“The program team is super supportive and is always there to help,” said Keese. “Everything throughout the office is very collaborative between program and development as well.”

When Keese joined the organization, she didn’t fully know just how big of an impact she would have. Today, she knows that thanks to her hard work and contributions to the chapter, children battling life-changing illnesses get to see their wishes come true.

“I get to be the volunteer and I get to be the wish manager and see so many different sides of the wish so I’m very grateful for that,” said Keese. “It’s much more than what I imagined it to be and I have one of the best jobs ever. I get so much joy from everything I do.”