Meet the Wonderful Make-A-Wish Team and Board

Staff members

Nathalie Martens-Jacquet – Managing Director 100%

« I want to do everything I can to make a seriously ill child smile and give him or her the strength to continue the fight. This is my goal in working for Make-A-Wish. Giving meaning to my activity is of great importance to me.»

Thanks to her previous professional experience, whether in international NGOs/institutions, a public administration or a medical foundation, Nathalie can put her skills to good use for this noble cause. Her different trainings, but above all her commitment and dedication, allow her to carry out these projects that are close to her heart.

Nathalie Nnady – Wish Granting Coordinator 80%

Since I started working at Make-A-Wish as Wish coordinator, I have had the privilege of seeing many children living with critical illness and their families smile again.

The power of a wish is so wonderful that the joy and happiness seen in our children and their loved ones becomes contagious. Together with wonderful volunteers and our generous partners and all the people that help us turn our children dreams into reality, I am happy to contribute, in my own modest way, in the beautiful achievement of Make-A-Wish.

Maria Riat – Assistant Wish Program 50%

I am highly motivated to be working at Make-A-Wish.

It is comforting to know that one can bring some happiness and magic to children and their families.

Mel Alves Silva – Community Manager 20%

It is an honor to be part of a team with such unique values like integrity and community. With such a unique mission : create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Andrea – Project Coordinator

Volunteers

Petra Roig – Administrative Volunteer

Being part of a team that realizes the life-changing wishes of children with serious illnesses is a very enriching and humbling experience. Each wish has a profound impact not only on our children, but also on their families and on all those affected by this story. I can‘t think of anything more valuable to do with my spare time.

Katia Kemper – Administrative Volunteer

After participating in the fulfillment of a wish in my workplace, I was touched by the wonderful mission of Make-A. Wish. Seeing this child‘s eyes light up because his wish was finally coming true, allowing him to forget about treatments for a day was something very touching.

So I decided to regularly give some of my free time to this cause and it‘s a real pleasure to collaborate with the Make-A-Wish team who do an exceptional job!!

Alice Abougoche – Administrative Volunteer

The Picasso quote, ”Everything you can imagine is real”, has always been a source of inspiration for me. As a member of the MAW team, responsible for Corporate Partnerships and Fundraising, I am thrilled to contribute to turning the dreams of sick children into real fairy tales. Together, let’s keep imagining, because for every dream, we weave a new thread of magic in this wonderful world!

Board members (on a voluntary basis)

Anne Empain – President

I had the privilege to be invited to join the Board of Make-A-Wish in 2020. I was thrilled to join such a tremendously meaningful charitable organisation. A universal cause that we all care about – bringing happiness to a ill child and his family. The team is amazing, experienced and fully committed.

As a mother of 2 boys, one disabled, I am fully convinced that every grape of happy moment is energising for the whole family. I am committed to contribute to the mission of Make-A-Wish and put my expertise as international lawyer, perseverant problem solver and enthusiast of life to serve the children and their families.

Jean-Pierre Boissonnas – Vice-President

I have had the great pleasure of granting wishes to seriously ill children for many years and have decided to continue this commitment by joining the Board.

My career in the world of finance and my ability to activate an important network allow me to use these skills for the benefit of this wonderful foundation that is Make-A-Wish Switzerland.

Alexia Rambosson – Treasurer

As a mother I always been concerned by children health and education, which are my key priorities. I support several projects in both areas and I am honoured today to be as well part of this great team of Make-a-Wish.

But as well as an independent board member, tax lawyer and family governance expert, I advise and accompany families to find sustainable solutions for the next generations and I am thankful to be able to use today my long expertise for helping ill children and their families.

Nicolas Müller – Co-founder and Member

Make-A-Wish was a crazy dream and a shared ambition with my wife Sophia Ansar-Müller and Christina Firmenich. We wanted to help and give moral support to seriously ill children in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. By fulfilling a child’s dearest wish, the impossible becomes reality, including the possibility of a cure. Almost twenty years later, the Foundation is now recognized throughout Switzerland and Liechtenstein, thanks to the quality of the work done over the years by our volunteers, employees and members of the Foundation Board.

Christina Firmenich – Co-founder and Member

When a child is able to fulfil a dream, they are amazed. They experience intense joy and create a memory that can stay with them through difficult times. Make-A-Wish does more than make wishes come true, it brings happiness and makes the impossible possible: the dream becomes reality!

My involvement and dedication since the creation of Make-A-Wish Switzerland have always been motivated by wanting to give back a smile, strength and hope to each child and to each accompanying family. Doing good makes me feel good.

Filippo Donati – Member

Make-A-Wish and I share the view that granting the wishes of seriously ill children is right and justified so that the child feels better psychologically. In my forty years of experience as a doctor, I have seen how important the well-being of the child and the support of the family are for the success of the treatment. A happy child, who has been able to realise his or her dream, is more tolerant of the side effects of the therapy (allowing the dosage and duration of the therapy to be increased) and is more tolerant of pain (allowing painkillers to be reduced).

I am very pleased and honoured to have recently been elected to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Board and I am committed to making sure that as many seriously ill children as possible get a wish. Furthermore, I am very happy to put my forty years of professional experience, my privileged relations in the German and Italian speaking part of Switzerland and my time at the service of the children, their families and Make-A-Wish.