March 18, 2026 – Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida, a nonprofit that grants life-changing wishes for critically-ill children, announces the addition of Ricky Patel to its Board of Directors. Patel is of counsel at Akerman LLP and vice chair of the Board of Advisors at St. Thomas University’s College of Law, among many other professional and philanthropic endeavors.
“Ricky is an impactful leader that is already making a difference on our governing board,” said Norman Wedderburn, president & CEO of Make-A-Wish Southern Florida. “His passion for children and commitment to our mission will help us make even more dreams come true for kids and families that benefit from the magical experiences we deliver.”
Wish kids most often ‘wish to be’ (something), ‘wish to meet’ (someone), ‘wish to go’ (somewhere), ‘wish to have’ (something), or ‘wish to give’ (to a cause) and the nonprofit organization makes this happen for the child and his/her entire family at no cost or obligation.
“I became aware of Make-A-Wish through my advocacy for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and immediately realized my time, talent, and resources could help the organization reach more children,” said Patel, a Delray Beach resident who chaired the Board of Trustees for Nicklaus. “Seeing their ‘big picture’ helped me realize this was a place I wanted to make my philanthropic home.”
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida (www.wish.org/sfla) has granted more than 15,000 life-changing wishes since 1983 for critically-ill children. It aims to grant a wish for every medically-eligible child in its territory and understands wishes aren’t just nice, they are necessary for kids and families at some of the most difficult times in their lives. The Southern Florida chapter’s territory includes 22 counties/four regions: southeast and southwest Florda, the Suncoast, and Tampa Bay. It also includes the U.S. Virgin Islands.
