Chelsea Dobbs ’11 Events and Campaign Coordinator Make-A-Wish

It was a voicemail Chelsea Dobbs knew she'd keep forever.

Five-year-old Destiny was on her way to Disney World when she dialed Dobbs, the Make-A-Wish employee who helped make her Disney dream a reality.

“She was so excited to see the Disney princesses, she was screaming,” said Dobbs, a 2011 BGSU graduate. “I was actually kind of happy that I'd missed the call because I got it all on voicemail, and it meant so much to me.”

Even before graduating from BGSU's tourism and event planning program, Dobbs was helping Make-A-Wish raise funds allowing children with life-threatening conditions to live out their dreams.

“I thought I wanted to be a wedding planner, but after doing some internships, it wasn't what I thought it would be,” Dobbs said. “I wanted to find work that would feel more fulfilling to me. That's part of how I stumbled onto Make-A-Wish in the first place.”

While a student, Dobbs took a development internship at Make-A-Wish's Toledo office, and has been with the organization ever since.

Following graduation, Dobbs moved to Columbus, where she worked as a Make-A-Wish development associate. There, Dobbs launched the first “Walk for Wishes” in Dayton in 2013, which raised more than $25,000 for the organization. She also co-organized the annual Columbus Walk for Wishes.

While her focus was fundraising, Dobbs also had the chance to interact with Make-A-Wish children through volunteering, which led her to meeting Destiny.

“Just knowing she was having the time of her life at Disney World was really special to me — it's just the epitome of what a wish should be,” she said.

In late 2013, Dobbs moved to the Sacramento, Calif. suburb of Folsom to be with her fiance, fellow Bowling Green alum Bryan Skinner.

Dobbs was hired as events and campaign coordinator for Make-A-Wish's northeastern California and northern Nevada chapter.

Now, in addition to organizing walks, Dobbs helps plan silent auctions, galas and other fundraising events.

Dobbs aspires to one day open her own event planning business, but says Make-A-Wish will likely remain part of her life.

“I'll always be a volunteer,” she said.