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Patricia Wilson

Patricia Wilson

Keynote Speaker: Executive Director/CEO of Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area

Patricia Wilson Biography

Patricia Wilson is the CEO of Make-A-Wish, Greater Bay Area. As one of the nation’s largest Make-A-Wish chapters, it grants more than 330 wishes per year for children with life-threatening medical conditions in northern California. A mission-based CEO committed to making the world a better place, she took her most rewarding role in 1998 when the organization had four employees and a $1.6 million budget. Today, she manages a staff of 28, more than 550 volunteers, and a budget of $9 million and is best-known for spearheading the incredible effort to turn San Francisco into Gotham City so that cancer patient Miles could become Batkid for a day. A popular TED speaker, Wilson is a sought after for her inspirational insights on leadership, philanthropy, social media, and public relations. Through uplifting and heart-warming stories, she shares the many lessons she has learned during her tenure in for-profit and non-profit leadership roles, including the importance of building and retaining teams, creating an atmosphere of excellence, and why it’s good to sometimes be affectionately known as the “B.I.C.”

Batkid Saves Gotham (San Francisco). To fulfill a wish for five-year-old leukemia survivor Miles who wanted to be a superhero, Wilson was the mastermind in assembling a gifted team involving thousands of public servants and community supporters. For a day, San Francisco was transformed into Gotham City, complete with a bat signal and Police Chief Greg Suhr’s plea for help. Miles, in full Batgear (and with a grown-up Batman), rescued a damsel in distress tied to cable car tracks, foiled the Riddler’s bank robbery attempt, paused to eat a burger, and then thwarted the Penguin’s attempt to kidnap beloved San Francisco Giants mascot, Lou Seal. To cap the day, Mayor Lee presented Miles with a key to the city (made of chocolate).

The wish became one of the biggest stories of the year. It attracted tens of thousands to attend in person and hundreds of thousands online. Well-wishers included President and First Lady Obama; Batman actors Val Kilmer, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck; celebrities like Britney Spears; the San Francisco Giants and 49ers; and an astronaut at the International Space Station. The wish created billions of social media impressions. Twitter had an unprecedented 96% positive tweets trending worldwide, and an international audience discussed it in 117 countries. The president also congratulated Miles via his first ever Vine video. The phenomenon was studied by a psychologist and is the subject of the documentary, Batkid Begins. Because of Wilson’s efforts, Miles’ life was forever changed and the world saw what a city can do when everyone comes together for good. For her work, her chapter received the Shorty Industry Awards for “Best Social Good Campaign” and “Best Twitter Campaign,” and she received the Producers Guild of America’s Digital V.I.P. Visionary Award and was named one of the San Francisco Times’ “Most Influential Business Women.”

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Patricia Wilson and other top speakers and celebrities.

Patricia Wilson Speaking Topics

Harnessing Social Media for Social Good.

Through Miles (as Batkid), Patricia Wilson and her team created a social media sensation that was so compelling even President Obama had to create his first Vine video as a response. She walks audiences through how she developed Make-A-Wish’s approach to social media and shares the importance of leveraging personal, professional, and community relationships. Believing that the biggest mistake organizations make with their social media platforms is using them as a broadcast tool (not once during the entire campaign did Make-A-Wish ask for donations – however the media attention and goodwill that the straightforward approach generated more than made up for it), she shows audiences how social media’s true power is engagement and offers tips for creating an authentic, engaging, and credible social media presence.

Leadership Lessons from an Accidental CEO.

A mission-based CEO committed to making the world a better place, Patricia Wilson shares the many lessons she has learned during her tenure in for-profit and non-profit leadership roles. She believes that the most valuable asset an organization has is its talent and says that her most significant accomplishment wasn’t pulling off the famous Batkid wish but rather assembling the team that made it possible. Told through heart-warming stories from Make-A-Wish, she shares what to look for in the hiring process, the importance of building and retaining great teams, how to set the tone for your group, creating an atmosphere of excellence, and why it’s good to sometimes be affectionately known as the “B.I.C.” With the mantra of “Give credit, don’t take it,” her leadership lessons resonate across business sectors.

Batkid Saves San Francisco and Inspires Millions.

Patricia Wilson tells the uplifting story of how she turned five-year-old cancer survivor Miles into Batkid for a day and transformed a city and inspired a nation in the process. From what went on behind the scenes to how Batkid became one of the biggest news stories of the year, she showcases heart-warming video, photos, and other media as she inspires audiences to give back and make a difference in their communities.

Patricia Wilson Videos

An Exclusive Interview with Patricia Wilson and Mike Jutan of 'Batkid ...
Leadership lessons from an accidental CEO | Patricia Wilson ...

How do I book Patricia Wilson to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Patricia Wilson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Patricia Wilson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Patricia Wilson or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Patricia Wilson for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Patricia Wilson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Patricia Wilson, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Patricia Wilson speak about?

Patricia Wilson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business Leadership, Personal Growth, Social Activism, Fitness, Inspirational, Motivational, Female Leadership, Teacher Motivation and Business.

Where does Patricia Wilson travel from?

Patricia Wilson generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Patricia Wilson?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Patricia Wilson for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Patricia Wilson for your next private or corporate function.

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AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Patricia Wilson or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Patricia Wilson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business Leadership, Personal Growth and Social Activism. The estimated speaking fee range to book Patricia Wilson for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Patricia Wilson generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Cynthia Germanotta, Kristie Kennedy and Nataly Kogan. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Patricia Wilson for an upcoming event.

Patricia Wilson Speaking Topics

  • Harnessing Social Media for Social Good.

    Through Miles (as Batkid), Patricia Wilson and her team created a social media sensation that was so compelling even President Obama had to create his first Vine video as a response. She walks audiences through how she developed Make-A-Wish’s approach to social media and shares the importance of leveraging personal, professional, and community relationships. Believing that the biggest mistake organizations make with their social media platforms is using them as a broadcast tool (not once during the entire campaign did Make-A-Wish ask for donations – however the media attention and goodwill that the straightforward approach generated more than made up for it), she shows audiences how social media’s true power is engagement and offers tips for creating an authentic, engaging, and credible social media presence.

  • Leadership Lessons from an Accidental CEO.

    A mission-based CEO committed to making the world a better place, Patricia Wilson shares the many lessons she has learned during her tenure in for-profit and non-profit leadership roles. She believes that the most valuable asset an organization has is its talent and says that her most significant accomplishment wasn’t pulling off the famous Batkid wish but rather assembling the team that made it possible. Told through heart-warming stories from Make-A-Wish, she shares what to look for in the hiring process, the importance of building and retaining great teams, how to set the tone for your group, creating an atmosphere of excellence, and why it’s good to sometimes be affectionately known as the “B.I.C.” With the mantra of “Give credit, don’t take it,” her leadership lessons resonate across business sectors.

  • Batkid Saves San Francisco and Inspires Millions.

    Patricia Wilson tells the uplifting story of how she turned five-year-old cancer survivor Miles into Batkid for a day and transformed a city and inspired a nation in the process. From what went on behind the scenes to how Batkid became one of the biggest news stories of the year, she showcases heart-warming video, photos, and other media as she inspires audiences to give back and make a difference in their communities.

Patricia Wilson Videos

An Exclusive Interview with Patricia Wilson and Mike Jutan of 'Batkid ...
Leadership lessons from an accidental CEO | Patricia Wilson ...
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