Daryl Mah Thomann is Chief Operating Officer for Make-A-Wish Illinois, where she directs central operations and manages strategic and financial planning for the organization. She actively collaborates with Make-A-Wish America and peer chapters to help strengthen operations across the Make-A-Wish federated enterprise. In Illinois, Daryl has supported the chapter’s growth in developing a workforce of over 50 staff and 1600 volunteers, to engage the Illinois community in its work to grant over 720 wishes each year.

Prior to joining Make-A-Wish, Daryl was a management and economic consultant, with marchFIRST, Mitchell Madison Group, and InteCap, Inc. During her consulting career, she specialized in financial valuation and new venture strategy, and developing effective business practices for clients.

Daryl is active in her local community, including support of the public school system where her children attend school, the XS Tennis and Education Foundation whose mission is to provide Chicago’s underserved youth with an enriching safe-haven and positive pathway to college, and various neighborhood initiatives.

Daryl has her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania where she majored in International Relations, and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Originally from the Washington, DC area, Daryl resides in Chicago with her husband and three children.