We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Raelyn Stuart. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Raelyn below.

Alright, Raelyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back on your career, have you ever worked with a great leader or boss? We’d love to hear about the experience and what you think made them such a great leader.

The first job I had straight out of undergraduate college was as an administrative clerk in a branch of government. I was often applauded for my hard work by my boss at the time and always felt valued as an employee, like the work I was doing mattered. One day, about a year into my job, my boss asked me to meet with him privately. After dispelling my initial concerns, he explained that he just wanted to speak with me about my interest in staying at my current position versus taking a new position. I said that I hadn’t been searching but if I decided I wanted to “move up or move on,” he’d be notified. I wasn’t going to leave him on short notice. I was grateful to him for hiring me straight out of college. I liked the work I was doing enough, and I was so nervous that my next boss wouldn’t be as kind or encouraging. I hadn’t really thought about leaving my position until he asked. I’ll never forget what he said to me next: “You are a smart woman, and you’re capable of so much more than this job. If you want to find a job higher up, I will be happy to help you however I can.” I couldn’t fathom at the time that my boss was so invested in my professional happiness and growth, he would help me leave his office and the administrative role I was in for something that would challenge, excite, and fulfill me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am the current Executive Director of The Wishes Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that exists to serve children in need by bringing beloved fairytale characters to life. I first heard about The Wishes Foundation, or just “Wishes,” as my colleagues and I lovingly refer to it, in 2019 from a classmate of mine who thought I’d love the organization. I auditioned and was cast as a character performer in the fall of 2019, and have been actively involved in the organization ever since. I saw the organization from every angle: I assisted characters on visits, performed as a character, and became the Fundraising Director in 2022 before becoming the Executive Director in the fall of 2022. I guess my classmate was right – I fell in love with Wishes and its mission, along with the people in the organization. I have met some of the kindest, most selfless people through Wishes, and have created so many memories through visits and events I have attended over the years.

The Wishes Foundation provides one-on-one character interactions with children who are in various states of need or requiring special care; sometimes that means visiting a low-income elementary school, an autistic gym, or child patients in hospitals. We never, ever charge for our services while also guaranteeing a high quality experience for the children, meaning all of our funding for costumes, wigs, and other necessary supplies comes from fundraising. We have a wonderful group of volunteers who are dedicated to the mission of Wishes and serving Nashville who show up and show out when fundraising time comes!

Our volunteers are also incredibly diligent when it comes to preparedness. Our character performers undergo hours of training, including individualized training sessions that involve not only an in-depth study of the character they are assigned, but also other characters they may speak about or interact with. We expect and maintain such high standards for our performers because we understand how important these characters are to children who could use a little extra magic and how impactful character interactions can be for children in difficult situations.

Every child deserves basic needs like food, shelter and water, but sometimes we forget that every child also deserves happiness, love, and light. The Wishes Foundation works to make every single child feel love and happiness through each interaction.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being involved in an organization that values creativity and imagination the way The Wishes Foundation does is seeing how creativity can connect people. There is nothing like seeing a child’s face light up when their favorite character walks into the room, or watching a child run into a character for a big hug. Being able to connect with children through characters and stories that we all know and love is priceless and something magical that I will never get tired of witnessing.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The mission of The Wishes Foundation, to bring beloved fairytale characters to children in need, is the keystone of our foundation. Everything that we do – from fundraising and visits to training sessions and partnerships with other organizations – is to further the mission.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://thewishesfoundation.org/
• Instagram: @thewishesfoundation
• Facebook: The Wishes Foundation
• Linkedin: The Wishes Foundation

Image Credits
No need to worry about these! These were all taken by members of TWF and are our property!