We recently sat down with George Deveney, Sr. (LB ’11), the Chief Advancement Officer at Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. George spoke about being inspired by car washes and basketball games, his pick for the second-best TV show of all time, and which leadership lessons are most embodied by the Boston Celtics. 

You have been a long-time Celtics fan. Are there leadership lessons we can take from their championship journey this year? 

The Celtics organization is first-class. At Make-A-Wish, we have the privilege of working closely with their Community Team to grant wishes. We are grateful for Rich Gotham’s leadership on our Board. I’ve been a season ticket member since 2007 and have been a fan since I can remember. 

Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics’ coaching staff had a clear strategic vision for the season, and they got the entire roster on the same page. Frankly, Brad also built a team with elite talent. 

It’s hard to separate this championship team from the ones who came before and couldn’t get it done. It feels like all the highs and lows since Jaylen was drafted culminated in this title. I am so proud of them – and I’m really happy for Al Horford. Top to bottom, it’s a group of high-quality guys. I can’t wait see them defend the title! 

Leaders need to build strong teams, leverage strengths, articulate a clear vision and strategy, and ensure everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.  The Celtics clearly and publicly did that. These are all leadership lessons that can be applied no matter the situation!   

Can you tell us about your experience in LeadBoston and how it has impacted your career path?  

I experienced LeadBoston in the year following a seven-month stint in London, so it was a perfect way to dive into the most pressing community issues and grow my network. I’m still in contact with many folks from my cohort. I think we all came away from the experience thankful for the diverse perspectives we were exposed to.  

LeadBoston was a vehicle for innovative ideas and transformative discussions. I remember truly looking forward to the time spent with my cohort. The supportive environment they fostered made it easy to share ideas and helped me grow both personally and professionally. Our shared commitment to leadership and social responsibility created a powerful sense of camaraderie and purpose that was rooted in our collective desire to make Boston a better place. 

What are a few of your most meaningful milestones since you participated in LeadBoston? 

The first is a no-brainer: becoming a father. There is no better role. I particularly love the quiet times at the end of the day when I get to tell my kids how much I love them and how proud I am to be their dad.  

The second milestone I’d call out is transitioning to local work. When I was in LeadBoston, I was focused nationally and internationally with City Year, working in the education space. I rarely was involved in the work here in my own community. Joining Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island has given me the opportunity to deepen my roots in an authentic way.  

Now, with two kids beginning their own school journeys in Boston Public Schools (BPS), I am excited to be involved in the education landscape on a personal level as well. 

How do you think about equity and inclusion through your work with Make a Wish Foundation?  

The pandemic put a spotlight on equity and inclusion in a new way for the families we work with every day at Make-A-Wish.  

When travel wishes were put on hold, lots of families pivoted to something else (a room makeover, a playset in the backyard, a puppy, or a virtual meeting with their favorite celebrity), but those types of pivots were not an option for some families. Their wishes were put on hold until travel resumed. It left us with a pipeline of kids waiting for their wish like we’ve never seen before. We are working diligently now to grant the wish of every eligible child in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

There is no zip code that is immune to being eligible for a wish. In fact, every day in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, a family is going to get the news that is going to dramatically shake up their world. It is a tremendous honor to be welcomed into the lives of those families.  

We remain grounded in our deep belief in the transformative power of a wish to improve the emotional, mental, and physical well-being of a child with a critical illness. That inspires us to achieve our vision of granting the wish of every single child. 

What aspects of your work most excite you?  

I get excited when I think about each of the 390 cities and towns across Massachusetts and Rhode Island supporting our mission. Whether it is a Make-A-Wish Club at a school running a car wash, or a police department vs. fire department hockey game, it’s incredible to see the ways in which everyday people step up to raise money for Make-A-Wish.  

A lot of people think that we are this big, national organization, but we are a local 501(c)3. We rely on the generosity of our incredible community of local individuals, corporations, and foundations.  

Long-time supporters like the good folks at the Cottage Park Yacht Club have held a regatta to benefit Make-A-Wish for 30 years. Newer events, like the golf tournament that GH Electrical, just launched last year. 

When it comes to raising the money to grant wishes, I often quote the best TV show of all time, “The Wire”: “All the pieces matter.”  

(For the record, the second-best TV show of all time might be “Bluey.” 

What suggestions do you have for LeadBoston alums, and others, about how they can advocate for greater equity and inclusion in Boston and beyond?  

• Stay informed about issues. Encourage others to do the same. Use storytelling to raise awareness and empathy, driving more people to take action. 

• Work closely with local organizations. Support community initiatives. Volunteer your time and amplify their voices. 

• Encourage diverse hiring practices and support the professional development of underrepresented groups. 

• Mentorship. Provide guidance, support, and opportunities to help the next generation advance in their careers and grow personally. 

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About LeadBoston   

Our signature leadership program, LeadBoston, supports all individual participants as they create and implement a leadership commitment. This leadership commitment is an action plan that confronts some of the systemic inequities they’ve learned about and that are showing up in their organization. This plan, and the collective LeadBoston experience, empowers leaders to create meaningful change in their workplaces, in their communities, and in the city of Boston itself. Staff work alongside alums for a year following the program to ensure participants have what they need to see their plan through. 

Applications for the LeadBoston class of 2025 are open !  Click here to learn more.