Make-A-Wish and Chef Thomas Keller selected for College of Human Sciences' 33rd annual International Quality of Life Awards in New York City

In its 33rd year honoring individuals, partnerships and organizations that significantly impact quality of life and change the world, the College of Human Sciences’ annual International Quality of Life Awards (IQLA) returns to New York City to honor the world’s largest wish-granting organization and a world renowned chef/proprietor with a special celebration inside the iconic Rainbow Room on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Center on Monday, Dec. 7.

Make-A-Wish and Chef Thomas Keller will join the legacy of dozens of other laureates and lifetime achievement award recipients dedicated to advancing well-being through their leadership qualities, vision, service and far-reaching impact that continually makes an extraordinary difference in the lives of others aligning with the mission of the College of Human Sciences and the IQLA — improving quality of life and changing the world.

Following a record-setting night in the nation’s capital celebrating the 32nd annual IQLA in Washington, D.C. for the first time in 2025, IQLA returns to the place where it all began 33 years ago in New York City.

Make-A-Wish President and CEO Leslie Motter will accept the Laureate Award on behalf of the organization at the IQLA celebration on Dec. 7.

Make-A-Wish, receiving the 2026 IQLA Laureate Award, is the world’s largest wish-granting organization, granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the No. 1 most trusted nonprofit operating in all 50 states throughout the U.S., and also has a network of affiliates in over 50 countries across six continents. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 20,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish helps children and families find hope and strength in the midst of a medical journey.

Make-A-Wish President and CEO Leslie Motter will accept the award on behalf of the organization at the IQLA celebration on Dec. 7. Before assuming her role as president and CEO in 2022, Motter was a senior member of the Make-A-Wish America leadership team for nearly a decade, joining the organization in 2013 and advancing to chief operating officer in 2015. An accomplished business leader, Motter built an extensive career in operations, management and organizational leadership. Prior to Make-A-Wish, Motter served in leadership roles at American Express, Aetna, Vanguard and Prudential, bringing a proven record of building high-performing teams and driving growth and impact to her work with the organization.

Just as the College of Human Sciences Department of Human Development and Family Science recognizes the incredible importance of family relationships and the emotional well-being of children and caregivers, Make-A-Wish understands the power of a wish, as research shows that wishes can help improve emotional and physical well-being, strengthen resilience and help families cope with traumatic stress.

Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 650,000 wishes worldwide, including more than 400,000 in the U.S. and its territories.

The IQLA Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor reserved for outstanding individuals who have achieved success in their chosen professions, will be presented to internationally acclaimed Chef Thomas Keller.

The IQLA will add to his impressive list of culinary accolades that includes earning The Culinary Institute of America’s “Chef of the Year” Award, the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Chef” and “Outstanding Restaurateur” Awards and Michelin Guide’s Chef Mentor Award.

Chef Keller has established a collection of restaurants — Thomas Keller Restaurant Group — that sets a new paradigm within the hospitality profession. He is the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from the prestigious Michelin Guide — for The French Laundry and Per Se — in addition to being awarded one star for The Surf Club Restaurant, becoming the most honored American chef by Michelin Guide, as well as the first American male chef to be designated a Chevalier of The French Legion of Honor, the highest decoration in France.