Dr Charlene Naves, FAAP
Board Certified Pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics
My journey to creating Sunny Trails Pediatrics began long before medical school.
Although I was born in Anaheim, California, my family moved to El Salvador when I was nine years old. There I had the privilege of growing up with extended family and experiencing Latin Culture.
I was exposed to healthcare quite differently than what many families see here in the United States. Having a family doctor or direct access to your physician was the norm. If someone in the family had a concern, we didn’t think about waiting weeks for an appointment or worrying about insurance approvals, and navigating a complicated system. wWe simply called our doctor!
I watched how these relationships were built over time. Our physician knew us well, remembered our history, and understood our family dynamic. Care felt personal, connected, and supportive. There was no sense of rushing through visits or needing to “fight the system.” It was medicine rooted in trust and accessibility.
When I moved back to the U.S. I continued my training in Texas Tech University Pediatric Program of El Paso, Texas and began practicing pediatrics. After several years in Texas my family and I moved to California, accomplishing a life long dream of returning to my California. Here I joined as a Newborn Hospitalist at CHOC and Hoag Newport where I had the privilege of attending newborns from high risk deliveries and life saving care, as well as routine care for newborns.
But no matter where I was I saw the same issues, I noticed how different the system felt for many families here. Insurance requirements, long wait times, and fragmented care that often stood in the way of parents getting what they truly needed: timely, compassionate guidance for their children.
Sunny Trails Pediatrics was created to change that. I wanted to bring back that sense of connection and accessibility I grew up with. Through our membership model, families have direct access to their pediatrician, just like I experienced as a child. We can strip away unnecessary barriers and focus on what matters most: caring for children and supporting parents.
For me, direct pediatric care is deeply personal. It’s the way I believe healthcare should be: simple, accessible, and built on relationships.
