Female doctor dressed in pink scrubs and white coat standing outdoors by a lake with boats, houses, and mountains in the background.
Drawing of a yellow sun with rays on a black background.

Dr Charlene Naves, FAAP

Board Certified Pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics

I was born in Anaheim California and at the age of 9 years my family relocated to El Salvador. 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, we 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. Upon graduation I joined The Urgent Care with Texas Children’s Hospital, and after several years my family and I moved to California, accomplishing a life long dream of returning to my home State. Here I joined as a Newborn Hospitalist at CHOC and Hoag Newport where I had the privilege of attending high risk deliveries, providing critical 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. 

This is the foundation of Sunny Trails Pediatrics. 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. 

Texas Tech university logo with a large red and black T on a black background.
Hoag logo with the word 'hoag' in lowercase gray letters and an orange dot to the right of the letter 'g'.
Seal of the American Academy of Pediatrics featuring a child standing with arms outstretched.
Seal of the American Board of Anesthesiology with text 'The American Board of Anesthesiology' and 'Founded 1938'.