Julia McKeon

Executive Director

Julia is one of the founders of Sonrisas and has served as Executive Director since 2004. She brings over 25 years of health management experience to Sonrisas. She holds an MBA in Health Services Management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Prior to joining Sonrisas, she was Project Director for the Coastside Health Committee for 5 years, and a private consultant to physician groups for over a decade.

Julia is responsible for the day to day operation and staffing of the clinic, along with the management of grant funding. Her other duties include acting as liaison to county dental programs and coordinating activities with local schools and community organizations.

Torrey Rothstein, D.D.S

Dental Director

Dr. Torrey has been an associate dentist at Sonrisas Dental Center since 2006. As Dental Director, he oversees all aspects of patient care, the clinic's quality assurance plan, improvements to services and programs, as well as compliance with state and local safety controls. He is in constant contact with clinic staff and volunteers on treatment planning, care options, and patient flow. He is the primary advisor to the Sonrisas Board of Directors on dental equipment, treatment, patient education, and facility infrastructure.

Dr. Torrey is a graduate of the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco and also holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience from the University of California San Diego. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the California Dental Association, and the San Mateo County Dental Society.

Andrea Braun, D.D.S.

President, Board of Directors

Andrea is active in several professionals groups, including the American Academy of Computer Dentistry, the American Association of Women Dentists, a Fellow in the Academy of Laser Dentistry, as well as member of the Peer Review Committee for the Mid-Peninsula Dental Society. She is also a licensed continuing dental education instructor. In addition to serving on the Sonrisas Board of Directors, she donates her professional time at the clinic. You may know Andrea from her popular column, Ask Doctor Smiles, published regularly in the Palo Alto Daily News. She is in private practice in Menlo Park and is an Adjunct Clinical Instructor at the University of Pacific Dental School.

Nigel Taverner

Vice President, Board of Directors

Nigel Taverner has been a member of the Sonrisas Board since 2006 and Vice President since 2008. A career management consultant, he leads many of the Sonrisas information presentations and strategy sessions and applies a business perspective to the Clinic's activities. Currently with IBM, his role is to supply technology services to financial institutions on the West Coast. Nigel and his wife have lived on the Coastside for eight years, having migrated from the UK.

Julia O'Daly

Secretary, Board of Directors

Julia, Secretary, brings a strong business background to the Sonrisas Board and Executive Committee.. With a strong acumen for business strategy from her extensive career as a high level marketing manager for Hughes Electronics, Julia brings vital skills to Sonrisas and several other local nonprofit organizations on the Coastside. She has also had national nonprofit experience serving as President of the National Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) organization. She and her family live in Half Moon Bay.

Jesse Melendrez

Treasurer, Board of Directors

Jesse serves as Treasurer of the Sonrisas Board of Directors. Since joining the Board in 2004, Jesse acts as a liaison to the local nursery growers industry which represents the largest employment sector on the Coastside. He is currently the Director of Human Resources at Nurserymen’s Exchange in Half Moon Bay. His background in Human Resources has been very valuable in the recruitment, development and retention of staff at Sonrisas. Jesse grew up as a migrant farm worker in the Salinas Valley and served as a patient & then a Board Member of the Rural Health Project which was a dental program for low income families. He and his family live in Half Moon Bay.