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# Grace Cheng Braun named president and CEO of WISE Senior Services
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/082505-story-20050825-3/
- Published: 2005-08-25T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:37:18.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Community, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

Prominent business executive and Santa Monica resident Grace Cheng Braun, has been named president and chief executive officer of WISE Senior Services, an award-winning nonprofit organization, serving seniors, their families and caregivers throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

Braun has served as a healthcare administrator, business coach and educator in Southern California for more than 20 years.

In announcing Braun’s appointment, WISE board chairman Mark Mitchell, vice president of commercial banking at Union Bank of California, cited her extensive business experience and knowledge of the community as reasons why she was selected.

“We anticipated doing a national executive search but after meeting with Cheng Braun and speaking with individuals who had worked with her, we quickly determined that we had found the best person for the job,” he said.

Mitchell added that significant growth in demand for services in the past few years has involved fairly extensive changes at WISE.

“We’re placing a priority on establishing stronger presence and visibility in the communities that we serve, and continuing to look for opportunities to expand our services,” he said.

WISE was founded in 1968 by volunteers and community members to address the needs of the growing senior population in Los Angeles County. Initially, the acronym stood for “Westside Independent Services to the Elderly.” Over time, the letters have come to represent the organization’s mission to support the well-being, independence, self-esteem and education of seniors, with emphasis on assisting low-income and/or underserved individuals, and preventing premature institutionalization whenever possible.

Braun will provide leadership for WISE’s services and programs, including nursing home advocacy, care management, transportation, an adult day care center in Santa Monica, an adult day support center in Koreatown, elder abuse prevention, a senior volunteer program and an educational program to inform seniors on economic and consumer issues.

WISE employs 70 people assisted by more than 300 volunteers. Among its services, WISE also staffs nine office sites throughout Los Angeles County with long-term care ombudsmen who serve as advocates for improved quality of care and quality of life for senior residents.

In 2002 WISE was named “Agency of the Year” by the city of Los Angeles in recognition of its innovative and creative programs.

Prior to joining WISE, Braun has held a number of executive-level positions in health care, including a six-year term as vice president for marketing and public relations at Cedars-Sinai Health System in Los Angeles.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 25, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/082505.pdf?ref=smdp.com)