Braden Lay-Michaels
Vice President, International Development
Braden joined Smile Train as the inaugural Vice President, International Development in 2022. Over the course of his 30-year career Braden has worked in the corporate, political, and non-profit worlds. As a fundraiser, Braden has had the privilege to raise over $400 million to further social justice, early childhood education, humanitarian aid and development missions across the globe.
Braden started his career at the iconic Voyager Company and later at British publisher Dorling Kindersley, Inc. Braden served as the Director of Government Affairs at i-SAFE, successfully lobbying the U.S. Congress to institute Internet safety programs in public schools. He has staffed the U.S. Senate campaigns of Geraldine Ferrero and Hillary Clinton. His time as fundraiser includes work with GLAAD, Los Angeles Universal Preschool, and he served as the Chief Development Officer for GLSEN, StoryCorps, The Trevor Project, and the American India Foundation.
A native of Southern California, Braden received a BA from Loyola Marymount University and a master’s degree from California Institute of the Arts.