Introduction

Hi everyone,

Welcome! My name is Roya Koutchekinia and I am starting my second year of the MLIS program. I was inspired by Dr. Stephens’ lectures in INFO 200 and am so excited to join all of you in this course! I currently live In El Cerrito, California. We relocated to the Bay Area last year after twenty years in Davis, CA. 

I did my undergraduate degree in Physiology at UC Berkeley, got my Doctor of Pharmacy degree at UCSF, and practiced as a pharmacist for some years before life intervened and put our lives on a different path. I was fortunate enough to foster and adopt three children (in addition to two biological kids), who while brimming with potential, needed additional support in navigating their academic and social lives. I have dedicated the last decade of my life to being a tireless advocate for their success and well-being. Recently, I came up for air and decided to start a second career as a librarian. I am particularly interested in working at a community college level as a student success librarian to help students navigate the myriad of challenges that they face

My hobbies include reading, spending time in nature, playing with my rambunctious dog, and watching foreign shows/movies in their original language. I am originally from Iran and immigrated to the United States when I was twelve. I speak Persian, some French, and a bit of Spanish (which I picked up by helping with my kids’ homework when they attended a spanish immersion elementary school). I love to travel and learn about other cultures.  I haven’t binged anything lately but I’ve been known to binge Korean dramas, Turkish shows, as well as Spanish telenovelas. Schitt’s Creek and White Lotus have been my recent favorite comedy series. I am drawn to authors who speak to the immigrant experience and my current favorites include Jhumpa Lahiri and Mohsin Hamid.  

A little fun fact about me is that I used to be afraid of dogs and after years of refusing to adopt a dog, I adopted my first dog a few years ago, and like most recent converts, I’ve become obsessed with all dogs. My family teases me about how much I spoil and adore our dog, Stella (pictured with my daughter’s dog Dewey below).