Kaira Rouda
{{short description|American author}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Kaira Rouda
| image =
|caption=
| birth_name = Kaira Sturdivant
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=y|1963|5|17}}
| birth_place = Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
| education = Vanderbilt University (BA)
| occupation = Author, businesswoman
| genre = Psychological suspense, women's fiction
| spouse = Harley Rouda
| children = 4
| website = {{URL|kairarouda.com}}
}}
Kaira Sturdivant Rouda (born May 17, 1963) is an American author and businesswoman. She is best known for her psychological suspense novels, including Best Day Ever and All the Difference. Her novel, The Favorite Daughter, was released in May 2019.{{cite web|title='The Favorite Daughter' By Kaira Rouda Is A Thriller About Grief, Loss, And Memory That Will Hit You Right In The Heart|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/the-favorite-daughter-by-kaira-rouda-is-a-thriller-about-grief-loss-memory-that-will-hit-you-right-in-the-heart-16265822|accessdate=28 March 2019|website=Bustle}}{{cite news|title=Politicians gather at 2020 contender John Delaney's townhouse to toast author Kaira Rouda|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/05/21/politicians-gather-contender-john-delaneys-townhouse-toast-author-kaira-rouda/|accessdate=6 June 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post}}
Early life and education
Kaira Sturdivant was born on May 17, 1963, in Evanston, Illinois, to Patricia Ann Robinson Sturdivant, a community volunteer from Santa Cruz, California, and Frederick David Sturdivant, a retired professor and management consultant from San Jose, California.
Rouda earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University in 1985.{{Cite web|last=Takahama|first=Valerie|date=2019-06-05|title=Author Kaira Rouda Carved Out Her Place Before Her Role as a Congressional Spouse|url=https://www.orangecoast.com/features/author-kaira-rouda-carved-out-her-place-before-her-role-as-a-congressional-spouse/|access-date=2020-11-11|website=Orange Coast Magazine|language=en-US}}
Career
In the early-1990s, Rouda began her career as a reporter for Business First newspaper, a member of the American City Business Journals chain. She later worked as an account executive for Fahlgren & Swink, a regional advertising agency, before assuming the role of vice president of marketing at Stanley Steemer in 1995.
In 2002, she created the Columbus, Ohio-based franchise company, Real Living Real Estate.{{cite web |title=Real-estate company expanding its radius |url=https://www.dispatch.com/article/20070617/NEWS/306179963 |website=Dispatch.com |accessdate=29 March 2019}} Built as the first female-focused residential real estate brand,{{cite web|title=Real Living, Inc. President to Speak at Upcoming LuxuryRealEstate.com Event|url=http://reachingwomendaily.com/category/karia-rouda/|accessdate=15 May 2019|website=Reaching Women Daily}}{{cite web |title=Kaira Rouda - Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Marketer, Speaking and Author |url=http://www.parexcellencemagazine.com/profiles-of-successful-career-women/entrepreneurs/kaira-rouda-award-winning-entrepreneur-marketer-speaker-and-author.html |website=Par Excellence Magazine |accessdate=28 March 2019}} Rouda grew the brand to more than 22 states before its sale to Brookfield Residential Property Services, a Toronto-based firm. The Real Living real estate franchise was eventually sold to Berkshire Hathaway.{{cite web |title=HSF Affiliates LLC Announces Promotions Among Leadership Ranks |url=https://www.apnews.com/a4fb428fa5f646c2ad125493504196f5 |website=apnews.com |accessdate=29 March 2019}}
= Early writing career =
As a freelance writer, Rouda has contributed articles to Columbus Monthly and Midwest Living. For ten years, she was the "Connections" columnist for This Week, a publication of The Columbus Dispatch.
Her first book was titled Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs{{cite book |title=Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs |isbn=978-0470176580 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/realyouincorpora0000roud |last1=Rouda |first1=Kaira Sturdivant |date=8 February 2008 |publisher=Wiley }}
= Fiction writing =
In 2011, Rouda turned her focus to writing fiction,{{cite web |title=Exclusive Resorts Magazine |url=https://curated.exclusiveresorts.com/book-it |accessdate=15 May 2019}} with an emphasis on women's fiction and domestic suspense. Her novel Best Day Ever (2017) received positive reviews from Kirkus Reviews,{{cite web |title=Best Day Ever |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kaira-rouda/best-day-ever/ |website=Kirkus Reviews |accessdate=28 March 2019}} Book Reporter,{{cite web |title=Review: Best Day Ever |url=https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/best-day-ever |website=Bookreporter |accessdate=28 March 2019}} HuffPost{{cite web |title=Book Review: Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/book-review-best-day-ever-by-kaira-rouda_b_5a542177e4b0cd114bdb35ff |website=The Huffington Post |accessdate=28 March 2019}} and The News & Observer.{{cite web |title=Durham and Asheville have roles in dystopian novel with murderous plot and deadly ticks |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/books/article171504072.html |website=newsobserver.com |accessdate=28 March 2019}}
Her novels include: The Favorite Daughter,{{cite web |title=She was writing a thriller; he was running for Congress: The story of Kaira and Harley Rouda, politics and 'The Favorite Daughter' |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2019/06/12/she-was-writing-a-thriller-he-was-running-for-congress-the-story-of-kaira-and-harley-rouda-politics-and-the-favorite-daughter/ |website=OCRegister.com |accessdate=14 June 2019}} In the Mirror, All the Difference, The Goodbye Year,{{cite web |title=Recent Books, Spring 2018 |url=https://news.vanderbilt.edu/vanderbiltmagazine/recent-books-spring-2016/ |website=Vanderbilt.edu |accessdate=29 March 2019}} and Here. Home. Hope.
= Charitable and philanthropic work =
Rouda's philanthropic efforts have focused on homelessness, food security, arts and education,{{cite web |title=Laguna High School Artists Called To Enter CA-48 Art Competition |url=https://patch.com/california/lagunabeach/high-school-artists-call-entrants-ca-48-art-competition |website=Patch.com |accessdate=29 March 2019}} and the empowerment of women and girls. She was the founder of Make Room Columbus, Central Ohio's first shelter for homeless families. She also founded the Columbus Ohio Cattlebaron's Ball for the American Cancer Society; served on the board{{cite web |title=YWCA Columbus Board of Trustees |url=http://www.ywcacolumbus.org/site/DocServer/YWCA_Annual_Report_2007.pdf?docID=124 |website=YWCA Columbus.org |accessdate=15 May 2019}} of Central Ohio's YWCA and its capital campaign committee; and served on the first board for The Wexner Center for the Arts.{{cite web |title=Kaira Sturdivant Rouda: Real You Incorporated |url=https://wexarts.org/public-programs/kaira-sturdivant-rouda-real-you-incorporated |website=Wexarts.org |accessdate=29 March 2019}} She served two terms on the board of directors for the Mid-Ohio Food Bank.
Rouda relocated to Southern California in 2009. There, she became an active volunteer for her children's schools. She is a volunteer for the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, while serving on committees for the Tahirih Justice Center and Working Wardrobes/VetNet. She is a member of the Human Rights Watch Southern California board.
= Awards =
Rouda was listed on Entrepreneur's Fifty Fastest Growing Women-Led Businesses.{{cite web |title=Growing Strong |url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/185764 |website=Entrepreneur.com |accessdate=29 March 2019}} Her work on Real Living earned Rouda a Stevie Award for Women in Business.{{cite web |title=Real Living |url=http://stevieawards.com/women/real-living |website=steviewaward.com |accessdate=29 March 2019}} She has received multiple ADDY, Webby, Telly, Communicator, Prism, and WebAwards for her marketing work.
For her civic service, Rouda has received the Ohio Sertoma Service to Mankind Award, Kiwanis Humanitarian Award and Northwest Rotary Woman of the Year award. In 1991, she was named Citizen of the Year, Columbus Board of Realtors.{{cite web |title=Nominations being accepted for Columbus REALTORS® Annual Awards |url=https://columbusrealtors.com/NewsDetail.aspx?article=70189061 |website=Columbus Realtors.com |accessdate=15 May 2019}} The following year, she earned a national Kiwanis Service to Humanity Award.
Personal life
Rouda resides in Laguna Beach, California, with her husband, former U.S. Representative Harley Rouda.{{cite web|title=WAVE Makers: For Orange County's progressive movement, the future is female|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2018/10/18/wave-makers-for-orange-countys-progressive-movement-the-future-is-female/|accessdate=29 March 2019|website=Ocregister.com}}{{cite web |title=In deepest red Orange County, a blue flame is sparking in a district that has long supported Rep. Rohrabacher |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-abcarian-rohrabacher-rouda-20181030-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |accessdate=29 March 2019}} Rouda has four adult children.{{cite web|title=Laguna Life and People|url=https://www.stunewslaguna.com/index.php/life-people/4687-laguna-life-and-people-080916|accessdate=15 May 2019|website=Novelist Kaira Rouda – and her books – sparkle with humor and heart: we’re lucky to have her in Laguna}}{{cite web|title=Author Kaira Rouda Carved Out Her Place Before Her Role as a Congressional Spouse|url=https://www.orangecoast.com/features/author-kaira-rouda-carved-out-her-place-before-her-role-as-a-congressional-spouse/|accessdate=6 June 2019|website=Orange Coast Magazine}}{{cite web|title=A Voice For Change|url=https://trendmag2.trendoffset.com/publication/?i=574107&p=&pn=#%7B%22issue_id%22:574107,%22page%22:40%7D|accessdate=29 March 2019|website=Laguna Beach Magazine}}
References
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Category:American women journalists
Category:American mystery novelists