Linda Rounds was born in 1964 in Nopae-dong, a small rural village north of Paju, South Korea, near the DMZ. A couple of years later, she was privately adopted by an interracial couple and lived in Itaewon (Seoul) until July 1973 when the family moved to Southern California.
She earned a bachelor of science degree in business management from Pepperdine University and a certificate in human resources management from Phoenix University. During her career as a human resources professional, she launched several businesses. She also married, had children, and became a hockey mom.
Today, Linda lives in Texas—and is still a hockey mom. One of her sons is now a pro hockey official as well as an emergency goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings. In addition to running her businesses, Linda is active in her church and community where she is a volunteer/board advisor for several non-profits. She cherishes spending her free time with family and friends. A mother of three, she welcomed her first grandchild in April.
April 2020 was a momentous month for Linda in another way: She became president of 325KAMRA (Korean Adoptees Making Reunions Attainable). Prior to this role, she had volunteered for the non-profit for several years and briefly served as a board member. Through DNA testing and the help of the “search angels” at 325KAMRA, she successfully reunited with her birth father in 2018. Her biological family has expanded—it now includes a dad, two half-sisters and a niece. She is still searching for her birth mother.
Linda is living proof of the profound impact DNA testing can have on families. This has fueled her deep passion for helping other adoptees reunite with their birth family. As a vocal advocate for DNA testing, she will continue to demonstrate this commitment, fueled by the firm belief that so many more families can be reunited—and that so many more lives can be positively impacted.