by LIZ ONUFER | photos by Spark Photography
Science, Software and Service
The Sood family has a range of interests and education that sets them apart. Residents of the Legacy community in 4S Ranch since 2010, their family dynamics span the globe, while staying grounded in their service to the San Diego community.
Sanjeev and Alka met over 20 years ago at an Indian cultural event at SDSU. Father, Sanjeev, was born in Chamba, India, where he studied computer engineering. He relocated to San Diego in 1995, and today he works as a software engineer at Broadcom. Mother, Alka, was born in Canada, raised in Florida, and graduated from UCSD with a degree in Biochemistry/Cell Biology and a Master’s from SDSU in Public Health – Epidemiology. She worked as a research scientist at UCSD before transitioning to stay-at-home mom. Now, she volunteers at the UCSD Kawasaki Disease Research Center, working to treat Kawasaki Disease (KD), an illness characterized by inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body that occurs predominantly in young children. The KD Research Center is “dedicated to solving the mysteries of this disease and improving diagnostic tools and treatments,” she explained.
“We moved here because we heard so many wonderful things about the area and the schools.”
The couple has one daughter, Ashna, a sophomore at Del Norte High School. “In addition to her coursework, she’s involved in Science Olympiad, Fight Against Hunger, UNICEF, and the South Asian Cultural Club,” Alka explained. Ashna’s extracurricular activities include piano, karate, and Kathak, an Indian classical dance. After watching her mother volunteer in classrooms during her elementary and middle school years, Ashna now volunteers as a coach for Science Olympiad and choreographer and teacher of Kathak. She also helps with the children at West Coast Martial Arts Academy and volunteers for food packaging events that deliver food to the hungry across the world.
Together, the Sood family enjoys everything from local hiking trails and watching movies to traveling the world. “We’ve been to India, England, France, Canada, Bahrain, and various places in the U.S.,” they shared. Ashna even started the “Sood News,” her own travel journal for family members who enjoyed reading about their adventures.
The Sood family has found everything they need to call 92127 home. Alka explained, “We moved here because we heard so many wonderful things about the area and the schools.” The proximity to family and close friends, parks, trails, shopping, and restaurants weighed into the decision. “We feel very blessed to live in a wonderful community close to friends and family.”
Meet the Soods
Parents: Sanjeev and Alka Sood
Child: Ashna (15, 10th grade at Del Norte High School)
Community: Legacy in 4S Ranch since 2010
Hometowns: Sanjeev – Chamba, India (a beautiful, scenic town located in the foothills of the Himalayas); Alka – born in Toronto, Canada and raised in Titusville, Florida (near Cape Canaveral)
Occupations: Sanjeev – Software Engineer; Alka – Research Scientist (now as a volunteer) and Stay-at-Home Mom
Favorite Places to Visit in 92127: Sweet Things (we were sad when it closed), Jamba Juice, Chipotle, Miguel’s, Karl Strauss, 4S Ranch Library, LA Fitness