Devon Harsel

Devon was born and raised in Lisbon, North Dakota and currently resides in Fargo. Both of her great-grandfather’s parents and their families emigrated to Mountain, North Dakota from the Skagafjörður region in northern Iceland.

Devon has a passion for traveling and has traveled and lived in several countries around the world.  As she traversed the globe, learning the nuances of different cultures, it dawned on her that the time had come to explore her own heritage. This epiphany set in motion the detailed planning of her first trip to Iceland. She chose Iceland since that was the side of the family she felt she most identified with. Her grandfather was very proud of his Icelandic heritage and never failed to let anyone forget it.

Devon started learning about the history and culture of Iceland, as well as Scandinavia (she is also of Norwegian and Danish descent), through an archaeologist in Europe who specializes in Scandinavian studies. During her research, she discovered the many fascinating stories of her ancestors and now enjoys piecing together their narratives and visiting the lands where they unfolded. The Icelandic Roots database served and still serves as a valuable resource in connecting the dots. Devon has been to Iceland several times and plans on many more future trips. She was able to visit several ancestral farms and meet a few distant cousins who have become very close friends. 

Devon has degrees in Health IT/Coding and Psychology and is hoping to start her master’s degree this year. She is also a trained herbalist who loves spending time in nature. She enjoys spending time with her children, traveling, hiking, reading, playing piano, painting, and doing genealogy research in her free time.
Devon hopes to contribute to Icelandic Roots by using her newfound passion for genealogy and history to unearth and preserve the stories of our Icelandic ancestors.