Sunna Furstenau

North Dakota, USA

Sunna Olafson Furstenau is a dedicated advocate for the heritage, genealogy, and culture of Icelanders and North Americans of Icelandic descent. Raised in the Icelandic pioneer settlement of Eyford, North Dakota, Sunna's deep-rooted heritage inspired her lifelong passion for genealogy and family history. An accomplished author, she has published three books and many articles. Since 2003, she has been an integral part of fostering connections and preserving the Icelandic genealogy and heritage with unwavering commitment.

In 2010, Sunna was elected to the board of directors of both the Icelandic National League of North America (INLNA) and the Þjóðræknísfélag Íslendinga (INL of Iceland). In May 2012, she traveled around Iceland as the INLNA International Visits Program guest speaker and started a blog to document the journey, calling it Icelandic Roots and the next year, Icelandic Roots was founded. Since then, the organization has grown tremendously, with a team of talented, dedicated volunteers worldwide.

In August 2017, Sunna was honored to receive the Knight’s Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon for her work with Icelandic Roots, the Icelandic National Leagues, and more. In April 2018, Sunna was appointed to the Heiðursráð ÞFÍ (Honorary Advisory Council) in Iceland. She remains deeply involved in many projects to preserve our shared Icelandic heritage and promote cultural exchange, language learning, and other educational endeavors. In 2019, she also helped to form the new sister INL organization, the Icelandic National League of the United States.

Sunna is a dedicated heritage and genealogy advocate and has contributed extensively to historical storytelling through outdoor panels and media across North America and Iceland. The sites of various outdoor storyboards include five storyboard panels at the Thingvalla Memorial Site in 2007, fourteen panels for the Rourke Art Gallery + Museum in 2023, and two panels for the Vikur Lutheran Church and Cemetery in 2024. She is an accomplished author, presenter, and documentary collaborator at various events and festivals. Sunna lives in North Dakota with her husband, Jeff, and enjoys a rich family life with their children, grandchildren, and dogs.

See Knight's Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon at:
https://www.icelandicroots.com/post/2017/09/18/the-icelandic-order-of-the-falcon