Almar has been deeply interested in activities connecting people of Icelandic descent with the “Old Country”, and with such a great number of relatives in North America he was eager to join our team.

Public Relations

Almar Grimsson

Hafnarfjörður, ÍSL

Brenda Olafson Messerschmidt serves on the Board of Directors for Icelandic Roots.

Board Member

Brenda Messerschmidt

North Dakota, USA

Gerri has done much genealogy and research. She is not an active part of the IR Team but helps with research on occasion. We look forward to her continued support in the years to come.

Genealogist

Gerri McDonald

British Columbia, CAN

Gwen Lanoway lives in Winnipeg and is a fabulous genealogist. She loves digging through genealogy records at the libraries and going to the cemeteries to take photos for the IR Team.

Research Support

Gwen Lanoway

Manitoba, CAN

Hálfdan Helgason has done a tremendous amount of work over the years to compile the best Icelandic genealogy database available.

Genealogist

Hálfdan Helgason

Kópavogur, ÍSL

Julie provides translation and editing support to the IR team and its larger community.

Language & Translation

Julie Summers

Hessen, DEU

As an IR volunteer, Larry performs translations on documents such as obituaries.

Translations

Larry Thorderson

Pennsylvania, USA

Mats shared his lifetime work of Iceland farm photos with Icelandic Roots. You can find your family farm photo by just going to their names in the database. It was a tremendous gift.

Photography

Mats Wibe Lund

Reykjavík, ÍSL

Ricardo is our contact in Brazil. He sends us information on the descendants of Icelanders who immigrated to Brazil.

Brazil Research

Ricardo Elias

Rio Grande do Sul, BRA

Barb serves on the Board of Directors for Icelandic Roots.

Board Member

Barb Aasen

North Dakota, USA

Bryndís serves as a language consultant and marketing assistant for Icelandic Roots.

Language & Translation

Bryndís Víglundsdóttir

Reykjavík, ÍSL

Gunna along with her husband, Valgeir, run Vesturfarasetrið, the Icelandic Emigration Center at Hofsós in Iceland.

Hofsós - Emigration Center

Gunna Thorvaldsdóttir

Hofsós, ÍSL

Hjördís has finished her documentary and her booklet about the Abandoned farms in the highlands of East Iceland. She will be helping IR to map and tell stories about these abandoned farms.

Genealogist

Hjördís Hilmarsdóttir

Gunnlaugsstaðir, ÍSL

Jeff co-founded Icelandic Roots and has volunteered as vice-president of the board from its start.

Co-Founder

Jeff Furstenau

North Dakota, USA

Kent Lárus is an active supporter of IR by telling those on tours about the 'Cousins Across the Ocean' and the IR Database where they can find maps, photos, stories, genealogy, cousins, ancestors, and preserve their family story.

Language & Translation

Kent Lárus Björnsson

Reykjavík, ÍSL

Mallory provides various support to the Icelandic Roots community and beyond.

Genealogist

Mallory Swanson

Reykjavík, ÍSL

Stefan is a busy guy with lots of other projects but he helps Icelandic Roots by adding information on the Clergy. He is also great at promoting IR in the Lögberg-Heimskringla newspaper and in various presentations he gives.

Chair, Board of Regents

Rev. Stefan M. Jonasson

Manitoba, CAN

Valgeir, along with his wife, Gunna, run Vesturfarasetrið, the Icelandic Emigration Center at Hofsós in Iceland.

Hofsós - Emigration Center

Valgeir Thorvaldsson

Hofsós, ÍSL