Þórhildur Fjóla Kristjánsdóttir is the chair of the board and the head researcher. Þórhildur has a PhD (2017) from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) on zero emission buildings and a M.Sc. (2004) in energy and environmental engineering also from NTNU. Þórhildur has extensive work experience, including as a specialist in sustainability at EFLA consulting in Reykjavík, Iceland, as the director of the Green Building Council in Iceland, project manager and researcher at SINTEF Community in Oslo and as the energy advisor for Friends of the Earth Norway (Naturvernforbundet), Oslo. Þórhildur has long experience as a researcher and as a project leader for research projects on energy efficiency and circularity in the built environment. See academic publications here: Google scholar profile
Þórhildur Fjóla Kristjánsdóttir
Hafdís Hanna Ægisdóttir
Hafdís Hanna Ægisdóttir, PhD, is a member of the board. Hafdís Hanna is the Director of the Sustainability Institute at the University of Iceland. Prior to her current role, she served for over a decade as the Director of the UN University Land Restoration Training Programme, which is now part of GRÓ – a Center for Capacity Development, Sustainability and Societal Change, under the auspices of UNESCO. Hafdís Hanna is a trained biologist and holds a PhD in Plant Ecology. Hafdís Hanna is also an alumna of Homeward Bound, a global leadership programme for women, where she also served as a leadership facilitator. Hafdís Hanna has an extensive experience in global sustainability, environmental education, development cooperation, and leadership.
Björn Guðbrandsson is a member of the board. Björn is an architect and partner at ARKÍS architects in Reykjavik. Björn holds an M.Arch. in architecture from the Columbia University in New York and a bachelor degree in environmental design from Texas A&M University, in the United States. Björn has extensive experience from working in building development and design projects in Iceland and Norway and has been involved in many sustainable building projects. Björn Guðbrandsson has also taken the initiative for the architects for climate action in Iceland.
Björn Guðbrandsson
Þuríður Helga Kristjánsdóttir is a member of the board. Þuríður has a bachelor in arts from Enschede art academy in Holland and a Masters degree in human resources from the University of Iceland. She has also studied environmental and natural sciences at the University of Iceland and at the University Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona Spain. Þuríður was the director of Menningarfélag Akureyrar for 5 years and she has extensive experience from finance and administration. Before that she was the human resource manager/event manager at the Nordic House in Reykjavik. She was also on the board of Landvernd from 2016-2018.
Þuríður Helga Kristjánsdóttir
Natalia Herrera Eslava
Natalia Herrera Eslava is a member of the board. Natalia is a development and international cooperation expert. She holds an Advanced Diploma in Planning and Management of Social Development from Universidad de La Salle in Bogotá, Colombia and a Master in Development and International Cooperation from Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea in Bilbao, Spain. Natalia has extensive field experience having worked within the United Nations system in various roles, mostly in conflict and humanitarian crises settings such as Darfur, Sudan and South Sudan. She is currently a Programme Manager within the International Unit of the Icelandic Red Cross, where she is responsible for long-term programming in cooperation with international partners, with a special focus in Somalia and Malawi.
Auður Önnu Magnúsdóttir, PhD, is a member of the board. Auður is the general manager for the Icelandic Women Rights Association, Kvenréttindafélag Íslands. Auður was the general manager of the largest environmental organisation in Iceland, Landvernd from 2018-2023. Auður has an extensive experience in directing and working in project related to climate change and project on improving environmental performance. Auður also has significant research experience and she holds a PhD in biochemistry from Stockholm University/Karlolinska institutt. Auður is the former division director for the division for resources and environment at Icelands agricultural university, Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands and has worked as division manager at DeCode Genetics.
Auður Önnu-Magnúsdóttir
Gísli Hrafn Magnússon is a member of the board. Gísli is a visual artist and architect (B.A) and a architect student (M.Arch) at the Icelandic Academy of the Arts, department of Architecture. Gísli has experience with building projects in Africa, from Burkina Faso were he was working on a child care building project. Gísli has substantial experience with local sustainable material use in buildings and has worked both as an artist and as an architect in Icelandic projects.