President

After a career of managing various Government of Canada Library and Information Research Centres, Elva is retired and living in Gimli Manitoba. She is a long-serving member of the CIFI Board along with several other community activities. She is a recipient of the 2022 Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba’s Award for Heritage Promotion and Preservation.

Vice-Chair

Helga’s wide-ranging litigation and administrative law practice includes professional liability law, regulatory issues, health law and human rights, energy and public utility regulation, bidding and tendering issues and personal injury. She is currently a Partner at the MLT Aikins Law Firm, a board member of Legal Aid Manitoba Management Council and is active in other community boards. She has been a past president of the Law Society and is a recipient of the Manitoba Law Society Richard J. Scott award for excellence in promoting the rule of law and is past recipient of the MBA – Pro Bono Public Interest award. She is also a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Treasurer

Kris Sigurdson has been on the Executive of the CIFI Board of Directors since 2019. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant with the firm Olafson & Jones of East St. Paul, Manitoba.

Secretary

Avery Simundsson grew up in Arborg, Manitoba and was fortunate to be an original member of the New Icelandic Youth Choir, touring Iceland in 2003. She is grateful to have received several scholarships through the Foundation during her Engineering degree studies at the University of Manitoba, and is pleased to have an opportunity to sit on the board and foster the Icelandic/Canadian connection.

Past-Chair

Tim Samson was born and raised within the Winnipeg Icelandic community. He is retired from a life-time career practicing Business Law in Winnipeg. Throughout his years as a lawyer, he has served as a legal advisor to numerous Icelandic Canadian associations and organisations. He served as the CIFI’s President for over thirty years.

Director

Don is a lawyer and General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Manitoba Hydro. Don was born and raised in Gimli and he and his wife Tanys have recently returned to the Home of the Gods. Don's other volunteer activities include Past Chair of Habitat for Humanity Canada, Past Chair of Habitat for Humanity Manitoba and volunteer counsel to The Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium Inc. Don holds a Bachelor of Science and a Juris Doctor both from the University of Manitoba.

Director

Ruth spent most of her working career at Manitoba Hydro, retiring after many years serving as the utility’s Vice President of Corporate Relations. She currently volunteers for the United Way of Winnipeg as a member of its Major Donor Cabinet, for the Manitoba Electrical Museum as a board member, and for CIFI as a director and Chair of its Scholarship Committee. She resides in Winnipeg.

Director & Representative of Lögberg-Heimskringla

Bill is a long serving member of the Canada Iceland Foundation Board and has been active with other Icelandic community organizations, including currently being on the Board of Lögberg-Heimskringla. Bill had a long career with the Federal Government and now enjoys an active retirement with membership at the Reh-Fit Centre and involvement with the nostalgia radio station CJNU 93.7 FM and the Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club.

Director

Lorna Tergesen has been a longstanding member of the Canada Iceland Foundation. She has also served in other capacities with Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, Icelandic Camp, Icelandic Connection publication and others too numerous to mention.  She lives in Gimli and enjoys working in the family store.

representing Icelandic National League of North America

Karen believes the Icelandic community in North America will remain strong when all the Icelandic organizations work together.  As the Icelandic National League of North America's representative on the CIFI board she provides a liaison between the two groups. Karen continues to sit on both the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE and Icelandic Canadian Frón executives as well as serve as President of the Lögberg-Heimskringla Icelandic newspaper. She was honoured to be chosen Fjallkona for the 2016 Íslendingadagurinn celebrations.

Representing the U of MB Chair of Icelandic Language and Literature

PJ Buchan is a native of Winnipeg and a specialist in Modern Icelandic language and Icelandic music. He is a graduate of the University of Manitoba, the Reykjavík School of Singing and Cambridge University. He is currently the language instructor and department head for the Department of Icelandic Language and Literature at the University of Manitoba.

Representing the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba

Angela Collins joined our board in 2022. She is a resident of Gimli and the Secretary of the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba’s Board of Directors. Her role on the Festival’s board include co-ordinating the Music and Cultural Presentations, Poetry and Short Story Contest and managing the Fjallkona Affairs.

Representing Icelandic Canadian Frón Chapter of the INLNA
Serena Goebel is currently the Treasurer of the Icelandic Canadian Frón of which she has been a member for over 20 years. She serves on the CIFI’s Grants Committee. She is proud to be of Icelandic Canadian descent and part of two important organizations that value the importance of education and preserving our shared heritage as Canadians.

Representing the University of Manitoba Libraries’ Icelandic Collection
Katrín Níelsdóttir is an Icelandic Canadian who split her life between countries. She is currently based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is the Icelandic Special Collections and Rare Books Librarian for the University of Manitoba.