Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, co-founder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat, and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Eliza’s first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick, and translated into numerous languages. 

Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death of a Diplomat (Death on the Island in the U.S.), will be published in spring 2025. From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland. 

During that time, she served as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. Passionate about inclusion, belonging, and equality, she wielded her influence through poignant op-eds, a compelling TEDx talk, and dozens of keynote addresses to audiences of hundreds worldwide, including presidents and royalty. 

Eliza has degrees from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Oxford University (St. Antony’s College). She lives on the outskirts of Reykjavík with her husband and four children.