TEDxReykjavík Women

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Anna Guðbjörg Cowden

  “Anna Guðbjörg Cowden is from the US and moved to Iceland in 2010. She has been internationally recognized as Nordic Women in Tech Awards Developer of the Year finalist with 10 years of experience in project and people management within game and software development, as well as marketing. Anna has led large and small teams to success in delivering high quality products and experiences, utilizing strong communication, planning and mentoring skills for which she has been celebrated. She is a Women in Games Ambassador and enjoys home DIY, gardening, and playing piano.”

• Arna Magnea Danks Danks

  Arna Magnea Danks is an Icelandic actress, fight director, teacher, poet, activist, and mother of three. Trained at East 15 Acting School in London and certified in stage combat by the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, she has appeared in Sense8, Noah, Game of Thrones, and the award-winning Odd Fish / Ljósvíkingar, where she played a dual lead role. Her performance was described as “writing Icelandic history” and earned her Best Performance in a Lead Role at the Kashish Film Festival, which honored her for a complete and captivating transformation, which reminded them of the true magic of acting.

• Ástbjörg Rut Jónsdóttir

  Ástbjörg Rut Jónsdóttir (Adda Rut), works as a theatre Director, Performer, drama facilitator and Sign language interpreter (ITM) - to name a few. She is the artistic director of the Sign language interpreters company Hraðar hendur (Swift Signers) and one of the founders of the theatre company O.N. productions. Adda works from the motto of making theatre for—and with everyone. Through her over 20-year career, she has gained extensive experience in the field and passionately developed her methods for both interpreting theatre and stage events as well as creating performances with mixed groups of Deaf and hearing individuals.

• Erla Bjarnadóttir

  Erla Bjarnadóttir is a certified plumber in a field that's still male dominated, and she knows what it means to stand out and stand tall. She graduated from Tækniskólinn (Technical College) and followed in her father footsteps, but from the start, she had to prove that strength, skill, and leadership aren't defined by gender.

• Indíana Rós Ægisdóttir

  Indíana Rós is a sexologist with an M.Ed. in Human Sexuality from Widener University. She serves as Project Manager of the School of Equality within the Department of Education and Youth for the City of Reykjavík, where she leads the implementation of comprehensive sexuality education across municipal institutions. Since 2016, she has delivered inclusive, queer-affirming education to youth, parents, professionals, and couples throughout Iceland. A former chair of the Icelandic Sexology Association (Kynís), Indíana is also a writer, podcaster, and trusted media voice. Her work centers on body-positive, shame-free, and pleasure-based approaches that honor the full diversity of human experience.

• Sigrún Þóra Sveinsdóttir

  Dr. Sigrún Þóra Sveinsdóttir is a psychologist with a PhD in psychophysiology, specialized in mental resilience and heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback. With over a decade of experience as a clinical psychologist, researcher, and leader in public mental health, she has worked across sectors, from supporting frontline police officers to shaping national health strategies. An experienced innovator in digital health and science-driven mental well-being, Sigrún has led psychological services in primary care and served as a mental health expert for the Icelandic Ministry of Health. Her mission is clear: to bring the science of the body-mind connection into everyday life, empowering people to understand and regulate their physiology, build inner strength, and positively influence themselves and others.

• Sindri Freyr

  Sindri “Sparkle” Freyr is an award-winning comedian, designer, and poet from Reykjavík, Iceland. In the last few years, they have made a name for themselves in the English-speaking fringe art scenes of Reykjavík. Despite that, they are still most known for appearing naked on national TV. They have toured their comedy shows internationally and won multiple awards, such as The Nordic Fringe Network Award from NFN, The Rising Star Award from Rykjavík Fringe Festival, and the highest grade in English from Menntaskólinn í Hamrahlíð.