Eliza Reid is a writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder 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. She is the author of three books, all of which have been instant bestsellers in Canada and Iceland: The First Lady Next Door: A Memoir of Iceland, Identity, and Unexpected Adventure (2026), Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World (2022), and the Iceland-set mystery Death on the Island (Death of a Diplomat in the UK) (2025), which was also an instant USA Today bestseller and is in development as a television series.

From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she served as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. She continues to speak at conferences and events around the world, delivering inspiring keynotes on topics relating to gender equality, how to make an impact when you’re not in charge, and storytelling for social change. 
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Eliza’s advocacy in the field of gender equality has been praised by former U.S. President Joe Biden, former Canadian Governor General Mary Simon, and numerous others. She has also been honoured with numerous awards, including from the Better World Fund, Meet in Reykjavík, and the Institute for South Asian Women.
Eliza has degrees from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Oxford University (St. Antony’s College). She lives in the outskirts of Reykjavík with her husband and four children.​