Ms. Valdís Ásta Aðalsteinsdóttir has over 30 years of experience across a wide spectrum of aviation and leaderships related businesses, with both public and private sector perspectives. She has held leading change management posts in organizations and is the first woman to be Iceland’s Candidate for the ICAO Permanent Council Representative post. Since October 2019, Ms. Aðalsteinsdóttir has been a part of the NORDICAO rotation group and served as Alternate Representative of the Republic of Finland on the Council of ICAO. 

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From 2004 until her appointment as Alternate Representative on the Council of ICAO she held various positions in the Icelandic Civil Aviation Authority (now the Icelandic Transport Authority – ICETRA). Among her professional experience, Ms. Aðalsteinsdóttir has served as ICAA’s Public Relations Manager, Manager Special Projects, Director Customer Service Division as well as being a member of ICETRA’s Executive team. She was Iceland’s Aviation Council’s Secretary for seven years and around ten years of experience with Icelandair in various positions from ground handling to Project Manager. 

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Ms. Aðalsteinsdóttir is a Bachelor of Art graduate in sociology from the University of Iceland and has two Diplomas in Human Resource Management and Public Administration. She has taken part in various seminars regarding management training, change management, public and information rights, management systems, human factor and human relations, quality and risk-based management, as well as internal and external audits. During Ms. Aðalsteindóttir’s vast experience in the field, she has gained general knowledge of international aviation cooperation and of ICAOs Council’s procedures. Ms. Aðalsteinsdóttir was nominated for Stjórnvísir 2019, Icelandic Management Award. 

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Ms. Aðalsteinsdóttir remains strongly committed to support ICAO’s work and to promote a safe, secure and sustainable civil aviation in a transparent and efficient way. The challenges civil aviation is facing today gives ICAO even a bigger role as a strong global facilitator, which calls for a strong commitment from all ICAO Member States. Let’s all fly again!