Svala Ingibjörg Halldórsdætr

*This is a Velkanian name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name. The subject should be referred to by the given name* Svala Ingibjörg*.*

**Svala Ingibjörg Halldórsdætr** (born 30 April 1970) is a Velkanian politician who has served as Minister of Education and Culture since 2016. A Liberal-Democrat, Svala Ingibjörg was Minister of Transportation from 2012 to 2016, and has additionally served as a member of the Stádlink since 2008.

Born in Laufskáthlajóllaneppur, Svala Ingibjörg graduated from Anna Magnisdætr School in 1989. After graduating from high school, she enrolled in the University of Riksania and graduated with a degree in communications in 1992. Svala Ingibjörg then worked in the human relations department for a number of Laufskáthlajóllaneppur-based companies. Svala Ingibjörg was elected to the Stádlink for the Liberal-Democrats in the 2008 election, representing the Olobethia constituency. Following the 2012 election, Svala Ingibjörg was appointed Minister of Transportation by Síf María Vílhelmsdætr for her first cabinet. After the winning an outright majority in the 2016 election, Síf María promoted Svala Ingibjörg to Minister of Education and Culture in her second cabinet.

## Early life and education

Svala Ingibjörg was born on 30 April 1970 in Laufskáthlajóllaneppur to parents Halldór Hvannarsson (born 1942) and Irja Síf Rögnvarsdætr (born 1945). Both of her parents worked in education, with her father working as a physical education teacher and her mother being a mathematics teacher.

Svala Ingibjörg is the eldest of five children; her younger siblings include Lísabet, born  (1972-03-14) 14 March 1972 (age 51), Viktoría María, born  (1974-11-10) 10 November 1974 (age 49), Ári Ólaf, born  (1976-07-22) 22 July 1976 (age 47), and Hákon, born  (1985-04-10) 10 April 1985 (age 38).

### Education and early career

Svala Ingibjörg began her education in 1976, attending a local public primary school. She graduated from primary school in 1986, and later enrolled in Anna Magnisdætr School to study a general academic program. After graduating from high school in 1989, Svala Ingibjörg enrolled in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication at the University of Riksania. She graduated with a degree in communication in 1992.

After finishing her education, Svala Ingibjörg remained in Laufskáthlajóllaneppur and was hired as a human resources associate at a hardware sales company. In 1996, she became the human resources director at a computer software company. In 2002, she was promoted to vice president of human resources at the same company.

## Political career

### Political beginnings

Svala Ingibjörg registered as a Conservative after turning 16, largely due to her admiration for Alma Jónsdætr. She remained relatively non-political, but supported the Conservatives frequently in elections. During the tenure of Davíd Pétursson as party leader in 2002, Svala Ingibjörg switched her party affiliation to Liberal-Democratic due to her dislike for Davíd.

In 2008, Svala Ingibjörg applied to stand as a candidate in the 2008 election in the Olobethia constituency of the Stádlink. She went on to be elected, and has been reelected in 2012 and 2016.

### Ministerial positions

After the Liberal-Democrats won the 2012 election and Síf María Vílhelmsdætr secured a coalition agreement with the Green-Agrarian Party, it was announced by Síf María that she would be nominating Svala Ingibjörg for the position of Minister of Transportation in her first cabinet. Ragnhildur IV formally appointed Svala Ingibjörg as Minister of Transportation on 1 December 2012. The party won a majority of seats in the 2016 election, leading to the dissolution of the coalition government in favor of a single-party government of the Liberal-Democrats. Síf María chose to promote Svala Ingibjörg to Minister of Education and Culture in her second cabinet, as the outgoing officeholder Georgína María Antonsdætr had been a member of the Green-Agrarians.

## Personal life

Svala Ingibjörg began a relationship with Eckish entrepreneur and personal trainer Henrikki Elispoo in 1993, after they had met while Henrikki was on vacation in the Velkanian Isles. Henrikki soon began renting an apartment in Laufskáthlajóllaneppur to continue their relationship. They became engaged in 1995, and married the following year. Svala Ingibjörg and Henrikki have two children together: Magnús, born  (1998-01-19) 19 January 1998 (age 26), and Kristína, born  (2000-06-03) 3 June 2000 (age 23). The family resides in Laufskáthlajóllaneppur, and both children are fluent in Velkanian and Eckish.