Q&A with Barbara Griffiths '71
U.S. ambassador to Iceland

On Aug. 5, 1999, upon the recommendation of President Bill Clinton, Barbara Griffiths '71 was confirmed by the United States Senate as the ambassador to Iceland. A native of Verona, N.J., Griffiths headed to the volcanic island in the North
Atlantic Ocean east of Greenland to begin her three-year appointment.

She recently spoke with Alumni Life about her career, her goals and her experiences at Montclair State. "I have wonderful memories of my four years at Montclair State, and my education certainly helped prepare me for this job," she said. "I hope more students and alumni will consider a career in the Foreign Service."

Ambassador Barbara Griffiths (center) introduces Dr. Sigridur Duna Kristmlindsdotti, chair of the Women and Democracy conference, to then U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

Alumni Life: Tell us about your career and what has prepared you to be an ambassador.
Griffiths: Most of my career has been spent on assignments tied to economic issues, and their impact on foreign policy. In Washington, I've worked on "country" desks, including the Soviet desk, which transitioned during my assignment to the Russia desk. I was head of the economic section of the desk and followed the economic consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the economic policies of the new Russian government and their impact on U.S. economic interests. I've worked as well in functional assignments that follow specific economic issues globally. For example, before coming to Iceland, I was deputy assistant secretary of state for Finance and Development in the Economic and Business Affairs Bureau working on investment, debt and finance issues. Prior to that I was minister counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassies in Seoul in 1995 and 1996 and in Moscow from 1993 to 1995.

There is no formal training, per se, aside from a two-week seminar for ambassador designees. However, an officer's assignments during a Foreign Service career build on the range of knowledge and experience to prepare for chief of mission responsibilities.

Alumni Life: What are your primary responsibilities?
Griffiths: The list is long, but my primary responsibilities are to protect and advance America's vital interests, such as national security, economic, environmental and human rights objectives, to ensure the safety of the Embassy and its personnel, and to provide consular services to Americans traveling and living in Iceland.

Alumni Life: Iceland is known to have a literacy rate of 100 percent, with literature and poetry being two passions of the population. In addition, per capita publication of books and magazines is the highest in the world.
To what do you attribute the success in literacy and the people's love of reading?
Griffiths: The power of words is strong in Iceland, and many scholars have argued that Icelanders define themselves and their culture through the Icelandic language. Iceland's great sagas of the 11th and 12th centuries were preceded by a strong oral tradition of poetry and story telling, and Icelanders today take great pride in these works, quote extensively from them, and continue to create poetry and literature in both ancient and modern traditions. The historical commitment to education in part reflects Icelanders' desire to be a part of this living culture, and today is reflected in Icelanders' ready grasp of modern technologies, plus Iceland's wish to be a part of global trends and developments.

Ambassador Griffiths with Icelandic children during a promotion of American products.

Alumni Life: What effect have the events of Sept. 11 had on Iceland and its people?
Griffiths: The outpouring of sympathy and support for the United States has been strong from both the people and government of Iceland, and support for the struggle against terrorism has been unstinting from the government. Many Icelanders have ties to the United States through family, education, business or travel, and they were deeply shocked by the violence of Sept. 11 and loss of innocent lives.

Alumni Life: What is your role should a crisis arise in Iceland?
Griffiths: Our work on potential crises in Iceland has focused on natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or floods. We work closely with the Icelandic officials to be prepared for events and to ensure the safety of Americans in Iceland. Iceland has excellent civil defense resources, and is well prepared to react to challenges from the harsh and unpredictable natural environment. Iceland prepares for more modern threats as well, and we continue to work with local authorities to ensure the best capabilities possible. Many Americans may not realize that Iceland is a charter member of NATO, and that, since 1951, the United States has had responsibility for the defense of Iceland. A NATO/ U.S. Naval Air Station at Keflavik has about 1,800 uniformed service members from the Navy, Air Force, Marines and Army, as well as representatives from several NATO countries.

Alumni Life: What is it you would want Americans to know about Iceland?
Griffiths: For most Americans, the wonders of Iceland are its people and its nature. Iceland is a modern society of only 285,000 people with a high standard of living, a full range of social services and a thriving culture. The country's wealth has traditionally been built on fishing and still today, fish accounts for over half of Iceland's goods and services exports. In recent decades information and medical technology, and research have grown as a percentage of economic activity and trade, helping to diversify the economy. In terms of nature, Iceland sits upon the North Atlantic Ridge defining the boundaries between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is one of the world's great hot spots in the literal sense, with volcanoes, earthquakes, bubbling mud pots, and extensive geothermal energy. This makes Iceland a world-class research location for geologists and other earth scientists, and an unusual and stunning tourist destination.

Colorful houses in Reykjavík, the capital city of Iceland.

Alumni Life: What services does the consulate provide to overseas citizens?
Griffiths: The Consular Services of the Embassy are multifaceted and include maintaining a warden system to facilitate contact with American citizens resident in Iceland; providing welfare and whereabouts assistance for citizens believed to be in the area; checking on the welfare of American citizens hospitalized or incarcerated in Iceland; and providing information about medical and legal assistance available in Iceland. Documentary services (passport issuance, birth reports and death certificates) are also provided to American citizens, and non-U.S. citizens are provided immigrant and non-immigrant visa services. In addition to visa processing, there are the anti-fraud and training aspects of liaison with Iceland's immigration officials.

Alumni Life: How has your education at Montclair State, particularly your study of economics, helped you in your career?
Griffiths: My education at Montclair State was in the truest sense a passport to a satisfying and challenging career. During my years at Montclair State, I had no idea of joining the Foreign Service, but the excellent education I received gave me a broad world outlook and, combined with an M.A. in economics (from the University of Connecticut), the professional competence in economics to qualify for entry into the Foreign Service. I have always thought of my time at Montclair and later at the University of Connecticut as the best investment of my life.

Rocky peaks in Oxnadalur, north-central Iceland.

Alumni Life: We understand you speak several languages and are studying Icelandic. What has been the most challenging aspect about living in a different culture?
Griffiths: Finding your way in a foreign culture is really only a question of keeping an open mind about the different ways other people have dealt with their reality. I am a firm believer in the American political and economic systems, but we can learn much from the experiences of others. The real challenge for me in the Foreign Service has been living away from my family, and missing the experience of seeing my nieces and nephews grow from day to day.

Alumni Life: What is the length of your appointment, and what are your plans?
Griffiths: An ambassadorial appointment is normally for three years, and I'm enjoying every minute. Next summer I hope to return to Washington for assignment, to be nearer to my family. I am in the process of bidding for a job now, and am confident that, as always in the Foreign Service, something interesting will come along.

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