Secretariat staff

Frigg Jørgensen

Executive Director

Contact information:

Cell phone: +47 913 90 554
E-mail: frigg(a)aeco.no

background

Frigg joined AECO in 2006. As AECO’s executive director (ED), based in Tromsø, she is responsible for the day-to-day operation of AECO and is the manager of the Secretariat. The ED is the treasurer of AECO and serves as a contact between standing committees, all members and partners. Together with the assistant director, the ED is responsible for implementing AECO’s action plans and ensuring that activities are aligned with the organization’s objectives and strategies. The ED is also AECO’s primary spokesperson, representing members and advocating on their behalf. In addition to her managerial responsibilities, Frigg’s focus areas are Svalbard, search and rescue (SAR), marine issues, and project management.

Frigg comes from Northern Norway and lived in Svalbard for more than 30 years before relocating to Tromsø where AECO’s head office is currently located. She has worked in polar tourism since 1992.  After completing a college degree in tourism, she started as manager for what became Visit Svalbard, building up the local tourist office in Longyearbyen and coordinating the establishment of the Svalbard Tourism Board. From 2001 till 2006, she worked as the first tourism adviser at the Governor of Svalbard office. Frigg has been project manager for the development of “The Svalbard Guide Courses”, “General guidelines for tourism in Svalbard”, “Clean up Svalbard” and “The Governor’s strategy for tourism and outdoor recreation”. Since joining AECO, she has been responsible for several of AECO’s numerous projects. Frigg speaks Norwegian, English and some German.

Download high resolution photo here.

Melissa Nacke

Head of Operations

Contact information:

Phone: +47 465 00 675
E-mail: melissa(a)aeco.no

BACKGROUND

As of March 2023, Melissa Nacke is AECO’s head of operations. In this position, she manages the Operations Department which covers the topics of field operations, environment, and maritime issues. Melissa joined AECO in 2019 as AECO’s environmental specialist, where she managed AECO’s Clean Seas project and a range of tasks connected to AECO’s efforts to safeguard the environment.

Melissa is Canadian and has worked as a Specialist in Arctic Shipping and Marine Conservation for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) where she led projects related to safe shipping, pollution and marine protection in the Arctic. Through this work, she engaged at the local community, federal and international level and collaborated with a variety of stakeholders, including industry, government, Indigenous representatives, and scientists.

Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology and Oceanography and a Master of Science degree focused on Arctic oceanography.

Download high resolution photo here.

Anne Øien

Head of Communications

Contact information:

Phone: +47 943 99 185
E-mail: anne(a)aeco.no

BACKGROUND

Anne Øien is AECO’s Head of Communications working from the main office in Tromsø.  Anne joined in April 2022, and is responsible for AECO’s communication strategies and day to day communication activities through relevant channels,  working to promote AECO, industry initiatives and activities. In addition she is responsible for crisis communication.

Anne is  from Northern Norway and has a college degree in communications from HIBU, and extensive work experience from communication and marketing within different fields, including recent experience from tourism in the northern regions. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in International Emergency Preparedness focusing on Arctic Cruise Tourism and emergency preparedness in the high North, and a master’s degree in Societal Security from UIT – the Arctic University of Norway.

Download high resolution photo here.

Aga Nowak

Environmental Specialist

Contact information:

Phone: +47 954 21 207
E-mail: aga(a)aeco.no

BACKGROUND

Aga is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist with a broad background. She has a Master of Science degree in Marine chemistry and environmental protection and a PhD in Terrestrial hydrology and biogeochemistry in the High Arctic. She also has experience in the development of research strategies and programs in the field of environmental science.

Aga has spent the last 15 years conducting research in the Arctic and Antarctica, in addition to teaching at universities in Svalbard, Norway, and the UK. Her work contributes to our understanding of the effects of climate change and pollution on terrestrial and marine environments within both Polar Regions.

Download high resolution photo here.

Anders la Cour Vahl

Deputy Director

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Cell phone: +299 55 25 34
E-mail: anders(a)aeco.no

BACKGROUND

Anders la Cour Vahl has been AECO’s assistant director since December 2019 and is based in Nuuk, Greenland. As assistant director, Anders is part of AECO’s management group and stands in for the executive director when needed. He’s involved in strategical planning and AECO’s overall portfolio as well as specific thematic areas.

Anders has previously worked as Chief Analyst for Air Greenland. From 2002 to 2017, he worked at Visit Greenland / the National Tourist Board of Greenland, holding the title of Deputy Director since 2011. Among other things, he was responsible for managing the Tourism Board’s efforts on cruise development in Greenland which is included collaboration with AECO on several occasions. Anders is Danish and speaks English and Danish.

Download high resolution photo here.

André Skrivervik

Director of Administration and Human Resources

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Cell phone: +47 908 87 782
E-mail: andre(a)aeco.no

BACKGROUND

André assumed the position as Head of HR & Organizational Development March 1, 2022, and is based in Tromsø, Norway at the AECO Head Office. André will lead the Secretariat’s efforts within all HR and organizational development related issues. André is part of AECO’s management group.

André Skrivervik comes from the position as Head of Administration at the Arctic Council Secretariat in Tromsø. Before joining the Arctic Council Secretariat almost 10 years ago, André worked 7 years at the University of Tromsø as an advisor at the Centre for career services, a service he started to develop in 2005. André has also got some work experience from the Royal Norwegian Navy and has also worked three seasons on the meteorological weather stations on Hopen and Bear Island outside Svalbard. He served as a Station manager on Bear Island in the winter season of 2004-2005. His educational background includes a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tromsø and an MA from the University of Bergen including subjects in psychology and work and organizational psychology.

Downloand high resolution photo here.

M. Florencia Becherini

Office Manager

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Cell phone: +47 468 08 917
E-mail: florencia(a)aeco.no

BACKGROUND

M. Florencia (Flor) is AECO’s office manager. She joined the Secretariat in September 2015. Flor works with accounting, administration, archives, event planning, general inquiries and member service. Flor assists members and ships with administrative and membership issues, including AECO’s Cruise scheduler and vessel contact list. She is based at AECO’s office in Tromsø.

Flor comes from Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she grew up and spent most of her life. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international trade with specialization in international economy and worked more than twelve years as an account manager both in an Argentinean bank and in the biggest newspaper in the country. After completing her studies in 2012, she moved to Norway, where she learned Norwegian. Florencia also speaks English and has Spanish as a mother tongue.

Download high resolution photo here.

Troels Jacobsen

Field Operations Manager

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Cell phone: +45 42227589
E-mail: troels(a)aeco.no

BACKGROUND

Troels Jacobsen has been AECO’s field operations manager since January 2020 and works from a home office close to Odense, Denmark. Troels is involved in developing and maintaining field operations tools, measures and procedures. He is also involved in a range of field operations issues relevant to AECO.

Troels Jacobsen has more than 15 years’ experience from the cruise industry, most recently as Product and Staffing Manager for Oceanwide Expeditions. He holds a Master of Science in Biology and has worked as guide, expedition leader in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Troels Jacobsen has done extensive consultant work for AECO and has been involved in AECO committees. Troels Jacobsen is Danish and speaks Danish and English.

Download high resolution photo here.

Gyða Guðmundsdóttir

Head of Community Engagement

CONTACT INFORMATION: 

Cell phone: +4571488552
E-mail: gyda(a)aeco.no

BACKGROUND

Gyda assumed the position as AECO’s community engagement specialist on  May 1, 2022, and is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. She will  work on developing framework and tools related to AECO’s Community Engagement, and will have a special focus on Iceland in her role, working to achieve dialogue, partnership and community engagement.

Gyda became acquainted with the cruise industry in Wonderful Copenhagen, working for the Cruise Baltic Network. After moving to Iceland in 2016 she worked hands on handling port calls in Reykjavik as Port Agent and Key Account Manager for Gára Port Agency. She then took over as General Manager for the North Atlantic Agency in 2017, a network of port agents in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. During the summer of 2018 she lived in Nuuk, working for Royal Arctic Line, handling cruise calls and implementing a port operations software with the Greenlandic team. After spending her summer in Greenland, Gyda moved back to Copenhagen.

As well as being General Manager at NAA, Gyda was spokesperson for Cruise Iceland for a year.

Gyda holds a BA in Int. Sales and Marketing management from CPH Business Academy and is almost done with her masters in Strategy and Leadership from the University of Iceland

Download high resolution photo here.

 

Member login ›
Become a member ›

AECO © All Rights Reserved