Honors & Awards

ASLA Elevates 27 Members to the Council of Fellows

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has elevated 27 members as ASLA Fellows for their exceptional contributions to the landscape architecture profession and society at large. Election to the ASLA Council of Fellows is among the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members and is based on their works, leadership/management, knowledge, and service.

ASLA Fellows will be elevated during a special investiture ceremony at the 2022 Conference on Landscape Architecture. Additional information about the 2022 Class of Fellows, as well as previous ASLA Fellows, is available on the ASLA Council of Fellows webpage.

Mike Albert, ASLA
Design Workshop, Inc., Aspen, Colorado

Nomination in Works by the Colorado Chapter

Mike Albert’s intellectual curiosity, creative mind, passion for uniting people, and conviction that landscape architects can harness the power and restorative properties of nature has resulted in a profound body of built work. At Design Workshop, Mike identifies important historic and ecological values to create landscapes of meaning and value. Grounded by unwavering stewardship values, an enthusiastic collaborative spirit, and an acute focus on contextually appropriate materiality and detailing, his work has been recognized with over fifty awards, including eight national ASLA awards. Among Mike’s award-winning projects are: Wayne Ferguson Plaza, a vibrant 1.5-acre public plaza that transformed an underused parking lot into a community destination in Lewisville, Texas’s historic Old Town; Andesite Ridge Retreat, a modernist vision of simplicity, volume, and natural materials, responding to challenging site conditions while celebrating an ecologically rich environment in a high alpine site in Montana; and Joplin Public Library, where after a devastating tornado, Mike spearheaded an inclusive and open public engagement process resulting in a fully integrated anchor for the adjacent mixed-use development. Mike advances the profession in many ways, not the least of which is his influence on collaborators and clients to become stewards of their own landscapes and communities.

Richard Alomar, ASLA
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Nomination in Service by the New York Chapter

Throughout his nearly three decades of practice, teaching, community engagement, and service, Richard Alomar successfully advocated for sketching as a space to view, engage, and build awareness of the beauty and complexity of the landscape. He helped transform Urban Sketchers from a group of a few hundred participants to over 300 international chapters with more than 200,000 followers, with a robust executive and advisory board, a digital magazine, sustainably funded grant programs, and sponsored partnerships with art suppliers and art institutions. Over the last decade Richard has led over 100 sketch walks with more than 2,000 participants—including those at ASLA conferences—and has published or contributed to over twenty articles and books on sketch¬ing landscapes. His methods are followed by many ASLA chapters, landscape architecture pro¬grams, and sketch groups around the world. Working with designers, students, and community groups, sketching has been the glue connecting education, advocacy, art, and engagement. Richard is an associate professor, department chair, and graduate program director at Rutgers University where he also directs the Rutgers Office of Urban Extension and Engagement and is a Core Faculty member on the Rutgers Global Health Institute. His work in the public sector, engagement with communities, and contributions to the ASLA-NY chapter, National ASLA, and New York State Education Board of the Professions have been long and consistent.

John Amodeo, ASLA
IBI Placemaking, Boston

Nomination in Works by the Boston Chapter

Throughout forty years of practice, John Amodeo has provided superb leadership on an exceptional range of design and master planning efforts, including parks, plazas, streetscapes, greenways, and institutions both public and private. Always pursuing high-quality design in both the broader scale and in the details, John’s practice has been undergirded by a consistent foundation of sustainability, stormwater management, and care for the natural environment. An urbanist with a passion for historic preservation, he designs the public realm to be context sensitive and enduring while being regionally authentic. Some of his award-winning projects include: a designated Boston Landmark, The Christian Science Plaza Restoration and Repair, that was carefully and subtly transformed to encour¬age sustainability and more public gathering while maintaining the Plaza’s original character; the eleven-acre North Bank Bridge Park—Boston, Charlestown, and Cambridge—which reclaimed previously inaccessible riverfront with new connections such as a sinusoidal pedestrian bridge and also transformed the underbridge environment into a safe and whimsical plaza; and, the restoration of a highly damaged landscape, now known as Fresh Pond Reservation Northeast Sector, Cambridge, where John improved the water quality of Cambridge’s drinking water supply, removed invasive plants, stabilized eroding steep embankments using bioengineering techniques, managed the remediation of contaminated soils, and planted over 60,000 native plants.

María Bellalta, ASLA
Boston Architectural College, Boston

Nomination in Knowledge by the Boston Chapter

María Bellalta’s career is distinguished by more than thirty years of working across multidimensional platforms of research and teaching, academic administration, and practice in landscape architecture. María’s research focuses on the urbanization of the Global South and its environmental and social impacts, work that is further informed by her ongoing ties to Latin America. María disseminates her ideas and knowledge through national and international lectures, teaching, research, and publications, including her recent book, Social Urbanism: Reframing Spatial Design==Discourses from Latin America. In her long career in private practice, María has worked on planning and urban design projects throughout the United States and the Middle East, with an emphasis on sustainable design for civic spaces and new urban landscapes. She leads international studios focused on “social urbanism” in Medellín, Colombia, and Mexico City, Mexico—rapidly expanding cities that exhibit ecological, economic, and social dilemmas exacerbated by the climate crisis. Since becoming head and dean of the School of Landscape Architecture at the BAC in 2011, María has been dedicated to the development of the Bachelor and Master of Landscape Architecture programs, applying her knowledge of the profession and her years of distinguished practice, rigorous administration, and inspiring teaching. She is committed to expanding diversity in the academy and in the profession, while also helping to redefine our notions of just space.

Deneen Crosby, ASLA
Crosby Schlessinger Smallridge, Boston

Nomination in Works by the Boston Chapter

Deneen Crosby’s work has quietly transformed metropolitan Boston’s public realm over the past thirty years, resulting in an urbanity that is more beautiful, sustainable, connected, and environmentally and socially resilient. Her attention to the design quality and sustainability of public spaces and her unique ability to maximize the potential of landscapes has resulted in the creation of joyful public spaces. Her work varies greatly in project scale, from small neighborhood parks and playgrounds to significant urban open spaces integral to some of the most important infrastructure projects in the country, including Boston’s “Big Dig.” Among her more than 100 built projects are: Farnham Connolly State Park, which successfully transformed a seriously contaminated and neglected part of the Neponset River Reservation into a regional destination showcasing the full range of wetland plant communities; the Neponset River Greenway, which changed an industrial river corridor into a publicly accessible greenway linking the southernmost Boston neighborhoods—all with environmental justice communities—to Boston Harbor; and on the northernmost section of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, the 2.7-acre North End Parks that were built over the depressed interstate highway.

Galen S. Drake, ASLA
J2Design, Phoenix

Nomination in Service by the Arizona Chapter

For over forty years Galen Drake has promoted the visibility of landscape architecture and its role in improving people’s lives. Deeply committed to defending the licensure of the profession, Galen served for five years on the National ASLA Licensure and State Government Affairs Committee, including two terms as chair. When state legislators were poised to eliminate the licensure requirement for landscape architects, Galen formed an advocacy network and developed an approach to education and lobbying that was ultimately successful. His process became a national template for proactively defeating legislative threats to landscape architecture licensure. In 2020, Galen was recognized with the ASLA Award for Outstanding Service to the Society for his leadership, perseverance, and giving spirit to promoting and defending licensure. To increase visibility of the profession statewide, Galen created the Arizona Chapter Design Awards Program in 1987 and later its associated Awards Gala. Over twenty years ago, Galen helped found the much-loved DIGGS (Discovery is Growing Gardens at Simis) program at local elementary and middle schools. This award-winning, science-based environmental education program extends the school science curricula through hands-on work with native flora and fauna. Galen’s notable contributions throughout his long history of service have made the profession stronger and continue to inspire and motivate all those he serves.

Bruce Dvorak, ASLA
Texas A&M University, College Station

Nomination in Knowledge by the Texas Chapter

For over two decades, Bruce Dvorak has made exceptional contributions to the sustainability and resiliency of green roofs and living walls. Along with his teaching, speaking, and research, Bruce’s robust publications record expands green roof knowledge, teaching others how to learn from nature to achieve maximum ecosystem benefits. He is the lead author of the frequently cited book, Ecoregional Green Roofs: Theory and Application in the Western USA and Canada, which won a 2021 ASLA Research Honor Award. Bruce’s private practice work brings knowledge of green roof construction processes, materials, supervision, and specs to the classroom and studio. He developed fundamental design parameters for green roofs, such as drainage design, system weight calculations, construction detailing, planting, irrigation, green roof concepts, theories, and applications. In addition, Bruce’s “Plant Profile” columns in Living Architecture Monitor share his wisdom and knowledge of plants and confirm his status as an international authority in the field. He has also expanded the boundaries of landscape architecture by incorporating green roof development as an important tool in building resilient cities, thus strengthening our practice and our communities.

Kyle L. Fiddelke, ASLA
OJB, San Diego

Nomination in Works by the San Diego Chapter

Kyle Fiddelke has produced a significant body of work that combines a humanistic vocabulary with technical excellence to affirm the importance of a shared public realm. He is a partner at OJB, a national landscape architecture practice focused on the intersection of architecture, landscape, infrastructure, and beauty, balancing environmental performance with the power of human interaction. His projects tend to focus on remaking the heart of the city, reimagining the workplace, and rebuilding campus cohesion and stewardship. Long interested in the intersection of public parks with their ability to promote openness and equity, Kyle has been able to masterfully deploy the healing and restorative properties of plants to create works that engage with the human experience. Among his major projects are: Klyde Warren Park, Dallas, TX—constructed over an active, eight-lane freeway, this 5.2-acre urban deck park has transformed downtown Dallas by returning walkability to the city core and reconnecting the city’s two largest cultural districts; Riverfront Revitalization, Omaha, NE—reconnects the downtown core to the Missouri River and revitalizes three public parks while providing streetscape enhancements, new roadways, and a highly programmed destination; and North Torrey Pines Living Learning Neighborhood at the University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA—this ten-acre project is a new model for higher education, integrating a 2000-bed residential component with two major academic buildings and walkable outdoor classrooms, plazas, dining facilities, and connective pathways.

Joan Floura, ASLA
Floura Teeter Landscape Architects, Baltimore

Nomination in Leadership/Management by the Maryland Chapter

Joan Floura has furthered the profession and the crucial role of landscape architects within the transportation sector with her work on large-scale infrastructure, heavy construction, and transportation projects, which are historically engineer-driven and resistant to design thinking. Joan’s work encompasses millions of square feet of outdoor recreation areas, roadway improvements, and transit system hubs, including work on suburban Maryland’s $1+ billion Intercounty Connector (an 18.8-mile toll road) and Purple Line (a 16-mile light-rail project). Founded more than 20 years ago, Joan’s award-winning, woman-owned firm is leading efforts to infuse climate-conscious strategies into public projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. Her leadership also promotes women and minorities throughout the profession. As an active alumna of North Dakota State University, she was instrumental in ensuring the landscape architecture department gained status as an independent entity during a program transition. Her ongoing volunteerism in community and nonprofit projects brings together professional education with public service, deepening future professionals’ awareness of the value of community insight in landscape design. Since 2014, her firm’s “Community Grows Here” initiative has provided design services and volunteer workdays to nonprofits in the Baltimore area. Joan’s influence and impact in many different aspects of landscape architecture reach beyond Maryland borders to propel the profession into the future.

Christian Gabriel, ASLA
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Riverdale

Nomination in Leadership/Management by the Potomac Chapter

In his nearly 20 years in government and environ¬mental and landscape design consultancy, Christian Gabriel has elevated the prominence and practice of landscape architecture in the delivery of large-scale public design projects, policies, and programs. His early work at prominent landscape design practices informed his later efforts to establish more sustainable landscape policies and practices in Federal government and regional park systems. During his nine years with the US General Services Administration (GSA), among his many accomplishments were incorporating SITES certification standards into all of the agency’s capital projects; establishing a Landscape Analytics program linking design goals with field-verified performance achievements; and authoring design performance standards for all nonmilitary federally focused site-based construction. He also essentially realigned GSA’s design discussion from one centered exclusively on architectural expression to one focused on integrated design. His new role focuses on transforming the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, responsible for more than 30,000 acres of land around the nation’s capital. An award-winning writer and designer, Christian Gabriel has broadened the scope, expertise, and influence of the profession nationally and internationally.

William A. Green, ASLA
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island

Nomination in Leadership/Management by the Rhode Island Chapter

Over the course of his forty-one-year career, Will Green has dedicated his life’s work to the enrichment of discourse on sustainability and to the effective and insightful training of young minds. He transformed the landscape architecture program at the University of Rhode Island, where he served for fifteen years as chair of the department. He has also served CELA as a Regional Director, a representative to the Board of Directors, and the Conference Chair for the CELA Sustainability Track Annual Conference. Through the service-learning studios that he designed, Will brings real-world experiences to students, providing them with connections to stakeholders and professionals while helping to meet community needs. Twenty-eight years ago, Will initiated the URI Landscape Architecture Lecture Series, which has connected students to a wide array of professionals sharing their experiences. Additionally, Will provides pro bono services in the community, such as working with a local group of Holocaust survivors seeking to establish a memorial in Providence. With his help on design, coordination, and presentation services, the Rhode Island Holocaust Memorial was built and dedicated in 2015. Will Green serves as a nexus of community service, innovation, education, and discourse in the profession of landscape architecture.

Adam Greenspan, ASLA
PWP Landscape Architecture, Berkeley

Nomination in Works by the Northern California Chapter

Adam Greenspan, a directing partner at PWP Landscape Architecture (PWP), is dedicated to designing experiences for visitors to notice the often-overlooked living systems that they inhabit. As the lead designer on many projects including public parks, campuses, mixed-use developments, competitions, and estates, Adam has evolved the practice toward an emphasis on natural systems, sustainable solutions, and the integration of horticulturally rich planted systems. With a background in art and sociology, he deftly combines creativity, open communication, and engagement skills to conceive projects and to guide them sensitively through layered physical, social, and political contexts. Among Adam’s projects are: Glenstone Museum, Potomac, MD, a 300-acre contemporary art museum that seamlessly integrates art, architecture, and nature, while employing a systems approach to water manage¬ment, reforestation, meadow regeneration, and landscape maintenance; Salesforce Transit Center and Park, San Francisco, CA, a 5.4-acre park atop a multimodal transit center, with a botanical garden-like park and active experiences that serve as a performance landscape for the center of the city; and Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore, a new and singular airport experience created through biophilic design, enveloping and connecting visitors to the natural world. Adam has long been championing sustainability and regenerative living systems, as well as inclusion and socially responsible design, to a broader audience through engagement with ASLA and the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF).

Robert Hughes, ASLA
HGOR, Atlanta

Nomination in Works by the Georgia Chapter

With 45 years of experience as a landscape architect, planner, and founding principal of Hughes, Good, O’Leary & Ryan (HGOR), Bob Hughes’s contributions to the profession have advanced the way we approach our relationship with the environment and the way we accentuate each site’s character. He produces remarkable places of lasting value in significant projects—from civic and educational institutions to workplace and community-oriented developments. Bob uses his self-created SEE philosophy—Social + Economic + Environment—to resolve specific needs of an assignment in concert with the larger imperative. His innate ability to communicate enables him to build a design consensus that addresses critical issues while being responsive to context, climate, and culture. Among Bob’s many projects in Georgia are: Westside Park, Atlanta’s largest public park; Cox Enterprises’ corporate headquarters and its gardens, exterior dining space, and accessible connections for pedestrians and vehicles; and the Coca-Cola headquarters, where Bob created a brand-tailored design with niche outdoor spaces complementing the company’s bubbly, effervescent brand. Bob’s thoughtful design approach calls attention to the most distinctive natural attributes of a given place, while his collaborations and community outreach strategies extend the boundaries of traditional landscape architecture.

Claire Humber, ASLA
SE Group, Burlington, Vermont

Nomination in Knowledge by the Vermont Chapter

For over three decades, Claire Humber has been at the center of the evolution of the “ski” industry—from single-sport winter recreation to high quality place engagement and year-round enjoyment. By combining systems thinking, physical planning and design, wide-ranging experience, and an abiding commitment to the ski industry, she has guided mountain resorts and recreation areas toward becoming environmentally friendly and financially viable operations in all four seasons. Her work assessing, modeling, planning, and ultimately designing mountain destinations advances understanding of the critical relationship between the design and organization of these landscapes and their ongoing success. As a result of her industry-leading work, landscape architects are now central to the comprehensive planning and design of such resort and recreation developments. Her work extends beyond the United States to Canada, Iceland, Scotland, Scandinavia, Japan, Korea, and China. She is a frequent speaker at the National Ski Areas Association and the Urban Land Institute, among other groups. In addition to transforming an industry, Claire has increased appreciation for and stewardship of mountain environments to sustain local economies. Her work has opened additional opportunities for the public to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors and, ultimately, understand their responsibility in caring for it. Claire strives to reveal the unique physical qualities and character of each place, and to provide a memorable experience for the visitor.

Mark Klopfer, ASLA
Klopfer Martin Design Group, Boston
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston

Nomination in Works by the Boston Chapter

Educated and registered as both a landscape architect and architect, Mark Klopfer’s practice as a designer and educator is based on his love of exploring site history and expressing discoveries that are made through contemporary design. Mark practices with a sensitivity to the integration of built structure and site, demonstrating a level of craft that invites all who experience it to make new discoveries about time and place. As an educator, Mark has taught landscape content to more than 1,700 students—many first-generation college students—giving them ways of engaging and respecting a site and introducing them to the collaborative value of landscape architects. Among his award-winning projects are: Fisher Hill Reservoir Park, Brookline, MA—a new public park with a historic 10-acre reservoir and gatehouse in an Olmsted-designed community; The Bund, Shanghai—as the final stage of a tunnel that buried a highway, the wide riverfront promenade forms a major component of Shanghai’s flood control system while making new, previously impossible connections; and The Steel Yard, Providence, RI—a 3.5-acre brownfield now serving a diverse community in industrial arts education, workforce training, and small-scale manufacturing.

Claire Latané, ASLA
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Nomination in Knowledge by the Southern California Chapter

Claire Latané is a proven advocate for the profession of landscape architecture, a thoughtful and effective communicator on the benefits of healthy learning environments, and a leader in applying that knowledge to schools. For over a decade, Claire has helped school communities imagine and realize healthier, greener schoolyards and has advanced understanding of the impact of school environments on public health, equity, and climate resilience. Her journalism background has helped her to translate decades of design knowledge and scientific research into lessons that are accessible to designers, decision-makers, and the public. In 2020, Claire co-led the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s outdoor infrastructure working group and founded its Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers program. That work led to Claire establishing the Collaborative for Healthy and Inclusive Learning Environments, pulling together experts in health, planning, and community-based design across the county. Her recent book, Schools That Heal: Design with Mental Health in Mind, has quickly become a critical resource for organizations, designers, and school districts as they rethink school environments and how school design can support mental health.

Samir Mathur, International ASLA
Integral Designs International Studio, New Delhi, Delhi, India

Nomination in Leadership/Management by ASLA Council of Fellows

Over the last twenty-five years, Samir Mathur has been a dedicated teacher, insightful reformer, seasoned practitioner, and a steadfast steward of the environment, while championing the profession of landscape architecture in India. His firm has completed over 500 projects of a diverse set of typologies and scales, drawing from international best practices and simple construction methods while also showing deference to local materials and social requirements. Samir’s sensitive approach to complex terrain, climatic conditions, and financial constraints on projects in India has made him the leading choice for major organizations. He has been extensively involved with writing guidelines and publications related to urban landscape, sustainability, heritage issues, and environmental issues critical to the quality of life in India. His reach includes drafting the landscape chapter for the National Building Code of India, helping frame the Unified Building Bylaws for Delhi, and championing heritage landscapes as a member of the Heritage Conservation Committee. He has been one of the leading figures of the Indian Society of Landscape Architects since its inception. Throughout his career, with one foot in education and one foot in practice, Samir has been mentoring and guiding young professionals in India. His many accomplishments reflect a philosophy of landscape architecture that is innovative, progressive, and responsible.

Philip J. Meyer, ASLA
Baughman Company, Wichita, Kansas

Nomination in Service by the Prairie Gateway Chapter

Reaching the local, state, and national levels, Phil Meyer’s exemplary volunteer efforts have focused on the challenging processes of preserving licensure of the profession, contemporizing the State of Kansas landscape architecture statutes, and ensuring that the highest possible standards are met in licensure. His representation of the chapter at licensure summits led to an appointment by the Governor to the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions, where for two years he chaired the process of updating the statutes involving five allied professions. His twelve years as the sole landscape architect representative provided him the opportunity to serve on the national level with the CLARB Board of Directors for nine years as a director, secretary, and president. He also volunteered on multiple CLARB committees and task forces aimed at improving the integrity and strength of the profession. Locally, Phil is a member of the City of Wichita Design Council, a committee of allied design professionals that reviews artistic and aesthetic elements of publicly funded projects. In 2015, Phil’s hard work, perseverance, and passion was recognized with the Alton Thomas Award, the chapter’s highest honor given to an individual who has performed in a manner above and beyond expectations. Phil’s personality, passion, and eagerness to volunteer his time during his thirty-seven-year career have truly enhanced the profession and those who encounter him.

Ramon V. Murray, ASLA
Murray Design Group, Orlando

Nomination in Service by the Florida Chapter

Ramon Murray has worked indefatigably over thirty-five years through his professional service activities to promote landscape architecture in his local community, in academia, and nationally. His passion for service and advocacy began as a student at the University of Florida when Ramon took the lead in working with two fellow students to develop materials to educate high school students about a landscape architecture career path, earning him the 1988 Department of Landscape Architecture Service Award from the university. That early effort set in motion a lifetime of giving back to the profession. He works steadfastly to bring more Black landscape architects into the profession in part through his participation on various Black Landscape Architects Network (BlackLAN) committees. His service includes pro bono work with the Summer Education and Engagement for Kids Symposium (SEEKS) program at Adrian College, conducting design and sustainability coursework; providing design and permitting services for the Housing and Neighborhood Development Services (HANDS) of central Florida and the Hannibal Square Land Trust for a historically Black community; serving six years as the only landscape architect on the Board of Directors for the historic Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando; and more. Ramon has made significant contributions to ASLA primarily through his work with LAAB, including as secretary and a member of the Roster of Visiting Evaluators (ROVE), and CLARB.

Heidi Natura, ASLA
Living Habitats, Chicago

Nomination in Works by the Illinois Chapter

Heidi Natura’s vision and commitment to improving the environment have expanded what it means to practice landscape architecture. Heidi’s “Root Systems of Prairie Plants” diagram is part of her ongoing effort to promote systems thinking and to share the wonders that lie beneath the prairie’s surface. As showcased across many projects, the implementation of ecosystem strategies in her work has stood the test of time while it has inspired and educated private and public landowners to apply her design principles across urban, rural, and natural settings. Among her many projects are: a Shoreline Restoration Master Plan for addressing erosion in the eight lakes at the Chicago Botanic Gardens; restoring a former agricultural site to its natural state at Bobolink Meadow Land and Water Reserve; and, on a 10,000 square foot green roof for the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Center, creating three distinct designs united by an artistry that recognizes the Arkansas River’s dominance and the strong context of the building’s architecture, while also serving a vital stormwater retention function.

Jennifer L. Nitzky, ASLA
Studio HIP, New York, New York

Nomination in Service by the New York Chapter

For more than twenty-five years, Jennifer Nitzky has worked with numerous community groups and organizations to elevate the quality of life, advocate for urban green space and pollinator habitat, and raise awareness of the profession. Her service includes volunteer and pro bono work on ten different interdisciplinary organizations and boards. She has served on the Executive Committee of the New York Chapter of the ASLA for over ten years. Concurrently, she has served as a representative of the Chapter on the Fine Arts Federation of New York board, where she has helped the private, public, civic, and community sectors solve a range of important built environment issues—from advancing sustainability and stewardship practices to promoting more equitable spaces and design processes for diverse communities. At the City College of New York’s Master of Landscape Architecture program, she has engaged with graduate students to advance the profession and support the program’s diverse students. Jennifer was instrumental in the efforts to preserve the Russell Page Garden at the Frick Collection. Since 2018, Jennifer has served on the NYC Pollinator Working Group, educating the public about the importance of supporting native pollinators. Jennifer’s service to the profession cuts a wide swath as she has collaborated with many groups, elevated awareness of landscape architecture outside the profession, and inspired the next generation of environmental stewards.

Kevin Osburn, ASLA
Rundell Ernstberger Associates, Indianapolis

Nomination in Works by the Indiana Chapter

For more than three decades, Kevin Osburn has created transformational site design, planning, and placemaking solutions that enhance social, environmental, and economic health. As a leading designer of innovative green infrastructure, complete streets, equitable transportation, and engaging public places, Kevin works are frequently cited as models by cities throughout the U.S., featured in national design journals, and visited by millions of people each year. Through destination parks and public spaces, artful gardens and cultural landscapes, iconic urban trail systems, vibrant urban districts, and revitalized neighborhoods, his design solutions have transformed Midwestern places and systems, especially in Indianapolis where he has played a pivotal role in designing and implementing high-profile, award-winning projects. Among his many celebrated projects are: the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, an 8-mile, $63-million pedestrian and bicycle system woven seamlessly into the existing fabric of downtown, catalyzing over $1 billion in new investment; and the Monon Redevelopment—Monon Trail, Monon Boulevard, and Midtown Plaza, Indianapolis and Carmel, IN, an early urban-suburban rails-to-trails 10-mile trail project that creates a distinctive place and aesthetic. Kevin’s works demonstrate a thoughtful approach to connecting, healing, inspiring, and transforming.

Jeffrey J. Pongonis, ASLA
MKSK, Columbus

Nomination in Works by the Ohio Chapter

Blurring the boundaries between urbanism and city-making, landscape architecture and civic art, placemaking and social infrastructure, Jeffrey’s professional career reveals twenty-five years of contemporary landscape architectural design leadership. He is dedicated to bridging the gap between the art and the science of designing resilient environments. His work, client profile, and passions are centered around the transformation and reimagination of complex cityscapes, landscapes, and scarred brownfields. Jeffrey’s projects—be they cities and campuses, districts and neighborhoods, or plazas and parkways—are designed for everyday living, lifelong cultural enrichment, and ecological evolution. Among his projects are: The Rose Run Corridor and Central Parkway, New Albany, Ohio—an ignored stream that divided the city until natural landscapes and habitats were given new life, re-linked open spaces into a navigable network, and re-energized urban redevelopment downtown; Mirror Lake Restoration, Columbus, OH—a natural and sustainable lake environment centrally located in the heart of The Ohio State University Campus that was created through the use of native plants, wetlands, eco-friendly water cleansing re-circulation systems, and the preservation of landmark trees; and The Arena District & Astor Park, Burnham Square, Plazas, Courtyards, and Streets, Columbus, OH—a vacant brownfield site transformed into a successful urban sports-anchored neighborhood whose master plans have served as the guiding development strategy for the broader riverfront district.

Nancy Prince, ASLA
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

Nomination in Leadership/Management by the New York Chapter

Few landscape architects in the United States have had as much impact and reach as Nancy Prince. As the Chief of Landscape Architecture for NYC Parks, she leads 100 landscape architects and consultants to set a higher design standard—centered on excellence, innovation, accessibility, resilience, and sustainability—that affects every city resident who visits a park. Her professional portfolio encompasses 30,000 acres spread across 5,000 properties, accounting for fourteen percent of the land in a city of almost nine million people with a ten-year capital budget of $5.5 billion. During her thirty-six-year career, she has worked to ensure historically significant properties benefit from thoughtful preservation and sensitive design. Nancy has also taken a leadership team role in the $71 million Central Park 2000 renovation and as the city representative on the Hudson River Park Trust design committee. Nancy led NYC Parks on the Community Parks Initiative (CPI) to ensure equitable park access, particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods, transforming sixty-three spaces into centers of community activity set within significant new greenspace and trees. Nancy worked with the NYC Department of City Planning to create new open space design guidelines for private developers, addressing climate resiliency, material durability, access to public restrooms, and accessibility for the disabled. More mundane projects such as water pumping stations, ferry landings, and utility structures, have also become greener, more context sensitive, and more welcoming thanks to Nancy’s work.

Debra Schmucker, ASLA
Cornerstone Planning & Design, Indianapolis

Nomination in Service by the Indiana Chapter

Over the past three decades Deb Schmucker has made it her mission to hold the profession to high standards, to prepare the next generation of landscape architects, and to enlighten the public about the vital work that landscape architects do. At INASLA, she helped to reshape the organization’s structure, enhance connections, update systems, and increase sponsorship, all while serving in various leadership roles. In recognition of her efforts, Deb was honored with the Claire Bennett Legacy Award in 2019, becoming one of only fifteen people in INASLA’s history to earn the award. Deb’s service on the Indiana State Licensing Agency has ensured a legacy of practice integrity and licensure continuity through ongoing sunset attacks. At the Indiana Park and Recreation Association she helped create new practice focus areas for the organization and positioned landscape architects as leaders. At Ball State University, Deb was instrumental in the creation of the College of Architecture and Planning’s Alumni Council, connecting nearly 1,200 graduates of the landscape architecture program. At the Urban Land Institute, through teaching and mentoring, she shared her decades of experience about landscape architects’ work. Deb’s international service and outreach ministry has helped provide humanitarian facilities that have affected thousands of children in Honduras and Kenya. Deb Schmucker has served the profession by building relationships and networks at state, national, and international levels, and she has done so with boundless energy and integrity.

Michael Stanley, ASLA
Dream Design International, Rapids City, South Dakota

Nomination in Service by the Nebraska-Dakotas Chapter

Mike Stanley’s nineteen years of dedicated service and leadership at all levels of ASLA have been instrumental in generating far-reaching benefits to the advancement and public recognition of the profession. Nationally, in his work with ASLA leadership, staff, and marketing consultants, he left his mark on many important activities and products. He worked to modernize the look and voice of ASLA by updating branding, social media, websites, and member messaging. He played an important role in the ASLA Public Awareness Summit to plan future public awareness initiatives. In his leadership role in the Nebraska-Dakotas chapter, including his four years as president, he established a long-term reserve, initiated relationships between the chapter and the three university landscape architecture programs in the region, and helped initiate the ASLA Central States Conference—a highly successful six-chapter biennial event since 2006. In addition, for over seven years, Mike has worked with the Rapid City School District to create enriching environments and designs as part of school ground renovations at middle and elementary schools. Mike Stanley’s inspired service has had an impact in countless ways.

April Westcott, ASLA
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana  

Nomination in Service by the Indiana Chapter

It comes as no surprise that April Westcott received the 2019 National ASLA Outstanding Service Award because service is at the center of everything she does. At ASLA, as chair of the National Member Services Committee, she initiated the creation of an array of resources that transformed onboarding processes for new members and chapter leaders. In Indiana she initiated “Landscape Architecture Day” and “World Landscape Architecture Month,” and then prodded other cities and states to follow suit, giving landscape architecture a vibrant public presence. In her chapter leadership roles, April made dramatic improvements to internal and external communications. She got INASLA involved with Indiana’s Earth Day celebrations. She finds creative ways to partner with major community organizations, seizing opportunities to launch public discussions and engaging activities focused on the work of landscape architects. And she has educated hundreds of children and teenagers about the profession and mentored dozens of landscape architecture majors at Purdue and Ball State universities. April doesn’t know how to be a bystander or to simply “show up” to events. She is a doer and has selflessly devoted herself to the organization and the profession through more than a decade of intense service, acting as the bridge between the profession and the public, and helping to ensure the vitality and long-term health and wellbeing of the Society.