The ASLA Fund has announced the 2024 class of the Licensure Advancement Program

The program is designed to support professionals who face systemic challenges in their pursuit of landscape architecture licensure and provide mentorship opportunities that position them for success. The program aims to increase racial and gender diversity within the profession and was inspired by ASLA's Racial Equity Plan of Action, which was released in 2020. 

“Landscape architects protect the health, safety and welfare of communities, so it’s important that we not only champion licensure at the state level but also support professionals in pursuit of licensure,” said ASLA President SuLin Kotowicz, FASLA, PLA. “Now in its third year, I am proud of ASLA for creating a program that is helping to provide participants with opportunities for professional growth and increasing the diversity of the profession. This cohort is extraordinary, and I’m excited to see where their professional journeys take them.” 

Several members of the first two cohorts are now licensed in California, Washington, and Tennessee, two are in the process of applying for their state license, and many more are continuing to work their way through the LARE exams. 

The 2024 class includes 10 women from groups that are among the most statistically underrepresented in the profession of landscape architecture. 

Among the selection committee for the 2024 class is Ana Cristina Garcia, ASLA, PLA, who was part of the inaugural class from 2022 to 2024 and through the program became a newly licensed landscape architect in 2023."

Being part of this program went beyond licensure support for me and became an opportunity to create community among women with shared stories. Although the financial assistance and material support were helpful in my licensure journey, it is the network of women and generosity of support from this group that was invaluable and will continue to be instrumental in my career," said Ana Cristina Garcia. “Reading the stories of the applicants and helping select the newest members of this growing network was so inspirational and I can't wait to see the successes of each of them and how that ripples through our profession.” 

The class includes women based in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New York, and Washington, D.C. who are involved in private practice and landscape architectural education. 

• Natalia Bezerra, ASLA, Landscape Designer, Lee and Associates, Inc., Washington, D.C.
• Zeynep Göksel, ASLA, Project Designer, Landscape Architecture, Snøhetta, New York, NY
• MaFe Gonzalez, Assoc. ASLA, Botanist and Landscape Designer, BASE Landscape Architecture, San Francisco, CA
• Linda Heckenkamp, ASLA, Owner/ Operator, LZH Consulting LLC, Tampa Bay, FL
• Jessica Jerez, ASLA, President, Jerez Design Group, Miami, FL
• Rutusha Nagaraj Kapini, ASLA, Landscape Designer, Cotleur & Hearing, West Palm Beach, FL
• Lauren Luck, Assoc. ASLA, Landscape Designer, Thomas & Hutton, Savannah, GA
• Stephanie Onwenu, ASLA, Visual Artist + Landscape Designer, ljeomalandartscapes LLC, Detroit, MI
• Malda Takieddine, ASLA, Founder, Ubuntu Landscape Architecture, Bellevue, WA
• Ailsa Thai, Assoc. ASLA, Landscape Designer, Studio-MLA, Los Angeles, CA

The program will provide each of the women with a personalized experience that provides more than $3,500 to cover the cost of sections of the Landscape Architectural Registration Exam (LARE), along with exam preparation courses, resources, and mentorship from a licensed landscape architect. 

The new class was selected by a committee:

• Misa Chen, ASLA, PLA, Studio Director and Founder STUDIO EDITION
• Ana Cristina Garcia, ASLA, PLA, Mithun
• Elizabeth Kennedy, FASLA, PLA founder of Elizabeth Kennedy Landscape Architect, PLLC (EKLA)

The ASLA Licensure Advancement Program was initiated with a generous $100,000 donation by former ASLA President Wendy Miller, FASLA, and James Barefoot; Marq Truscott, FASLA; Rachel Ragatz Truscott, ASLA; and Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB).

To sustain the program beyond 2024, we need to raise $35,000 a year to cover costs for 10 participants. Donate to the ASLA Fund and help us empower aspiring landscape architects!