Board of Trustees

Kona Gray, FASLA, President-Elect

Over 29 years of experience in 30+ countries, Kona A. Gray, FASLA, PLA has designed memorable places and unselfishly served the profession through volunteer efforts with care. Kona’s civic responsibility is evident in his years of commitment to the Landscape Architecture community. He envisions welcoming environments that promote community and vitality in diverse neighborhoods. Kona’s ethos is influenced by travel, environmental empathy and exposure to many cultures while growing up in Liberia, West Africa and Decatur, Georgia. As a Landscape Architect, he is committed to enhancing awareness of the discipline through public and industry influence. 

Kona is an ASLA Fellow, 2022 ASLA Presidents’ Medal recipient, 2018 ASLA Vice President Professional Practice and 2016 President of the Landscape Architecture Foundation. He continues to serve on ASLA Florida, ASLA National, CLARB, HD, LAAB and LAF committees as well as design juries. Kona also serves on advisory boards for the ULI SE Florida/Caribbean District Council, University of Miami School of Architecture MRED+U and NSU School of Business MSRED. 

A well-spoken ambassador, Kona has contributed to more than two decades of outreach heightening awareness for the profession through sharing global projects, individual experiences, and external inspirations. He’s enthusiastic about growing the profession and committed to DEI initiatives through mentorship, internships, and scholarships. Kona regularly gives back to academia via lectures, design reviews, program visits, keynotes addresses, and LABash conferences. Kona was honored to serve as the 2021 LSU Bickham Chair and deliver the 2021 UGA – SE+D Spring Commencement. 

In private practice at EDSA, Kona co-leads design and business development as a firm resource. He is a registered Landscape Architect in four States and holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia and a Commercial Real Estate Certificate from Cornell University. 

Emily O'Mahoney, FASLA, Immediate Past President

As an activist, advocate, and passionate landscape architect, Emily O’Mahoney, FASLA, has used her leadership positions to develop quality continuing education programs, remove barriers to practice, mentor students, and provide encouragement and support to emerging professionals with the LARE Review Course. She is also actively involved in ACE Mentorship, ACE Legacy and FLAA (Future Landscape Architects of America) to support career discovery. It is the growth of the profession that fuels her commitment to serve aspiring landscape architects and emerging professionals. She was recognized for her professional service to the Society as the 2016 recipient of the ASLA Outstanding Service Award. The award recognized Emily’s exceptional volunteer spirit and many years of service. 

Emily received her BLA from the University of Florida and has been in private practice since 1980. For the last 20 years she has been a Partner at 2GHO in Jupiter, Florida, planning and designing award winning and sustainable spaces, places, and communities. Emily and her husband Brian raised three wonderful children and are blessed with five grandchildren and her daily walking partner, one crazy golden retriever. 

Jean Senechal Biggs, ASLA, Vice President, Professional Practice

Ebru Ozer, FASLA, Vice President, Education

Ebru Özer, ASLA, is an associate professor at Florida International University and a co-founding principal of LandscapeDE. She has over 20 years of experience in design practice and 15 years in academia. She earned an MLA from Louisiana State University, a BArch from Dokuz Eylül University, and a diploma in Physics from Ege University. She is also currently a Ph.D. candidate in civil engineering, completing her dissertation on climate-conscious stormwater infrastructure design.

Özer devotes majority of her time to educating the next generation of landscape architects. Her teaching efforts have been recognized with many awards and honors, including the FIU Faculty Senate Teaching Medal in 2015 and the FIU University Top Scholar Award in 2020.

Ozer is a board member and registered ACE mentor at ACE Miami where she helps with career development and recruitment by sharing her passion for landscape architecture through weekly teachings at local high schools. She has been part of the ASLA Florida’s executive committee for over a decade and is currently chairing its ACE Legacy Project.

Monique Bassey, ASLA, Vice President, Communications

Monique Bassey is a visiting professor and the 2021-2022 Marie M. Bickham Chair at the Louisiana State University Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture.  Prior to her role as a professor, she worked for seven years as a landscape designer. Her experience spans a variety of project types, including neighborhood plans, university campus plans, community engagement, site design, streetscape design, and outreach initiatives. Monique holds both a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Arizona. 

 Nationally, from 2018-2021, she served on the ASLA Committee on Education, collectively working to increase student chapter and faculty support, advocating for landscape architecture to become a STEM discipline, and helping advance the quality of education by reviewing the LAAB accreditation standards. Monique is an active member of the Black Landscape Architects Network. She serves on the Emerging Professionals Committee and co-chaired the 2021 First Annual Black Landscape Symposium.  

Additionally, Monique was one of thirty participants selected around the world to participate in the 2018 UNESCO World Heritage Young Professionals Forum in Manama, Bahrain. The Forum aimed to transmit the values of World Heritage, and highlight the potential that World Heritage education can have for facilitating sustainable development. In 2019, she was selected to be a participant of the UNESCO Biennale of Luanda, Pan-African Culture of Peace Forum in Luanda, Angola. During the Biennale, she worked together with a group of young professionals from Africa to develop strategies to support peace, safety, and security for African youth. 

Joy Kuebler, FASLA, Vice President, Government Affairs

Joy Kuebler, ASLA, PLA, is an award-winning professional with more than 20 years’ experience.  A Cornell University landscape architecture graduate, Joy participates in Cornell’s Professional Practice course, is a Student Awards Competition juror and participant in the Applied Economics and Management Department’s entrepreneur video interviews.  Joy’s ASLA leadership began with her service as 1996 ASLA Student Chapter Co-President.

  Joy founded Joy Kuebler Landscape Architect in 2013. JKLA has won more than two dozen design and practice as well as accolades recognizing Joy’s leadership and passion for her practice. JKLA continues to evolve to include highly interactive site analysis and community engagement platforms.

Joy exuberantly shares her love of design. Her Summer Shadowing program has provided more than 25 students from a variety of universities as well as local high schools immersive, practical experiences. Joy began teaching as an adjunct in the SUNY Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning in spring 2020.

April Westcott, FASLA, Vice President, Membership

Chris Della Vedova, ASLA, Vice President, Finance

 Christopher J. Della Vedova, ASLA, PLA, is president/CEO of Confluence, Inc and is based in their Des Moines, Iowa office. As a co-founder of the firm in 1998, he has led the growth from one office with six employees to nine offices across the mid-west and 79 employees. During his time at the helm of Confluence, his focus has been on the stable growth of the firm by thinking strategically, leveraging opportunities, and maintaining financial security for the firm and its employees. His leadership style focuses on listening, collaboration, and problem-solving, whether it is for guiding the firm or leading a project. He is involved in numerous project types, including corporate campus, higher education, urban infill, and streetscapes. Regardless of the project type or scale, he approaches projects focusing on unique solutions for the client to achieve an implementable design.

He currently serves as Vice-Chair on the Operation Downtown Board for the Des Moines Partnership. He has served on the boards for Mentor Iowa and the Iowa Architectural Foundation, where he co-chaired their Community Design Program. His community involvement led him to be named one of Des Moines’ “Forty under 40” by the Des Moines Business Record in 2008. 

Chris received his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University, where he has served on the Advisory Council for the Landscape Architecture Department and is a regular presenter for the professional practice classes. He currently carries licenses in Iowa and Nebraska, is CLARB certified, a LEED AP, and is certified as a Construction Document Technologist by the Construction Specifications Institute.

Torey Carter-Conneen, Chief Executive Officer

Torey Carter-Conneen joined ASLA as Chief Executive Officer in August 2020. He has served in executive leadership roles for companies ranging in size from $7 million to $750 million in annual revenues and staff of nearly four hundred. Prior to joining ASLA, Torey served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Prior to his leadership at AILA, Torey was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Center for American Progress (CAP), COO and later Acting President and CEO at the LGBTQ Victory Fund and Institute, Divisional Controller of MV Transportation--a privately held North American transportation management corporation--and an auditor at a CPA firm.

Torey is a proud alumnus of George Mason University, where he earned degrees in economics and accounting. He later attended the University of Maryland Global Campus where he obtained an M.B.A. with a concentration on global business management and emerging markets.

Torey is also a volunteer member of ASAE’s Executive Management Professional Advisory Council and sits on the executive committee of the board for Shepherd’s Table--a community organization in Silver Spring, Maryland, providing food and support to people most in need. He also serves on the board of the American Immigration Council.

Torey and his husband Mike are fathers to two amazing children, Drew and Aiden.

Curt Millay, ASLA, Secretary

Curt Millay, ASLA, is the Corporate Secretary of the American Society of Landscape Architects where he oversees the Society’s governance processes and manages special projects. He holds a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Virginia Tech. Prior to joining ASLA, he practiced in a small urban-design-focused landscape architecture firm in Washington, DC where his project work included institutional and mixed-use development sites, historic landscapes, parks, and play areas. Curt is licensed in the state of Virginia and holds a LEED AP. In 2016 he was elected to membership in Lambda Alpha International, the honorary land economics society, in recognition of his contributions to ASLA and the profession of landscape architecture.

Michael D. O'Brien, Hon. ASLA, Treasurer

Michael O’Brien, Hon. ASLA, has been the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since 2009 and became the publisher of LAM in December 2014. A native of Niagara Falls, New York, Michael is a graduate of the State University of New York College at Geneseo with a B.S. in Accounting. He is a certified public accountant (CPA licensed in the state of Maryland); a Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP); and a Certified Global Management Accountant (CGMA). Before joining ASLA, Michael worked for CFO To Go and Price Waterhouse (currently PricewaterhouseCoopers) in various management, auditing, and accounting roles.

Susan Jacobson, FASLA, Parliamentarian

Susan Jacobson, FASLA, PLA, is the Landscape Architect and Head of Site Planning & Design for The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. With forty years of experience as a landscape architect in the Chicago area, she has worked in both private and public practice. Susan holds a BLA from the University of Illinois, and is licensed. A full member in the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) since 1982, she was elected Fellow in 1995, and received the President’s medal in 2017. Susan has served as the president of the Illinois Chapter and the National ASLA, and is active on the National ASLA Honors and Awards, the Chapter Success Institute and the Constitution and Bylaws committees. Susan also received the U of I Department of Landscape Architecture Alumni Medal in 2019 for outstanding support of the department and the profession.

Alabama | Chad Bostick, ASLA,

Alabama Chapter

Alaska | Jonny Hayes, ASLA,

Alaska Chapter

As Chief Design Officer at Anchorage Museum, Jonny collaborates with internal teams and community partners to advance exhibitions, installations, and projects as part of an internationally renowned cultural institution in Anchorage, Alaska.

Jonny thrives on multidisciplinary teams, with numerous projects having been recognized with awards at varying scales and from multiple entities, including the State of Alaska Governor’s Council on Special Education and Disabilities for work in the field of Inclusive Play, American Society of Landscape Architects Alaska Chapter, AIGA Alaska (The Big One), AIA Alaska Chapter, Graphis Design Awards, and A4LE Alaska Chapter.

Jonny is invested in engaging professionals with service on the boards of the American Society of Landscape Architects (Trustee, Alaska Chapter) and AIGA Alaska (Design Week Chair), is an active member of multiple design organizations (Society of Experiential Graphic Design, World Design Weeks), and serves on multiple committees and advisory groups (Anchorage Parks & Recreation Technical Advisory Committee, Anchorage Municipal Land Use Code Downtown Plan Update Committee [Title 21, Chapter 11],  Anchorage Trails Initiative, Schools on Trails Program, the Anchorage Green Infrastructure Working Group, and the Community Engineering Corps).

Arizona | Ken Brooks, FASLA,

Arizona Chapter

Kenneth R. Brooks, FASLA, FCELA, PLA, is the Arizona Chapter Trustee (2022-2024).   He is Professor of Landscape Architecture in The Design School at Arizona State University. Ken joined ASLA in 1977 and has been active in chapter and national committees and through elected Chapter leadership positions.  He has professional experience in private and public practice, however, most of his nearly 50-year career has been as a professional educator, helping to preparing future generations of landscape architects and participating in the advancement of our discipline.  Ken has also promoted and served our profession through his participation and leadership positions in the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board, The Roster of Visiting Evaluators, and the LA Foundation Performance Resources for Educators initiatives.  He continues to be a strong proponent for helping LAs evolve and advance our collective effectiveness through applied scholarship.

Arkansas | William Hall, ASLA,

Arkansas Chapter

Bill graduated from the University of Arkansas’ landscape architecture program in 1981. He spent the first years of his career working for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program providing technical assistance to a statewide constituency. He then spent the next decade and a half working in the private sector involved in commercial and residential site planning and design. Bill then was presented with the opportunity to be the Campus Planner/Landscape Architect at Arkansas State University. He remained in that position for twenty plus years, where he was involved in guiding site planning and design for the university, as well as campus building and interiors projects and campus accessibility.

After retirement from the university, Bill accepted a position with Ecological Design Group, a landscape architecture and civil engineering firm in Northwest Arkansas.

Bill served two separate terms as president of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He also served on the Arkansas State Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers for twenty five years, serving as Secretary/Treasurer for three terms and President for one term.

Boston | Tom Ryan, FASLA,

Boston Chapter

California Northern | Elizabeth Boults, ASLA,

California Northern Chapter

Elizabeth Boults is a licensed landscape architect and educator with over 25 years of professional and academic experience. She is a SITES Accredited Professional who maintains an art and design practice grounded in spiritual ecology and focused on promoting environmental consciousness. She is a senior lecturer in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at University of California, Davis, where she teaches and writes on the subjects of landscape history, representation and site design. Elizabeth was a visiting artist/scholar at the British School in Rome and is a former McDowell fellow. She is co-author of the upcoming book, Wisdom of Place, from ORO Editions.

California San Diego | Patricia Trauth, ASLA,

California San Diego Chapter

Ms. Trauth is the Associate Principal for RICK Engineering and manages landscape architectural services and staff in their ten offices throughout the western region. As a licensed landscape architect in California, a certified planner and a LEED accredited professional, she has planned and designed numerous public and private projects.

Ms. Trauth was elected Trustee for the San Diego Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, she was President in 2014 and has been actively involved in the organization for a number of years including two terms as Vice President. In 2015, she was appointed by the governor of California to the Landscape Architects Technical Committee that regulates the profession throughout the state. She was reappointed earlier this year.

 Ms. Trauth graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design and a Bachelor of Science in Education. She has a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Arizona.

California Sierra | Andrew Wickham, ASLA,

California Sierra Chapter

 Mr. Wickham is a Project Leader at LPA, a national integrated design firm.  Andrew’s primary focus at LPA is to design at the intersection of built, cultural, and natural systems.  He is a champion of integrated design and works closely with the project team to lead the design of enriching outdoor environments which extend the indoors and bring nuanced social and cultural opportunities to users.  He has experience working at all scales of projects, from planning to implementation.  His interest lies in how the blending of built elements with the natural environment can enhance a user’s experience and reinforce values of equity, ecology, and curiosity.  Andrew is a proven thinker and strategist, leading workshops at several C.A.S.H. and California Green Schools conferences about the importance of performative landscapes to the student experience.  His passion for evidence-based design, education, and sustainability come through in every project he works on, big or small.

 Andrew is very active within the American Society of Landscape Architects and is currently serving as Trustee of the California Sierra Chapter as well as a President of the California Council of ASLA.  He helped to create the Emerging Professional Groups in both the California Southern and California Sierra chapters, and is a co-creator of the mobile outreach platform “Park-In-A-Box” within the California Sierra Chapter.  Through the years, he has also served on several local and national committees, and has held several positions on the California Sierra Chapter Executive Committee including President and Vice President.  As a proud alum, he serves on the Landscape Architecture Department Advisory Council at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.  While attending Cal Poly as a student, his body of work was recognized with the inaugural Design Excellence Award, in recognition of outstanding achievement in design throughout his educational career.  

California Southern | Evan Mather, FASLA,

California Southern Chapter

Colorado | Gretchen Wilson, ASLA,

Colorado Chapter

 Gretchen Wilson, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP, is a co-founder and Principal of Dig Studio with offices in Denver, Phoenix, and Spokane. Gretchen is dedicated to utilizing the power of public space to bring diverse communities together, improve health and well-being, connect people to healthy foods, create resilient habitats, and improve the environment. She helped grow Dig Studio from four to forty-four people in 10 years with an emphasis on diversity, collaboration, and organic evolution. She is involved with CU Denver through scholarships, teaching, lecturing, jurying, and serves on the Master of Urban Design Advisory Council. Gretchen serves as Trustee to help improve and grow the profession for the next generation of landscape architects. She is currently a Master of Science in Environmental Science candidate at CU Denver in the Geography and Environmental Science Department focusing on climate, hydrologic systems, and ecosystems science.

Connecticut | Barbara Yaeger, ASLA,

Connecticut Chapter

Barbara Yaeger, PLA, ASLA, CANP, is a Principal and Partner at Land Canvas Landscape Architecture.  After over 20 years in the world of horticultural, she gained her degree and license in Landscape Architecture allowing her to continue her love of plants, but in new and exciting ways.  She has been involved in CTASLA since her change of careers holding all positions on the board and is excited to continue guiding the chapter as Trustee. She also serves as President of the board of the Connecticut Nurserymen’s Foundation and has an extensive history of volunteering to serve her community and organizations she believes in. She gained her BS in Environmental Horticulture and BS in Landscape Architecture, from University of Connecticut and an MBA from the University of South Florida. She holds a License in Landscape Architect from the State of Connecticut and is a Connecticut Accredited Nursery Professional (CANP).

Florida | Alex Fenech, ASLA,

Florida Chapter

Alex has had a wide variety of exposure to a diverse portfolio of projects since entering the landscape architecture profession in 2011. His range of scope covers a breadth of projects from community master planning work in the municipal setting to a variety of private sector engagements including opportunities with the Walt Disney World Resort, EDSA and Hitchcock Design Group. Project types have included domestic and international hospitality, mixed-use development, government, recreation, and urban infill projects throughout the Caribbean and United States. In his former position, Alex led efforts for the new Swan Reserve Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort, the recreational facilities rebuild at Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle, DRV Pink Stadium (MLS - Inter Miami CF) in Fort Lauderdale and the Shepherd’s Hollow Banquet and Event Facility in Clarkston, Michigan.

Alex has is a Past President of the Florida chapter and has served in many other capacities on the ASLA Florida Executive Committee in leadership and volunteering roles. 

Georgia | Todd Hill, ASLA,

Georgia Chapter

Todd is a Principal/Owner of DTJ Design, where he is Director of Design for the Atlanta office. He combines a combination of high design, personal touch, and sustainable principles in his award-winning portfolio of destination resorts, master planned communities, and urban parks. Todd has built a career over three decades working world-wide designing distinguished built projects. His work is rooted in the specific characteristics of place to create timeless projects that are responsive to program, culture and sustainable principles. He has worked in 25 countries on five continents. He has spoken fourteen times at ASLA conferences, served on juries for the LAMMY Awards, and was appointed to the Annual Meeting Education Advisory Committee (2011-2013) and Annual Conference Education Advisory Board (2017-2020). In 2020 he was elected as Trustee for the GAASLA chapter. Todd is also the Board Chair for Emory Village Alliance (seven no-consecutive years).

Hawaii | Dana Anne Yee, FASLA,

Hawaii Chapter

Idaho/Montana | Jay Gibbons, ASLA,

Idaho/Montana Chapter

Jay Gibbons’ career spans more than 32 years in Idaho’s treasure valley.  It has been roughly split between private and public practice, three private practice firms, two municipalities and a county.  While currently focusing on land use planning/entitlements, he has been involved in the design of parks, hospital campuses, veteran cemeteries, recreational sites, subdivisions, apartment complexes and countless commercial projects.  Mr. Gibbons holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Idaho and has been a licensed landscape architect since 1995.  His involvement in the Idaho-Montana Chapter encompasses the past dozen years serving in multiple leadership positions.  Giving back to the profession is a personal commitment in gratitude to all the landscape architects that came before and directly influenced his career and so many others.  He is an Idaho native and enjoys all facets of outdoor activities.

Illinois | Sarah White, ASLA,

Illinois Chapter

Indiana | Katie Clark, FASLA,

Indiana Chapter

Katie is passionate about empowering community leaders and residents to use their time and talents to create catalytic change. In every project, she seeks to not only identify the existing challenges and trends impacting the community but also works to find and celebrate the area’s assets including those people, places, and organizations that make the community unique. Her background affords her a well-rounded approach to design as well as project management.   After receiving her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from Ball State University, Katie has focused her career on identifying creative ways to integrate community participation and planning into public and private infrastructure and development projects. In her current role as senior project manager, she consistently strives to apply creative thought and innovation to the firm’s urban streetscapes, transportation corridor planning, comprehensive planning, strategic planning, and site and open space design projects. 

Iowa | Lara Guldenpfennig, ASLA,

Iowa Chapter

Lara is a landscape architect with JBC|Landscape Architects in West Des Moines. She earned her BLA from Iowa State University in 2004. With over 18 years of experience, Lara has worked on numerous multi-disciplinary projects across the nation finding passion in streetscape revitalization, parks and trail systems, sports complexes, and stormwater best management practices. She is actively involved with the Iowa ASLA chapter and has served in the role of Secretary, Vice President, and President. Her advocacy is focused on increasing female student enrollment in landscape architecture, encouraging women within the profession to obtain licensure, and, most recently, promoting National ASLA’s Climate Action Plan within the shorelines of Iowa.  Outside the office, Lara enjoys spending time with her husband, Ryan, their two daughters, Rylie and Victoria, and their numerous fur-kids.  She is an avid crocheter, loves being involved with her community and is a well-versed dance mom.     

Kentucky | Amin Omidy, ASLA,

Kentucky Chapter

Amin Omidy, ASLA, PLA is a senior landscape architect and project manager with Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group, a boutique community planning and landscape architecture firm in Indianapolis, IN and Louisville, KY. In his role, Amin has led many award-winning projects ranging from community planning, parks design and construction, plazas, and trail projects.  Amin is passionate about crafting landscapes that connect people to their environments and believes in the power to create vibrant communities. 

Amin has served several leadership roles with the Kentucky Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (KY-ASLA) ranging from Advocacy Chair, Chapter President, and is currently serving as Trustee.  In addition to his leadership roles in KY-ASLA, Amin has also served as Programming Committee Chair of the Urban Land Institute Kentucky, and Historic Landmarks and Preservation District Commission for Louisville Metro. 

Louisiana | Justin Lemoine, ASLA,

Louisiana Chapter

 Justin Lemoine is a 2006 graduate of the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture at LSU.  After a brief residence in Austin, TX, Justin returned to Baton Rouge where he began working with Dana Brown & Associates, Inc until 2013.  In March 2013 Justin founded ELS Landscape Architecture Studio.  In June of 2020, Justin stepped into the role of Executive Director for the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area. At ANHA, Justin works with community partners, environmental organizations, and governmental agencies to support and enhance cultural heritage, natural resource, and recreational resource access and appreciation.  Justin serves as board president of a statewide urban forestry non-profit, Baton Rouge Green.  In December of 2016, Justin, along with a team of friends, co-founded the Mid City Makers Market, a monthly event that showcases local artist, makers, food, and drink vendors. 

Maryland | Om Khurjekar, ASLA,

Maryland Chapter

Om Khurjekar is a Principal of Hord Coplan Macht, with over nineteen years of experience in designing public parks and plazas, interpretive play environments, park structures, college and university campus landscapes, hospitality and entertainment projects, and urban projects.His work has won numerous awards and has been recognized by Maryland and Potomac chapters of the ASLA, Preservation Pennsylvania, the Maryland Recreation and Parks Authority and LUXE interior design magazine. In 2010 he was awarded the Alumni of the Year-Presidential Award of Excellence by the Morgan State University, where he completed his master’s in landscape architecture. He is a licensed architect in India and a licensed landscape architect in the state of Maryland.He has lectured at Morgan State University and serves as a design critic at both Morgan State University and University of Maryland College Park.

Michigan | Benjamin Baker, ASLA,

Michigan Chapter

Ben is a landscape architect residing in Southwest Michigan.  He has been involved with ASLA in various capacities, since he was a student at Michigan State University.  Some recent involvement includes Michigan Chapter President for two terms, National Leadership Development Committee member and chair, and currently as Trustee.  Ben says, “ASLA has been an integral part of my career, I’ve made great friends and connections through the society.  And I’ve realized how important the work that ASLA does to support our members and advocate for the profession”.  Outside of work, Ben enjoys tending to his garden, keeping chickens, volunteering with 4H, and tinkering with vintage motorcycles and scooters.  

Minnesota | Matthew Rentsch, ASLA,

Minnesota Chapter

Mississippi | Matt Copp, ASLA,

Mississippi Chapter

Matthew Copp, ASLA, represents the Mississippi Chapter having first joined ASLA as a student member while attending Mississippi State University.  Over the last eight years, Copp has been actively serving in a variety of roles on the Mississippi chapter’s executive committee.  Copp chaired the 2022 Alabama-Mississippi Twin States Conference held in Oxford, Mississippi while serving as Chapter president.  Recognizing that volunteering is crucial to the success of any organization, Copp accepted an appointment to serve on the Membership Engagement Committee.  Copp is a landscape architect at a garden center and landscape company providing design-build services in north Mississippi and the metropolitan Memphis area with a focus on single and multi-family residential and light commercial projects.  While not volunteering with ASLA, Copp enjoys traveling with his wife, attending concerts, fishing, and cooking. 

Nebraska/Dakotas | Chad Kucker, ASLA,

Nebraska/Dakotas Chapter

Chad has been working to promote the profession of landscape architecture in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for nearly 25 years. He joined Confluence in 2005 to help establish an office in Sioux Falls and is principal and shareholder with the firm. Chad’s professional experience is diverse with current work primarily focused on projects for municipal clients including recreation, transportation, streetscapes and urban riverfront development. Prior to being elected to the Board of Trustees in 2020, Chad had previously served as president and treasurer for the Nebraska/Dakotas Chapter. Chad is also an Irrigation Association Certified Irrigation Designer and currently serves as a volunteer with CLARB.

Chad is a graduate of South Dakota State University and holds professional licenses in South Dakota and Iowa.  

Nevada | Barb Santner, ASLA,

Nevada Chapter

Barb Santner, ASLA, AICP, is a Senior Associate with Stantec Consulting.  She enjoys applying her broad experience to facilitate innovative design solutions as part of multi-disciplinary teams to build livable communities.  With over 30 years of professional experience practicing in the semi-arid west she is passionate about green infrastructure including low impact development, rainwater harvesting, and native landscape restoration.  Barb has served on the Nevada Chapter ASLA Executive Committee as Treasurer and Northern Section Chairperson and became the Chapter Trustee in 2021.  She has also served multiple terms on the Nevada Chapter ASLA Northern Section with roles as Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary. Hailing from Colorado, Barb earned a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Colorado State University and is a Certified Planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners.  She is a registered landscape architect in multiple states.

New Hampshire | Randy Knowles, ASLA,

New Hampshire Chapter

Randy E. Knowles, ASLA is a licensed landscape architect in the states of New Hampshire and Maine.  With nearly 40 years in the design field, Randy is Vice President of Planning and Design at the Dubay Group in Windham, NH. Current projects range from commercial site planning and residential design to master planning with local municipalities and state planning commissions. Known for his unique presentation graphics, prior to joining The Dubay Group, Randy was in private practice for 17 years.

Before serving his recent term as president of the New Hampshire Chapter, Randy was part of the team that fought to establish state licensure in 2006 for landscape architects. He is also an active member in PlanNH, a non-profit group whose mission is to "foster excellence in planning, design and development of New Hampshire's built environment."

In his spare time, Randy is an award-winning artist and painting teacher.

New Jersey | Jan Saltiel Rafel, ASLA,

New Jersey Chapter

Jan Saltiel Rafel, LEED AP, LLA, ASLA, is principal of Edgewater Design LLC with over 35 years of experience in the design and planning of landscapes and urban spaces.  Starting her career in New York City working on parks, corporate and residential estate planning, she has continued to work on all sectors of landscape architectural design with the firm she founded in 1989 – Edgewater Design.  For the past 20 years, Jan has had an emphasis on public landscapes in New Jersey and New York working with state universities, public school playgrounds, parks and plazas.   Her focus on sustainable landscapes currently includes work on several green infrastructure projects including a central stormwater project for Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ and bioswales in downtown Yonkers, NY.

In addition to her private practice, she has guided Edgewater Design to participate in pro-bono community projects such as public-school gardens, municipal rain gardens and the design of a township’s 9-11 memorial.

New Mexico | Jitka Dekojova, ASLA,

New Mexico Chapter

Jitka Dekojova, ASLA, SITES AP, is trained both as a landscape architect and an environmental planner. She is well equipped to balance both aesthetics and ecology in landscape design. While emphasizing adaptive reuse and green infrastructure, Jitka also takes into account the ephemeral phenomenological aspects of the urban environment: the need for whimsical elements, the joy of unexpected discovery in everyday urbanism, the advantage of flexibility in planned spaces, and the importance of mix of people to bring vibrancy into urban spaces. Jitka is a former president of NMASLA (The New Mexico Chapter of The American Society of Landscape Architects), and works at Dekker/Perich/Sabatini – a multi-disciplinary design firm with offices in AZ, NM and TX. She writes for Zahrada Park Krajina, a Czech landscape architecture magazine and enjoys hiking, wine tasting and aimless travelling. 

New York | Elizabeth Moskalenko, ASLA,

New York Chapter

New York Upstate | Michele Palmer, ASLA,

New York Upstate Chapter

Michele Palmer, an upstate New York native and Cornell University Alumna, has been a practicing landscape architect for nearly thirty years. She is also an educator, an academic researcher, and a landscape archaeologist. As a volunteer in the NY Upstate ASLA chapter, Palmer joined the Executive Committee in 2014 as Vice President for Programs and has served in various roles continuously since then, currently as Trustee. 

Palmer is licensed in the State of New York and is LEED® accredited. Her practice covers a broad scale, currently focused on public projects, having prepared or administered grants totaling over $30,000,000. Palmer values the benefits of large-scale planning projects that positively impact entire communities, often these are impoverished.

As trustee, she is hopeful to contribute as a representative of the Upstate chapter, supporting efforts at the national level to educate legislators about landscape architecture as a profession to ensure our inclusion in conversations about social justice, infrastructure, planning, and environmental policy. 

North Carolina | Zak Pierce, ASLA,

North Carolina Chapter

Ohio | Chris Laster, ASLA,

Ohio Chapter

Chris Laster, ASLA, is a high-energy landscape architect who thrives in a collaborative environment to achieve cutting-edge and sustainable design solutions for his clients. He has experience on a variety of complex project types that include mixed-use, corporate, higher education, civic, and healthcare within the US and internationally.

Chris is beginning his first term as a Trustee for Ohio. He has previously served the Ohio Chapter as President, VP of Communications, Secretary, and Public Relations Representative.  

Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from The Ohio State University. He currently shares his passion for practicing landscape architecture with his colleagues at EDGE in Columbus, Ohio. 

Oklahoma | Geoff Evans, ASLA,

Oklahoma Chapter

Geoffery Evans graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2002.  Since that time, he has worked for multiple firms in the Tulsa area, including Pittman Poe and Associates, Howell and Vancuren, and currently Planning Design Group (PDG). 

Geoff joined Planning Design Group in 2007 and has since become a firm Principal. He has a wide variety of experience in landscape architecture and project management, including recreational design, sports complexes, park master planning, commercial landscape, campus master planning, streetscapes, and golf course design. 

He has been an active member of the ASLA, previously serving many years as Associate at Large, Member at Large, President, and is now part of the Board of Trustees as the Oklahoma Chapter representative.  He has also been a part of OKASLA’s sponsorship committee, awards committee, and the scholarship committee. 

Along with serving the ASLA community, Geoff is a member of OSU’s Landscape Architecture Professional Advisory Committee, participates regularly with class projects, and has juried numerous student projects.  Recently, he has provided assistance in the accreditation process in 2022.  Also, in 2022 he was by recognized for his service to the department by being awarded the OSU Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Distinguished Service Award.

Oregon | Jim Hencke, ASLA,

Oregon Chapter

Pennsylvania/Delaware | Carl Kelemen, FASLA,

Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter

Carl Kelemen, RLA, FASLA, earned an Associate Degree in Landscape Design from Temple University and a BLA from the State University of New York;  College of Environmental Science and Forestry.  Over the course of his forty-plus year career, he has worked for government agencies, large and small architecture, and engineering firms and in the design-build world.  He was a former partner, now sole owner of KMS Design Group, LLC.  

He served as the PA/DE ASLA Vice President (1996-8), President (1998-2002), Trustee (2002-10), and Member-at-Large 2010-2014). Nationally, he has been an active member of the Professional Practice Committee since 2006 and has served on several sub-committees. He was elected Fellow in 2005.

He served on the Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee from 2015-2021 and the Bike Montco (Montgomery County) Steering Committee from 2016-2020.  Currently he is the Vice President of the, Montgomery County Park, Trail and Heritage Services Advisory Board, on which he has served since 2015.  Carl is a licensed landscape architect in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

Potomac | Rob Tilson, FASLA,

Potomac Chapter

Prairie Gateway | Brian Roth, ASLA,

Prairie Gateway Chapter

I’m Brian Roth, Trustee for the Prairie Gateway Chapter of ASLA.  I’ve been practicing Landscape Architecture for 22 years.  I’m a native to Iowa and received my BLA from Iowa State University.  I’ve spent most my professional life in Kansas City and currently I’m a partner with LAND3 Studio, a landscape architecture group in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.  I started to get involved with our local chapter by attending advocacy days at the state capital.  Since then I’ve held various positions including VP of Advocacy and President.  I reside in Overland Park, Kansas with my wife Mindy, daughters Emma (7) and Sophie (3) and our puppy Houston (15).  When I’m not cranking out deadlines or immersed in family life, I golf and bike regularly.

Rhode Island | Nathan Socha, ASLA,

Rhode Island Chapter

Nate Socha, PLA, ASLA, is a Project Manager at BETA Group Inc, a mid-sized multidisciplinary firm in Lincoln, RI. He works on municipal projects throughout New England. Prior to BETA he worked for a large landscape firm in Boston for 8 years, where he worked in the Middle East and China. He has been active with the Rhode Island chapter for over a decade, serving as a member-at-large, public awareness chair, newsletter and website editor and communications chair before taking on the role of Trustee.

Nate graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2006. Nate became a LEED Accredited Professional in 2011 and went through SITES AP training. He is an active visiting critic with the LA Department at URI. Nate also serves on the Conservation Commission, and Open Space Master Plan Board of Seekonk, MA, where he lives with his wife and two children.

South Carolina | Holley Bloss Owings, ASLA,

South Carolina Chapter

St. Louis | Christopher Moon, ASLA,

St. Louis Chapter

Chris Moon, ASLA, is a Fountain Consultant for Hydro Dramatics in St. Louis, MO.   Chris earned a Bachelor of Science from Purdue University.  He has over 25 years of experience in the field of Landscape Architecture.

Hydro Dramatics has designed water features across the United States and abroad.  The Hydro Dramatics team has the technical and engineering know-how but also provides direct access to the fabrication/manufacturing capabilities needed to tackle the most ambitious and challenging fountain projects.  From simple to complex, from classically elegant to playfully whimsical, Hydro Dramatics takes a creative approach to fulfilling your every design vision.

Chris’ passion for Landscape Architecture is a reason he wanted to be the Trustee of the St. Louis Chapter.  Chris has been in many positions within the chapter along with local focus groups.  Chris also advocates at the local and state level to advance the profession.

Tennessee | Allen Jones, ASLA,

Tennessee Chapter

Allen is the Principal/Owner of Stone Creek Consulting, a boutique landscape architecture company based in Dunlap, TN. He specializes in entitlements, site planning, and creating places that bring value to both his clients and the end users. Allen is passionate about community service and has served as a City Commissioner, served on various non-profit organizations, and is currently working to develop a countywide program to honor and recognize century owned farms. In addition, he owns and operates a Blueberry Farm with his wife and is a soccer coach.

Allen has served TNASLA for many years and has held various positions and is diligent to promote the profession of Landscape Architecture to the next generation. 

Texas | Vaughn Eric Perez, ASLA,

Texas Chapter

V. Eric Perez, RLA, ASLA. As a Texas native from a rural farm community, I take great pride in serving as Trustee for the largest Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architecture (ASLA).  With almost 900 members, we are constantly challenged by addressing global issues, locally.  I am a Landscape Architect, Owner, Artist, Advocate, Volunteer, and Mentor. 

A full member since 1999, I have worked in offices around the US and on projects around the world. In 2020, I ventured out and began my own studio here in my hometown of Needville.  My mission is to use lessons learned through my project experiences to assist municipalities in revitalizing cultural and economic centers for rural downtowns, while honoring and celebrating each community's unique identity.

Outside of ASLA, I am a Board Member on the Professional Advisory Board for Texas A&M LAUP Program, where I lead our Student / Professional Mentorship Program and Chair the DEI Committee. I Appointed by City Council, I sit on the DCN Committee for the City of Needville.  The mission of this Committee is to assist in the creation, retention and reinvestment of resources that increase economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for my hometown of Needville.

Utah | Bryce Ward, ASLA,

Utah Chapter

As a Board of Trustee member, Bryce Ward strategically leads the local recognition of the ASLA Utah Chapter through planning and advocacy. Mr. Ward holds a degree from Utah State University in Landscape Architecture and a graduate degree in Public Administration from the University of Utah. As a Landscape Forms Business Development Representative for Utah, Montana, and Wyoming, he assists many architectural and design professionals. Before joining the Landscape Forms team, he spent a decade working as a landscape architect, specializing in experiential design, transit development, and green infrastructure in various markets, including municipal planning and design, property development, campus planning, and urban design.

Bryce's extensive experience in placemaking and urban development in Utah's accelerated growing environment is an asset for his clients and ASLA members. He continues to promote the profession through his advocacy efforts and provides experience, resources, and knowledge to assist clients in creating ideal outdoor spaces.   

Vermont | Gail Henderson-King, ASLA,

Vermont Chapter

Gail Henderson-King, PLA, ASLA, is a registered landscape architect in Vermont. She currently works for White + Burke, where she uses her landscape architectural and planning skills for assisting clients with developing creative projects. Gail is committed to development solutions while maintaining professional integrity and respect for the environment and surroundings. With extensive background in the public and private sectors, she is able to effectively navigate through all phases of permitting from public presentations to resolving sensitive issues.  

She currently serves on the State Office of Professional Regulations Landscape Architectural Panel, is the VTASLA HALS Liaison and committee member, and chair of the Shelburne Tree Advisory Committee. Ms. Henderson-King holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic and a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University. In her spare time, she enjoys running, gardening, hiking, yoga, and hanging out with her family.

Virginia | Dustin Smith, ASLA,

Virginia Chapter

Dustin V. Smith, PLA, ASLA, is an Associate at Wolf Josey Landscape Architects in Charlottesville, Virginia.  He has experience creating landscapes for university campuses, U.S embassies, urban streetscapes, and residential properties, but has a particular passion for cultural landscapes, trees, and soils. 

Dustin has been an active member with the Virginia Chapter over the last five years as a Member-At-Large and Secretary.  He also formerly served as an Advisory Committee Member for Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization.  Dustin earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree and completed post-graduate work at Virginia Tech.  He studied Urban Design at Tongji University in Shanghai, China, and is currently completing a graduate certificate in Heritage Conservation from the University of Arizona.

West Virginia | Todd Schoolcraft, ASLA,

West Virginia Chapter

Mr. Schoolcraft is from Clendenin, WV, the son of a building contractor, spending his formative years learning construction within the family business. He transitioned into design, graduating with a BSLA from WVU in 1991. Mr. Schoolcraft has since worked in private consulting. He’s held all ExCom positions within ASLA WV Chapter including Secretary, Treasurer, President, and now Trustee. Mr. Schoolcraft is a retired U.S. Army Officer, achieving the rank of Major, with 23 years’ time in service. He served as combat engineer with the 111th Engineer Group, WVANG. The 111th served in Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He won the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service while in Kuwait and Iraq. Mr. Schoolcraft served on the WVBLA for 9 years as Secretary and Treasurer.

Mr. Schoolcraft married his high school sweetheart Kelly, and has two children, Sam (Dallis) and Hannah, with one grandson, Emerson.

Wisconsin | Jonathan Bronk, ASLA,

Wisconsin Chapter

Washington | Tim Slazinik, ASLA,

Washington Chapter

Lauren Gray, Associate ASLA, National Associate Representative

Lauren Gray, Associate ASLA, is a landscape designer with A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. With 2 years of experience, she helps to provide design services on a wide variety of projects across the Mid-Atlantic region. During her time in the University of Maryland’s Master of Landscape Architecture Program, Lauren researched the relationship between sound and the landscape, going on to present her work at local and national conferences. Over her career, Lauren has been the recipient of the Maryland ASLA’s student fellowship, been inducted into the Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Olmsted Scholars Program, and was most recently recognized by the Maryland ASLA with the Emerging Professional Award for 2023. 

Madeline Kirschner, Student ASLA, National Student Representative

Madeline Kirschner, Associate ASLA, is an aspiring landscape architect practicing at a landscape architecture firm in Boston. As a bachelor’s student at Louisiana State University, Madeline served as an executive planner of the 2022 LABash conference, chair of the Student Advisory Committee, and co-chair for the Climate Action Network. Since graduating in May 2022, Madeline has continued to serve as chair of the Student Advisory Committee to further develop leadership skills and be an active voice for students and emerging professionals. 

Roberto Rovira, ASLA, LAF Representative

Barbara L. Deutsch, FASLA, LAF Representative