Leadership and Governance
2022 President-Elect Speech: Emily O'Mahoney, FASLA
I see ASLA as the collective voice for the profession. ASLA is landscape architecture and landscape architecture is ASLA. ASLA is there to support us with its many programs and allows for us our individual voice. There is passion in our profession found in the work we do, the information we share, and the advocacy we undertake. ASLA expands and expounds on those passions through our core competencies of Advocacy, Communications, Education and Fellowship as stated in our mission statement and as the structure of our strategic planning endeavors. ASLA gives us the base for letting our allied professionals, our governments, and the public know that landscape architecture is the profession for creative and innovative solutions to mitigate climate change and to create resilient communities. ASLA gives us a map with various routes as to how we can educate ourselves and others. ASLA gives us the framework for connections and engagements with other landscape architects.
I AM Emily M. O’Mahoney, proud Fellow of this Society. I grew up in the Northeast within commuting distance to NYC. I am a graduate for the University of Florida. My husband grew up a town away from me in NJ but we met at UF and have stayed in Florida since. He was tired of sitting on radiators to warm up! We now reside in Jupiter Florida. I have been in private practice my whole career covering the gamut of types of work from high-end-single-family residential to parks, streetscapes, and urban design. I am a partner in the small firm of 2GHO. We have an outstanding team and are always attempting to improve the communities in which we work.
I HAVE dedicated decades in service to ASLA and the profession along with many other volunteer activities in my local community. I am passionate about growing the profession and increasing its visibility. If I can find the profession by 7th grade then so can others. Growing the profession is increasing our membership and seeing to continued licensure. The visibility of the profession is about educating the public, allied professionals, and government officials as to the role we can and should play. We need to protect our licensure to ensure we can practice on equal grounds with allied professionals. It is so important to make the profession economically successful, inclusive, and diverse in all aspects, in business and design. We do this individually and collectively as ASLA.
MY VALUES totally align with ASLA. As president I would lead the following initiatives to make sure they are effective and align with our Mission statement. They include the Racial Equity Action Plan, the Frameworks findings concerning the perception of the public and how to change that, the Climate Action Plan which is pulling together regions of the country to find similarities in climate change action strategies and the strategic plan under development as we speak.
THERE IS so much energy in ASLA now and I am proud to be part of it because WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. We are taking on the sometimes-touchy conversations about such things as climate change, design equity, diversity of voices including women and BIPOC. Then we broadcast them loud and clear. We are encouraging students to share their voice and listening to that voice. We are making belief statements that can be considered political, something not done in the past. But we are stating what is right, right for the environment and right for the people. The end goal is a benefit for each and every one of us individually, for our profession, our projects, the environment and the world…. as we become the GO-TO PROFESSION to solve our societal woes and our environmental challenges. ASLA is right beside us, guiding and giving support. In addition, ASLA keeps us informed by providing cutting edge information through numerous education opportunities.
OK, so take a step back. What type of president would I be? What is my agenda? AS implied before, it is supporting and growing program initiatives, and driving OUT-OF-THE-BOX thinking that aligns with our core tenets in relevant ways. While doing this I will be making sure that the volunteer base remains engaged and fulfilled…..and grows. It would also be my goal that our ASLA team is inspired and engaged interacting both vertically and horizontally to execute programming which is enticing to all levels of membership.
THE FIRST TENET is ADVOCACY: visibility of and for the profession in the public eye. This includes protecting licensure, educating elected officials, educating our K-12 students (OUR FUTURE landscape architects) on the profession. We all need to be involved in this and play our part. ASLA has great programs in place ready for us all to do our bit. I want to make sure that all these programs are kept relevant to our diverse members, the times, and that they continue to perform.
FOR COMMUNICATIONS, I believe in our association being open, transparent, inclusive, and diverse in how we function and in what we provide. The more that we promote our profession the better. Here we are in World Landscape Architecture Month. Share the fact that landscape architecture is the profession of the future, the problem solvers, the big picture thinkers who can work collaboratively to make a difference. ASLA already has the framework, is out there on social media. I would make sure that we are approaching this with the most impact to the public. My Polly Anna goal is that everyone understands our profession which ties into all that we are doing!
A BIG WOW to the EDUCATION arm of our core competencies. Look at what had been produced through reVision and the new Skill | Ed program. LARE Prep has gone virtual. There are lots of webinars through our committees and PPNs. ASLA is reaching members and non-members (soon to be members) in new and creative ways. I will support ASLA, as an organization, to continue to think outside the box and provide alternative learning opportunities.
FOR THE final core, Fellowship, the virtual connections have been a blessing during this time. Seeing some one’s face is so much better than just hearing a voice. BUT I have to tell you that I miss the face to face and cannot wait until Nashville! I hope to see you all there, safely masked and socially distanced per relevant health requirements at the time. Times have changed. I support an ASLA that provides a variety of fellowship opportunities, both virtual and in-person.
ASLA IS OUR ROCK, the center of our profession. As President, I promise to work on promoting all programs which enhance the core tenets and fulfill our mission statement: programs which are inclusive and inviting, programs that make educational opportunities for more people, programs which entice new members, programs which are sustainable, programs which attract diversity and are diverse in and of themselves.
I AM ONE OF MANY landscape architects who are passionate for the profession, and I am willing to serve. My motto is to learn something new every day. I want to listen to all voices and make sure the message is heard and interpreted into some form of action. Parallel to this, we must spend our life educating others on what we do and what the profession does for the environment and for society at large, at least until my Polly Anna goal is reached! ASLA is the base. ASLA is Landscape Architecture and vice versa. As president I will take my passion and make sure that we continue in this path and this direction through targeted outreach and effective programming. I am truly honored to have your consideration. As President, I promise to share my energy, experience, and passion to lead ASLA. Thank you.