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Perry Howard, FASLA

"What I love most about landscape architecture is that it is still an art form while still generating these wonderfully comprehensive collective works, actions, and ideas for the betterment of the planet and its inhabitants."

 

Perry Howard, FASLA, has actively participated in the landscape architecture community for five decades, contributing to various capacities. Most importantly, Perry has participated in and nurtured the growth of African Americans in the profession, which has been a major concern for the profession since the late 1960s. He has been designing and planning projects across different scales, spanning from rural to urban settings, for 15 years. He has held positions at multiple firms, including a vice presidency at EDSA. Perry has led a small Historically Black College or University (HBCU) landscape architectural educational program through its development for 25 years, earning initial and multiple accreditations. He has also managed 25 years of community service projects, offering much-needed access to landscape architecture services. Furthermore, Perry Howard has accumulated over four decades of service and leadership experience in ASLA and its chapters, having served as the 2006 NCASLA and 2008 ASLA President. Additionally, he has been involved with all ASLA sister agencies and proposed and obtained approval for the Landscape Architects Without Borders program as the ASLA delegate to IFLA.

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Raymond Jungles, FASLA

"What inspires me in landscape architecture is witnessing the remarkable creations of other talented designers. Their exceptional work raises the bar and continuously motivates me to do better."

 

Raymond Jungles, FASLA, is the founder of the Miami-based Landscape Architecture firm, Raymond Jungles, Inc. (RJI), recognized for excellence in the design and implementation of public and private sector projects.

As a landscape architect and in his practice, he strives to preserve and protect existing ecosystems while also evoking human interaction and improving the lives of others. Raymond pursued this passion through his adolescence and developed it into his career after graduating with a degree in Landscape Architecture, with honors, from the University of Florida in 1981. He established his award-winning firm in 1982, which became incorporated as Raymond Jungles, Inc. in 1985. In 2006, Raymond was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Raymond leads all of RJI's projects, from their conceptual onset to final completion. Raymond enjoys mentoring his staff and passionately promoting the profession of Landscape Architecture and the appreciation of natural environments and gardens.

Widely published, his four monographs; Ten Landscapes, The Colors of Nature, The Cultivated Wild, and his 2021 monograph, titled Beyond Wild, feature more than seventy of his completed gardens.

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Design Workshop Foundation

"Landscape architecture has the ability to enhance public well-being promote mental and physical health, support ecosystems and mitigate climate change for a more resilient world. I'm inspired by the power of our profession and the communities that we are invited to partner with to work together towards a more just and sustainable future." - Sarah Konradi, Executive Director

 

Design Workshop Foundation was established in 2002 by Design Workshop Inc. with the vision to leverage the firm's resources in service to communities. Today, Design Workshop Foundation continues that legacy by working closely with communities to expand the reach of design, planning, and placemaking services and catalyze transformative change.

What started as a volunteer-focused endeavor has transformed into an organization with a vision to utilize landscape architecture, planning, and design to create a more equitable future. Design Workshop Foundation's mission, vision, values, and strategic plan focus on equity, justice, and community-led action. In 2022, the Foundation launched the Community Capacity Building Initiative, a technical assistance effort to support under-resourced communities in overcoming built environment challenges. Designed to address the systemic lack of funding of public projects in historically under-represented communities, the Foundation provides no-cost support for community teams across the U.S.

Design Workshop Foundation's goal is to bridge the gap between vision and implementation for communities, with efforts rooted in the principles of collective impact. The Foundation aims to drive systemic change by empowering partners to transform projects into advocacy initiatives, as well as policy and funding changes.

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William "Chip" Winslow III, FASLA

"I have always been curious about how things work – from natural processes to mechanical devices- the materials, the components, the assembly, systems, and interactions that contribute to form and use. Equally, I have also been interested in the creative design and problem-solving process. Landscape architecture wraps the right amount of art, science, and social relevance that I am curious about into a discipline in which fulfills my desire to keep learning and practice applying that knowledge."

 

William P. "Chip" Winslow, III began his commitment to landscape architecture as an undergraduate student teaching assistant over 40 years ago at Kansas State University. Upon completing his MLA at the University of Michigan, he returned to Kansas to accomplish a twofold mission as educator and advocate for the profession. His teaching focuses on landscape architecture construction and its integral role in designing meaningful spaces with attention to craft and constructability. At Kansas State, Winslow became a tenured Professor and Emeritus Professor before joining the Texas A&M University landscape architecture and urban planning program as Professor of Practice in 2018. At TAMU, he integrated landscape design and construction principles throughout the curriculum and into allied disciplines. His advocacy for the profession is evidenced by leadership roles in CLARB and LAAB to elevate the profession through increasing licensure standards and obtainment standards. A licensed landscape architect since 1981, Winslow became ASLA Fellow in 2003, and was awarded the CLARB President's Award in 2007. His professional and academic accomplishments are a culmination of a career dedicated to landscape architecture education for students, emerging professionals, and allied disciplines on multiple levels.

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Jeff Caster, FASLA

"Landscape Architecture serves our Earth, all that lives, and all that will be, … and it gives me the same privilege and responsibility."

 

In 2020, Jeff Caster, FASLA began what's expected to be an eventful, enjoyable, and… very long retirement. Mostly volunteer, Jeff is an advocate and activist for conservation of Florida's natural resources and scenic beauty, and against bullying and bigotry everywhere. Decades of professional and leadership experience at the Florida Department of Transportation, at Florida A&M University, at the Florida Wildflower Foundation, in his community, and with ASLA readied Jeff to remain impactful.

Jeff is best known for his 20+ years as Florida's State Transportation Landscape Architect. Trusted and challenged to direct a $50 million annual investment in transportation landscape architecture; Jeff crafted proposed legislation, rules, policies, procedures, standard plans, standard specifications, research reports, manuals, and training to improve the quality and efficiency of planning, design, construction, and maintenance of 217,341 acres of public land, highway right-of-way, his state's most visible and visited landscape. Areas of specialization included highway beautification, scenic byways, outdoor advertising, wildflowers, urban forestry, greenways and trails, ponds, and aesthetics.

Licensed in 1997, Jeff earned degrees at Purdue University and Florida A&M University, and a Master of Landscape Architecture at Cornell University. New Jersey natives, Mimi and Jeff have been home in Tallahassee since 1977.

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Carol Coletta

"Landscape architecture is complex but experienced viscerally, without the need to understand or analyze. Landscape is always changing, always surprising. The joy it delivers is universal."

 

Carol Coletta is a national figure in the revitalization of cities and public spaces. Since 2017, she has served as president and CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership, a public-private partnership responsible for six miles along the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis.

Last fall, the Partnership celebrated the opening of Tom Lee Park, transforming 31acres of flat monoculture into a lush, sustainable park. Designed by Studio Gang and SCAPE, the park is the centerpiece of the Memphis riverfront and a national model for welcoming and ecologically restorative urban parks.

Carol previously served as senior fellow in the American Cities Practice at The Kresge Foundation where she led a $50+ million national collaboration to Reimagine the Civic Commons.

She was vice president of Community and National Initiatives for the Knight Foundation, managing grantmaking in 26 communities.

Carol led the start-up of ArtPlace, a public-private collaboration to accelerate creative placemaking nationally and was president and CEO of CEOs for Cities for seven years. She was executive director of the Mayors' Institute on City Design, a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, U.S. Conference of Mayors and American Architectural Foundation.

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LandDesign, Inc.

"For 45 years, LandDesign has remained true to how we are unique in this industry–you can do great design as a multi-disciplinary firm. Our integrated approach–landscape architects and civil engineers working together as designers–is what makes us unique and why we continue to operate nearly five decades later." - Rhett Crocker, President

 

From its inception in 1978, LandDesign has been a firm focused on doing 'great design, with great people.' When Larry Best started LandDesign, he was determined to create a firm whose rigor was grounded in honoring the land and working without ego to create implementable plans for his clients. This is why he called it ""LandDesign."" Today the firm has evolved into a 300-person integrated practice that leverages the creative tension between planning, design, and engineering to 'Create Places That Matter' around the world. This mission keeps the firm focused on celebrating the unique opportunities presented in each project to 'listen to the land,' 'listen to the client,' and 'listen to the community' – and use that to inform a unique value proposition, to which the design plans respond. The core values that Larry embodied in the beginning remain present in the leadership of the firm today, five generations later. This is a testament to the enduring culture that has been fostered throughout the history of the firm, and the generational belief that when you do great design, with great people, you can run a great practice.

LandDesign is unique; as a mid-size firm integrating landscape architecture, planning, and civil engineering, leadership has worked hard and intentionally to keep great design and client service at the center of the practice during growth.

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Open Land Trust of Beaufort County

"The Open Land Trust is honored to receive this prestigious award. Landscape architecture inspires us through its harmonious blend of art and science, shaping spaces that not only preserve the natural beauty but also foster community, resilience, and sustainability. This award reaffirms our shared commitment to protecting open spaces and enhancing the quality of life for generations to come."

 

The Open Land Trust is South Carolina's first and oldest land trust working to conserve open spaces, natural habitats and rural communities throughout the Southern Lowcountry.

We conserve many types of land: iconic vistas providing windows to the rivers and marsh; parks and greenspace that form the foundation of community; working farms that define our rural and cultural heritage; and large properties that play host to exceptional hunting or timbering operations. We recognize that land speaks to us in different ways, and we tailor our conservation efforts to honor the resources and the landowners vision.

We also recognize that protecting land is about water quality, wetlands, wildlife, and forests. And in protecting the resource, our job at the Open Land Trust goes one step further, to nurture the human's need for sense of place, providing access to land, water and wilderness. Our universal charge is to make sure our environmental treasure remain available for future generations.

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Gowanus Canal Conservancy

"Landscape architecture is a way of seeing systems, of understanding how the world works, and how it is changing. It provides the tools we need to adapt to the world's most pressing problems, including the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. But in order to do this work equitably and effectively, these tools need to be accessible to all, from students to community members to local governments. By embedding landscape architecture in public education and community process, we will prepare the next generation to understand and adaptively manage the dynamic systems we rely on."

 

Gowanus Canal Conservancy (GCC) is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit founded in 2006 with a mission to advocate and care for ecologically sustainable parks and public spaces in the Gowanus lowlands while empowering a community of stewards.

For almost two decades, GCC has been working toward a vision of the Gowanus Canal and surrounding urban environment that is clean, resilient, diverse and alive. We care for rain gardens, street trees, and green spaces throughout the neighborhood, and empower stakeholders in stewardship of their local landscapes through in-person events and resource sharing. We equip K-12 students with place-based science, ecology and design skills and knowledge so that they can be advocates and stewards for the local environment. We hire, train and inspire BIPOC youth, especially those living in public housing, to lead change in the environmental sector and their own communities. At our mission-driven Lowlands Nursery, we propagate, grow, and distribute urban-adapted native plants to local gardens, schools and community members. We are the stewards of the Gowanus Lowlands Masterplan, a community-based vision for the public realm, and are developing an innovative Improvement District for maintenance and programming of the emerging 20-acre network of parks and public spaces centered on the Gowanus Canal.

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Stephanie Onwenu, ASLA

"What inspires me about landscape architecture is how interesting and interconnected the skills gained can be applied in diverse ways outside the profession."

 

Stephanie Onwenu is a visual artist and landscape designer based in Detroit, MI. She is the creator and founder of Ijeomalandartscapes LLC, a landscape art experience that explores the intersections between art, design, history and culture. As an alumna of Michigan State University, Stephanie graduated with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and a Master of Arts in Environmental Design. Her work explores the intersections of human needs and the roles they play in the natural and built environment, while also connecting spaces and places to the people who define it. Stephanie's commitment and drive not only demonstrate her capabilities, but reflect her outspoken personality, which seeks for the advancements of others. Inspired by human relationships, interactions, and the influence of social change, Stephanie works with communities to challenge and transform cultural and social institutions.

In 2021, Stephanie was awarded the Emerging Professional of the Year award from the Michigan ASLA Chapter for her significant contributions to the profession. Currently, Stephanie sits as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Michigan ASLA Chapter, a co-founding Board Member of the newly established Michigan Chapter ASLA Foundation, and the Emerging Leader on the Michigan State University Landscape Architecture Alumni & Advisory Board.

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Matt Alcide

"Behind the remarkable designs and impactful work of landscape architects are some of the nicest and kindest people I have ever met. I am honored to work with landscape architects every day in my professional career."

 

Matt Alcide was first introduced to landscape architecture through the Landscape Architecture Foundation when he was hired as their development manager in 2011. During his time, LAF more than doubled its funding. In 2015, Matt acquired Land8, a website and community platform for landscape architects, and serves as its editor. Land8's reach includes over 1 million social media followers and has obtained over 100 million pageviews over the years. Land8 has introduced landscape architecture to people all over the world. Matt has also supported the profession during his time with Anova, sponsoring events and serving on committees with the Potomac and Maryland Chapters. In 2019, Matt created an independent nonprofit to secure the student-run LABash Conference to assist universities and provide a framework for the students. He continues to serve as a professional advisor for the students leading the conference. In 2021, Matt founded Division 32, a national manufacturer's rep group focused on products for landscape architects. Also in 2021, he partnered with ASLA to bring Land8 and LABash into the family of organizations managed by ASLA, creating a mutually beneficial relationship between the three entities. Matt continues to be active, serving on the New York Chapter programs committee.

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Jan Campbell

"You can always implement laws/code, but it is very difficult to change attitude."

 

In 1970, I graduated with a degree in elementary education and was denied the right to teach because of my disability. Undeterred, I pursued a career in civil and human rights: For 23 years I served as the Disability Project Coordinator for the City of Portland and Multnomah County. In that position I reviewed plans for building permits and made recommendations to the Bureau of Buildings at that time, regarding accessibility. I also worked with the Parks Bureau in setting up an advisory committee. comprised of persons with disabilities to review and provide comments to projects they were considering for accessibility. That committee is still functioning today Currently as the Director of Disability Awareness Resource Team (DART). a team of peers, we advocate for survivors with disabilities in the area of domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes. I have chaired and been a member of local, state and regional commissions, councils, boards and committees that advise police makers of changes that improve the lives of persons with disabilities and older adults. I currently Chair's TriMet's Committee on Accessible Transportation, Co-Chair the Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee in the Metro area, and a member and past president of Disability Rights Oregon. Awards I have received are the local, state and national level for achievements in the area of disability for promoting independence, empowerment and well being of persons with disabilities.

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Torey Carter-Conneen

"Becoming an Honorary Member of ASLA symbolizes not only my professional journey and dedication to advancing landscape architecture but also the deep connections and collaborations I've had the privilege to foster within this remarkable community,” said Torey Carter-Conneen, ASLA CEO. “Design, at its core, is about hope and the belief that through design and placemaking we can change lives, communities and the planet for the better. This recognition inspires me to continue advocating for the transformative power of landscape architecture and to support our members in their vital work of shaping resilient, sustainable, and beautiful environments. And I’m excited to move forward in this work as an honorary ASLA member.”

 

Torey Carter-Conneen is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the 15,000-member professional association which represents landscape architects in the U.S. Founded in 1899, Washington, DC-based ASLA promotes landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education, and fellowship. Torey was appointed ASLA’s CEO in 2020, and in 2021 led the development of ASLA’s “2030 Vision,” which affirms ASLA’s focus on raising awareness of the interaction of people, planet, and space, thereby better positioning the organization to take on such challenges as climate change. In fact, ASLA has committed to cut greenhouse emissions by slashing the carbon footprint of its annual conference. During his tenure, Torey has also forged new partnerships that strengthen ASLA’s future through cultivation and development of a talent pipeline for the landscape architecture profession. In addition, because of focused advocacy efforts, the 2021 Infrastructure & Jobs Act signed by President Biden included thirteen provisions recommended by ASLA.

Prior to joining ASLA, Torey served as Chief Operating Officer of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and previously he 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. Torey received degrees in economics and accounting from George Mason University, and an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

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

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Denis Galvin

"As a young civil engineer serving at the park level, I quickly learned that landscape architecture was the dominant profession when making decisions about park infrastructure. Visitors' experience is largely shaped by landscape decisions about location, scale and site."

 

After serving as a surveyor in the first Peace Corps group in Tanganyika, Mr. Galvin joined the National Park Service at Sequoia National Park in 1963 as a Civil Engineer. In a 38 year career he worked in parks, regional offices, training centers, and service centers, ending with 16 years in the Washington office. He was Deputy Director for parts of the Reagan, Clinton, and Bush administrations. He represented the NPS in over 200 Congressional hearings. In 1991 he was awarded the Pugsley medal for outstanding service to parks and recreation. In 2001 he received the Presidential Rank Award for exceptional achievement in the career senior executive service.

Since retiring in 2002 he has continued doing conservation work. He was a member of the Second Century Commission. He consulted on the Ken Burn's film, ""The National Parks: America's Best Idea"". In 2011 he was elected to the National Academy of Public Administrators. In 2013 he received the George Melendez Wright award for his, ""distinguished lifetime record...on behalf of America's national parks"". He currently serves on the board of the National Parks Conservation Association.

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Linda Pollak

"My work, in design, teaching, writing and photography, is about bringing diverse things–existing and new, constructed and natural–into conversation with each other, enabling them to coexist in productive terms, acknowledging tensions. What could be called a hyper relational aesthetic is also an ethic."

 

Linda Pollak collaborates with clients and communities to transform existing spaces and structures in ways that support and enhance the interplay between environmental and human health and well-being. Her commitment to public interest design includes the James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center, Outdoor Classrooms in NYC Parks, and library Learning Gardens.

Linda's contributions to Landscape Architecture are manifest in both her tangible works and through the countless students she has inspired to think beyond the boundaries of their disciplines. She is Adjunct Professor at The Cooper Union since 2017, and has taught at Harvard GSD, Rhode Island School of Design, Penn Landscape and Cornell.

Linda is co-author, with Anita Berrizbeitia, of Inside Outside: Between Architecture and Landscape. Her essays have been featured in books--Case: Downsview, Landscape Urbanism Reader, Large Parks, Imperfect Health, and Reconstructing Urban Landscapes, and journals, including Praxis, Daidalos, Lotus, Public Art Issues, and Surface. She has received awards and grants from NEA, NYSCA, ASLA, AIA, and EDRA, and is a Wheelwright Fellow, and a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome, and the Design Trust for Public Space. She serves on the boards of the Storefront for Art and Architecture and the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize.

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Ray Todd

"The National Park Service stewards some of our nation's most treasured places, telling stories about who we are and what we value. Landscape architecture shapes our experience of those places. My work continued the Service's tradition of collaboration among design professionals, and the essential contribution of landscape architecture to visitor use, enjoyment, and preservation of the parks."

 

Ray Todd furthered the highest standards of planning, design and construction of many of our nation's most significant and iconic symbols. For eight years as Director of the Denver Service Center (DSC), a project management office responsible for the National Park Service's large-scale planning, design, and construction projects, Todd oversaw a multidisciplinary staff of more than 300 professional landscape architects, engineers, architects, contracting officers, and community planners. In 2024, DSC's portfolio includes 1,400 projects affecting many of the 427 units of the National Park System. This year, construction projects are valued at more than $5.4 billion, $8 million in planning projects, $2.2 billion in transportation projects, resulting in $1.3 billion in contracts. During his tenure, Todd led DSC's involvement in major projects such as the $380 million CityArchRiver project to restore the National Historic Landmark arch and grounds at Gateway National Park in St. Louis; the Giant Forest sequoia grove restoration in Sequoia National Park; the $208 million Trans-canyon Waterline replacement in Grand Canyon National Park; the $227 million Arlington Memorial Bridge rehabilitation in Washington, DC; the $325 million Elwha River and ecosystem restoration at Olympic National Park; and visitor use planning for protected areas in Brazil, Tanzania, and Palau. Todd is a licensed architect and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional. He earned a master's degree in architecture from the University of Oregon and a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Michigan.

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Deborah Weintraub

"I am inspired by the multi-dimensional focus of landscape architecture: the interdependence of animals, nature, and cities; the profound connections city dwellers have to nature; the sounds, smells and micro-climates that are nurtured; and the sheer exuberance of the profession. It is crucial eco-centric systems thinking of the upmost importance."

 

Deborah Weintraub, AIA, LEED AP is a committed student of landscape architecture. Over the last 23 years, she has had the extraordinary opportunity to collaborate with many talented landscape professionals on large and small City of Los Angeles projects in her capacity as the Chief Deputy City Engineer and the ranking architect. Projects have included the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan, Sunnynook River Park, the Sixth Street Viaduct PARC, Paseo del Rio at Taylor Yard, the Silver Lake Reservoir Master Plan, the Sepulveda Basin Vision Plan, and landscape interventions at many Los Angeles City parks and public facilities. Her work for the City of LA followed private architectural practice, work as a sustainability expert at an electric utility, and early professional training as a modern dancer. She currently is the Chair of the Scientific Committee for the Nature, Art and Habitat Residency. She is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of California at Berkeley, and devoted to the intellectual perspective that views the living flora and fauna of the land, the water, and the sky as ecological co-equals.

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Claire Weisz

"Landscape Architecture teaches us that we share everything that is important, soil, water, air and light, I take great inspiration in this in every aspect of my work."

 

Claire Weisz FAIA, FRAIC is a founding partner of WXY, whose work as an architect and urbanist focuses on innovative approaches to public space, structures, and cities. Her focus on the urban environments has led to a practice WXY sees their work through planning and design projects as the creation of opportunities for other design practices. Her firm, WXY, is globally recognized for its place and community centered approach to architecture, urban design, and planning, and has played a vital role in design thinking around resiliency and placemaking. WXY's award-winning projects focus on generational change in New York at The Battery, the vision for Governor's Island as a Climate Solution center, Rebuild by Design's Blue Dunes and the Bronx's Hunt's Point Peninsula. Claire was awarded the Medal of Honor from AIANY in 2018 and was honored with the Women in Architecture Award by Architectural Record in 2019. Claire was a co-founder and co-executive director of The Design Trust for Public Space, New York's premier urban design think tank, which won a National Design Award in 2017. WXY is listed as one of Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies for 2019 and Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in Urban Development and Real Estate for 2023.

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