ALYSSA HARMON
PROFILE
Blending creative passion for design and place-making with a strong analytical background, I craft thoughtful, data-driven solutions that balance aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability in every project.
EDUCATION
MLA, FIRST PROFESSIONAL
The University of Texas at Austin 2021-2024
BBA. MARKETING
The University of Texas at Austin 2009-2012
CERTIFICATION
NATIVE LANDSCAPE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM / LANDSCAPING FOR BIRDS
Native Plant Society of Texas 2020-Fall
NATIVE LANDSCAPE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM / LEVEL ONE
Native Plant Society of Texas 2020-Fall
MICROSOFT OFFICE SPECIALIST
St Philip’s College 2009-Spring
SKILLS
ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE
Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere
MICROSOFT OFFICE
Excel, PowerPoint, Word
COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN
AutoCAD, Civil 3D
3D MODELING & RENDERING
Rhinoceros, SketchUp, 3DS Max
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
ArcMap, CloudCompare, ReCap, QGIS
HAND DRAFTING & MODELING
Botanical illustration, grading, sketch models
RECOGNITION
2023-2024 DESIGN EXCELLENCE WINNER
‘Natural Neighbors’ Team Project
UT Austin School of Architecture
WORK EXPERIENCE
FOUNDER + HEAD GROWER
Sycamore Hill Nursery, LLC | March 2023 - Present
Establish and manage a wholesale plant nursery business, supplying native plants to retail and conservation partners. Oversee business operations, including demand forecasting, strategic planning of growing seasons, and optimizing cultivation space to maximize productivity and efficiency.
CNS GREENHOUSE STUDENT ASSOCIATE
The University of Texas at Austin | July 2021 - May 2024
Maintained stock and cleanliness of NHB Research Greenhouse for up to seven hours per week.
GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT
The University of Texas at Austin | March - December 2023
Designed and installed vertical planting and drip irrigation systems for the Living Wall, a collaborative research initiative with The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
LANDSCAPE DESIGN INTERN
Asakura Robinson | May - September 2022
Assess performance metrics and develop planting plans for Houston and Austin communities.
• Analyzed community survey feedback to create park user typologies used in The Woodlands Township park master plan.
• Drafted planting plans for hospital gardens, retention ponds and public street corridors.
• Compiled documentation for SITES certification of Blanton Museum.
GRANT ADMINISTRATOR
Bayou Preservation Association | June – Oct 2021
Write progress reports and submit compliance data for grants with the General Land Office and Houston-Galveston Area Council for invasive species removal at Challenger Seven Park.
NATIVE HORTICULTURE CREW LEADER
Memorial Park Conservancy | Oct 2020 – June 2021
Lead a team of 9 employees to maintain 5.8 acres of garden throughout the park.
• Forecasted workload schedule for the Native Horticulture team based on Operation & Maintenance guidelines and priorities set by the management team
• Lead and engaged with volunteer groups to perform tasks such as seed cleaning and invasive species removal
• Partnered with contractors and various MPC departments to create company-wide procedures and solve complex irrigation system issues
NATIVE HORTICULTURE TECHNICIAN I
Memorial Park Conservancy | May – Oct 2020 Maintain native landscape in Eastern Glades through sustainable practices and preventive care.
EQUIPMENT COST ENGINEER
Texas Sterling Construction Co. | Mar 2016—May 2020
Monitor and forecast equipment cost, maintain asset records, and automate billing/invoicing functions for a fleet of 850+ units including vehicles and equipment.
• Created solutions and standardized processes to resolve issues in accounts payable, equipment billing and data integrity as well as determine economical methods of equipment turnover.
• Designed company documents including bid proposals and an employee-driver safety handbook with collaboration from human resources, legal and executive leadership teams
• Scheduled equipment resources based on requests from projects across Texas and communicated with equipment team for repair timelines
• Worked independently and prioritized tasks on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis including processing documentation, reviewing financial data, and following up on outstanding issues or pending inquiries
EQUIPMENT BUSINESS MANAGER
Zachry Odebrecht Parkway Builders | 2013—2016
Developed procedures for acquiring, maintaining, and disposing over 1,000 equipment units needed for the Grand Parkway project.