TX ASLA Conference Program Book 2024 by TxASLA

Message from the

PRESIDENT

As the 2024 Texas ASLA Chapter President, I am thrilled to welcome you to our 2024 State Conference: “PIVOT.”

In the words of ASLA CEO Torey Carter-Conneen, “We envision communities becoming healthier and economically stronger because they have committed to drawing down carbon, restoring ecosystems and increasing biodiversity.” This vision aligns seamlessly with our conference theme, “PIVOT,” as it calls for a shift in our focus, a redirection of our efforts toward sustainability and climate positivity.

We find ourselves at a pivotal moment in the fight against the climate crisis, a moment that demands collective action, innovation, and unwavering dedication. The urgency is clear, and so is our opportunity. The landscape architecture profession, with its unique ability to meld creativity with purpose, is poised to lead the way in climate action, green infrastructure, resilience, carbon capture, and sequestration.

Our commitment to this cause is exemplified by the recently updated Texas ASLA strategic plan, emphasizing Advocacy and Membership Engagement. Now is the time to step up, to be more vocal, to be more involved in ASLA, and to impact policy change. We are the stewards of our environment, and it is our duty to lead actionable change.

The ASLA Climate Action Plan, rooted in optimism, sets forth goals and initiatives that guide us until 2040. Our vision for 2040 is bold: landscape architecture projects will achieve zero embodied and operational emissions, provide significant economic benefits, address climate injustices, and restore ecosystems. This is not just a plan; it’s a roadmap to a better future.

Let us embrace the goals outlined in the ASLA Climate Action Plan – scale up climatepositive approaches, empower communities for climate justice, build coalitions for climate action, and galvanize climate champions. We are not merely witnesses to change; we are architects of it.

As we navigate this pivotal moment, let “PIVOT” be our collective rallying cry, propelling us toward a future where our profession is not just a contributor to change but a driving force. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Daniel Woodroffe

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Arto

EXIHIBITORS

Texas Nursery and Landscape Assn

Bjs Park And Recreation Products

Green Oasis

Americana Outdoors

Foreverlawn Texas Forms+Surfaces

Cunningham Recreation

Group

The Western Group

Earthtones Design, Inc.

Austin Wood Recycling

Water Storage Tanks, Inc.

Site Pieces

Paul E. Allen Co., Inc.

PermaTrak North America

Millis Development & Construction

ALAMO STONE COMPANY

Keystone Hardscapes

Wade Architectural Systems

SiteOne Landscape Supply

Playground Solutions of Texas Inc.

The Organic Recycler

SPEC Play

Kompan

NDS

Cyclone Lighting

Romtec, Inc.

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24 April

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

24 April

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

12:30 - 5:00 pm

2:30 - 5:00 pm

1:00 - 3:00 pm

1:30 - 4:30 pm

ATTENDEE BADGE PICKUP & REGISTRATION| Lobby Lobby

2:00 - 4:00 pm Tour the Festival Beach Food Forest

- Community-led Urban Agriculture

EXHIBITORS REGISTRATION |

ACC Highland - A Walking Tour | Bus 1

Daniel Woodroffe, Marissa McKinney, Jim Adams

The Holdsworth Center - Field Tour | Bus 2

Christy TenEyck, Chris Krajcer, Jonathan Ogren, Stephanie Saulmon

Waterloo Greenway

The Confluence Construction Progress | Bus 3

Gullivar Shepard, John Rigdon, Kristen Pipkin, Ramesh Swaminathan

Extreme Public Space Makeover, Austin Edition: The Capitol Mall and the Blanton Reimagined | Bus 3

Aan Coleman, Ashley Scroggs, Larry Irsik

Sketch ! Austin | Convention Center Front - Walk

Robert Chipman, Chip Sullivan, Melissa Henao-Robledo

- 4:00 pm

Leading the Way |Convention Center Front - Walk

Mitch Wright, Jodi Lane, Jingyi (Hythus) Hu, Karen Luzius

Red Line Parkway Tour | Bike

Tom Wald, Brianna Frey

TX Urban Heat|Conflicts and Solutions | Classroom C

Julio Carrillo, Jana McCann, Phillip Hammond, Kevin Howard

- 4:30 pm

Combining Trees, Soils, Water in the Urban Environment | Classroom C

Shawn Freedberg, Austin Hicks, Clayton Brunner

Lake Design Considerations for Healthy Lake and Fisheries Management | Classroom C

John Jones

Buses transportation available for pick up at Embassy Suites and Holiday Inn Townlake 6:30 - 8:00 pm

WELCOME RECEPTION | Easy Tiger

3508 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX

ACC HighlandA Walking Tour

01:00 -

03:00 PM

Bus 1

Join firm leaders and representatives of the design team on an engaging walking tour that guides attendees through a transect of this one-of-a-kind project. Located on the site of what was once Austin’s first enclosed regional shopping mall, ACC Highland is a national P3 model for Education -anchored, sustainable, adaptive, communityminded reuse.

This walking tour will take a transect from West to East, from Airport Boulevard through Fontaine Plaza, through the pedestrian paseo that bisects the campus, past history walls and over to the signature park space called St. John Encampment Commons. Your guides will provide a narrative on the transformation from mall to masterplan to reality through the lens of each of our unique perspectives. From Concept to reality. From Parking Lots to Parks.

Daniel Woodroffe, PLA President and Founder, dwg.

Speakers Bios

As Founder of dwg., Daniel is a leading voice of the urban architectural landscape. His work explores the interrelationship between the landscape, architecture, art and infrastructure to express the importance of creating exceptional designs that are socially, environmentally and economically equitable and resilient. His work spans a multitude of scales and collectively focuses on adaptive reuse and urban transformations that amplify climate resilience and the creation of engaging, social spaces. He is passionate about celebrating storytelling through an honest use of authentic materials, local crafts and trades that leverage a rich sense of place and distinctiveness that is unique to each project. Through the efforts of his firm, dwg., he has helped shape the city of Austin throughout its greatest period of change. He has developed strong and diverse relationships throughout this process, exposing him to a range of perspectives, contributing to his expertise in the subject matter.

Marissa Mckinney, PLA Principal, Coleman & Associates

Marissa joined Coleman & Associates as a designer in 2014 and assumed the role of Managing Principal just three years later in 2017. She has served as the Texas ASLA President and is on the board of directors for the Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA), the executive board for Scenic Texas, and the Austin Design Commission. She has worked a variety of projects including Master Planned Communities, Environmental Graphics, Education, Commercial Office Building Renovation, and Multifamily projects as well as helping to nurture, grow and build the relationships that C&A has fostered with clients. Outside of work, Marissa is a pet mom/life coach to three dogs and myriad indoor and outdoor fish. She enjoys camping and traveling to national and state parks as well as the many “hidden gem” outdoor spaces that exist in Central Texas. She is a native of Reno, Nevada and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Landscape Architecture and a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning from Arizona State University.

Jim Adams, AIA President, McCann Adams Studio

Jim Adams is President of McCann Adams Studio and an architect, urban designer and planner whose work has involved a broad spectrum of project types from large-scale master plans to site-specific development projects. He has focused much of his career on transportation, land use planning, the design of major infill development sites and their reintegration into the urban fabric. He led the master planning for the awardwinning redevelopment of the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport (Mueller), and is currently its master plan architect, advising Catellus Development Corporation on its implementation.

Jim received his Master of Architecture in Urban Design (with Distinction) from Harvard University in 1980, and his Bachelor of Architecture (Honors) from the University of Toronto in 1977. He is registered as an architect in California and Texas and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Congress for New Urbanism and the Heritage Society of Austin. He has taught urban design at Harvard University and has been a guest critic and lecturer at University of California, Berkeley, University of Texas and California College of the Arts.

WEDNESDAY

The Holdsworth CenterField Tour

01:0003:00 PM

Bus 2

The purpose of the campus is to develop and support stronger educational leaders. The campus’ planning and design celebrates this mission by integrating sustainable goals for community, ecology, active/passive stormwater management, local materials, healthy buildings, human and natural interactions, and indoor/outdoor environments. With its unique location on Lake Austin, the campus creates a lake house atmosphere that frames countless views and connections to nature – setting the stage for immersive learning and community gathering across various spaces and scales. A multidisciplinary team of administrators, educators, planners, architects, landscape architects, ecologists, and engineers collaborated to envision this integrated project. These collaborative efforts underpin the creation of a sustainable campus that echoes the belief that “Education Holds Worth.”

Chris Krajcer Partner, Lake Flato Architects

A leader in Lake|Flato’s Austin development studio, Chris first joined the LF team in San Antonio in 2005. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, Chris worked in Boston at an architecture and planning firm. Inspired by simplicity in the environment around him, Chris takes a naturalistic approach to region-specific design by working closely with clients to understand site, climate and context all while integrating clients’ needs. Currently, Chris works on numerous development projects in Austin, including one spanning four city blocks in the South Congress District and the Holdsworth Center.

Christy TenEyck

Founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects

Speakers Bios

Christine Ten Eyck, FASLA is the founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects in Austin, Texas. Christine has drawn upon her intuition and knowledge to build a body of work which celebrates the inherent beauty of Texas and the southwest, the culture of its people and the sacred path of water, pioneering contemporary regionalism in the southwest. Her projects range from urban design, parks, botanical gardens, university campuses, plazas to private residential gardens and ranches. She and her firm have won awards for design and built work including recent projects for the San Antonio Botanical Garden, Kingsbury Commons at Pease Park, and the University of Texas at El Paso Campus Transformation Project. Current projects include Harwood Park in Dallas and a campus transformation project for the University of Texas of Permian Basin Odessa. She received her BLA from Texas Tech University and was made a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2003.

Jonathan Orgen Principal. Siglo Group

Jonathan founded Siglo Group in 2006 to help clients integrate natural systems into land planning and design. He specializes in environmental assessment, regional analysis, conservation planning, mapping, and land use feasibility studies. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with an M.A. in Geography and the Environment and a B.A. in Biology. He is now on the faculty at the University of Texas School of Architecture, where he teaches graduate students to integrate geographic analysis into their research. One of his first professional jobs was with NASA. The experience changed his direction through the realization of how valuable and irreplaceable natural systems are here on this planet. Jonathan also worked at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Sequoia National Park and has served on the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan Advisory Task Force. Outside of work, Jonathan can be found running around Lady Bird Lake or hiking the Hill Country with his sons.

Stephanie grew up in Austin, but received her degree in Landscape Architecture at the City College of New York, where she lived for 17 years. At the Central Park Conservancy she oversaw renovations of historic playgrounds, archaeologically significant landscapes, and ecological restorations. Stephanie returned to her hometown in 2015, with a new interest in the challenges cities face as they grow. She promotes the preservation and integration of local ecologies, hydrologic systems, and urban green spaces. She is also passionate about the development of dynamic play environments that engage children and adults in the natural world. She recently oversaw the construction of Kingsbury Commons at Pease Parkand is currently working on a master plan update for the Elisabet Ney Museum, Garison Memorial Park in Buda, and the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin.

WEDNESDAY

Principal Stephanie Saulmon

Waterloo Greenway

The Confluence Construction Progress

01:0003:00 PM

Bus 3

The Confluence is a gateway into a spatially complex riparian corridor that is being restructured to serve as the backbone for a series of new parks and neighborhood connections. Through its role as both public amenity and critical city infrastructure, this project reinforces the importance of great public spaces adapting to the needs of a city and its people.

John Rigdon

Vice President of Projects and Planning

John is at the helm of Waterloo Greenway capital project, skillfully weaving together the efforts of the project managers, the City of Austin, and the design team. With roots in sustainable city planning and community engagement, he has provided forward-looking solutions to a vast array of project management, design, and programming challenges across his career. John earned an M.S. in community and regional planning from The University of Texas at Austin.

Kristin Pipkin

Waller Creek District Program Project Management Supervisor

As the City’s lead for the Waller Creek District Capital Program, Kristin is responsible for delivering the vision for the Waterloo Greenway, in partnership with the Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department and Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, for the benefit of all. Under her leadership since 2014, the capital program has delivered the Creek Corridor Framework Plan and Waterloo Park, with construction currently under way for the project’s second phase, The Confluence. In addition, she has supported efforts to secure funding through the Tax Incremental Reinvestment Zone and federal grant funding opportunities. Prior to joining this team, Kristin was an engineer for the City of Austin Stream Restoration Program where she was dedicated to restoring urban streams throughout the City of Austin. Kristin is passionate about urban ecological design that transforms and protects natural spaces for community to enjoy. Kristin is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas and a Master of Science from Colorado State University.

Gullivar Shepard

Partner, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

Speakers Bios

Gullivar is recognized for his skill in navigating programmatic requirements, regulatory and jurisdictional hurdles, and problematic site conditions to create rich public spaces. With a background in architecture, his expertise ranges from the fine details of building landscapes to planning and managing the firm’s large, complex urban projects. These qualities bring an expanded interdisciplinary perspective to MVVA’s leadership. Since he joined the firm in 1999, he has applied his integrated design approach to challenges such as ecological restoration, flood control, transportation planning, and choreographing connections to parks and waterfronts. Gullivar always aims to tease out the most powerful design solutions within the constraints of budget and site. His projects and research are a laboratory for innovative building methods, communication tools, and project management. Gullivar received a Master of Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, where he was awarded the Araldo A. Cossutta Annual Prize for Design Excellence. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. Gullivar has been a keynote speaker at ASLA conferences and a guest lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University, Harvard University, Bard College, and Columbia University.

Swaminathan

Assistant Director of the City of Austin’s Watershed Protection

department

As the Assistant Director of the City of Austin’s Watershed Protection department, Ramesh oversees the Waller Creek District and Tunnel Program. The tunnel, which stretches from Waterloo Park to Lady Bird Lake, helps reduce the risk of flooding in downtown Austin. It is approximately 5,600 feet long, lies 70 feet below the surface and ranges in size from 22 to 26 feet in diameter. By reducing the size of the floodplain along Waller Creek, the tunnel revitalizes neighboring communities in the Waller Creek District. In 2020, Ramesh was awarded the Field Excellence Award by the American Public Works Association in Texas for actions in the field that significantly serve the public and protect the environment. Ramesh holds a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology and a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brown University.

WEDNESDAY

Ramesh

Extreme Public Space Makeover, Austin Edition: The Capitol Mall and the Blanton Reimagined

Aan Coleman Founder & President, Coleman & Associates

Aan Coleman is the founder and president of Coleman & Associates in Austin, Texas, working throughout the central Texas region for over 40 years. Aan’s career began with a 7-year design-build experience which shaped her approach to landscape architecture and the importance of allied professionals and plant material growers. She founded Coleman & Associates 36 years ago and has built a firm that continues to thrive, improve, and produce award-winning designs that respond to the everchanging demands of the industry and the environmental challenges of our time.

01:0003:00 PM

Bus 3

Walk through the tree-lined pedestrian thoroughfare of the Texas Capitol Complex Mall and into the new plaza at the Blanton Museum of Art, crossing through the gateway between the civic and museum districts of Austin. This tour will be guided by Coleman & Associates, the landscape architect on the Texas Capitol Complex Mall, and Architexas, the architect of record on the Blanton Museum. These two projects form a connection of cultural and historical significance in Austin. One of the most recognizable art installations at the Blanton, Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin – a monumental stone building with colored glass windows – has a clear view straight to the Capitol building and now the new pedestrian Mall.

Sustainability was a crucial factor in the design of both the new Capitol Complex and the Blanton Plaza, including substantial heat island mitigation, selection of native plants and water and energy saving measures. The Mall is one of the most expansive examples of greening up an urban core in a booming metropolitan city. In the age of climate change strife, it is especially rewarding to be part of projects that first and foremost increased public green space.

Ashley Scroggs Principal, Coleman & Associates

Speakers Bios

Ashley Scroggs is a Principal at Coleman & Associates in Austin, Texas. She joined the firm as a Landscape Designer in 2014 as an intern, then began working full-time in 2015 after graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture and a minor in Horticulture and Urban Design. Ashley has had the opportunity to manage many of the firm’s high-profile projects, ensuring their successful execution from design conception to completion, including the Texas Capitol Complex Mall, the TxDOT Stassney Headquarters and the Austin Energy Headquarters. Her client service, attention to detail and project coordination skills make her an excellent Principal in the Austin office.

Ashley is a longtime member of the Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA) and has previously participated in the Membership Forum for Young Leaders in the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

As an industry leader, Aan has elevated the profession through continuous service to the surrounding community, mentorship of students and landscape architects early in their careers and leadership in organizations such as the Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA), the Texas A&M University Landscape Architecture Professional Advisory Board and School of Architecture Dean’s Advisory Board, the Austin Design Commission, the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and more. Aan has been recognized for her accomplishments with the Gary S. Farmer Commendation of Excellence from RECA, the Community Service Award and the Distinguished Member Award from Texas ASLA, along with being named a Texas A&M University College of Architecture Outstanding Alumni and one of the Top 10 Women in Commercial Real Estate by CREW Austin. Aan holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University.

Larry Irsik Senior Principal, Architexas

Mr. Irsik has over 32 years of experience in the field of architecture, planning, and historic preservation, with 28 of those years being with Architexas. He joined Architexas in 1985 and is Director of the Austin office, which he established in 2000. From 1988-1990, Mr. Irsik worked in Cambridge, MA, where he was a designer for Arrowstreet, Inc., and taught at the Boston Architectural Center. Prior to becoming a Principal of the firm, Mr. Irsik served as Project Manager and Architect for many of the firm’s most important early projects such as the Old Bedford School Restoration and Addition in Bedford, the Hill County Courthouse in Hillsboro, Texas, and the Grapevine City Hall in Grapevine. He has extensive experience in development planning and has been involved in the detailed planning process ranging from a single building to an entire historic downtown. His planning experience includes research and field documentation, building/ site assessment, public workshops and charrettes, needs assessments, code analysis, cost estimates, and master plan writing and compilation. Mr. Irsik also has extensive experience working with governmental entities at the federal, state, county and city government level as well as with educational institutions including the University of Texas.

Mr. Irsik is a leader in the preservation community in Austin, having served on the board of Preservation Texas, as Chairman of the Building Industry Council, and as chairman of the statewide Awards Committee for that organization. He has also served on other boards and commissions while in Dallas, has published articles on preservation and on courthouse restoration, and has lectured at professional conferences nationally.

WEDNESDAY

Sketch! Austin

01:3004:30 PM

Convention Center Front Walk

Join fellow drawing enthusiasts for a few hours of sketching in downtown Austin. We’ll explore the Seaholm District and Austin Central Library areas along Ladybird Lake on a walking and drawing tour leaving from the Palmer Event Center. Participants can bring their favorite sketching gear, and sketchbooks will be provided. Techniques for urban sketching and discussions about how drawing can be useful for interpretation of place and idea generation will be explored. (40 people max)

Robert Chipman, ASLA

Speakers Bios

Robert Chipman, ASLA promotes the value of sketching and hand drawing for the creative thought process and tries to get everyone to draw. He has worked as a landscape architect and product designer since the early 1980s and has designed many outdoor site furnishing products for Landscape Forms in creative collaborations where hand drawing blends with technology to solve complex engineering problems. Based in Austin, Texas, he is always drawing and tries not to waste time.

Chip Sullivan,

Chip Sullivan, FASLA, is an artist and Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at the College of Environmental Design, University of California, Berkeley. He has devoted his career to exploring and promoting landscape architecture as an intersection of art and ecology. Sullivan is the author of many popular titles in the profession, including Drawing the Landscape, Garden; Climate and Illustrated History of Landscape Design, co-authored with Elizabeth Boults, ASLA. His latest book, Cartooning the Landscape concerns the metaphysics of drawing and learning how to ‘see.’ The Foundation for Landscape Studies selected Cartooning the Landscape for the 2017 John Brinckerhoff Jackson prize for accomplishment in the field of garden history and landscape studies. Chip was the 1985 Fellow in Landscape Architecture at the American Academy in Rome. Sullivan was the subject of a documentary titled “The Professor” for a series of films on creativity by Emmy-award winning director Allan Holzman. He received the 2016 Jot D. Carpenter Teaching Medal, one of the highest awards the American Society of Landscape Architects presents each year in recognition of sustained excellence in landscape architecture education. He is Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and Fellow of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture.

There are few more passionate about the field of Landscape Architecture than Melissa Henao-Robledo, ASLA. She currently serves as a Board Member for the Red Line Parkway Initiative and previously served as City of Austin Design Commissioner for eight years. Building upon her Master of Landscape Architecture degree from North Carolina State University, Melissa has practiced Landscape architecture and taught in the Landscape Design Continuing Education Program at Austin Community College. She has also participated in the National ASLA Diversity Summit, served as the Chair for the Central Texas ASLA section, and served as the AIA Austin Latinos in Architecture Chair.

WEDNESDAY

FASLA Melissa HenaoRobledo, ASLA

Festival Beach Food ForestCommunity-led Urban Agriculture

Leading the Way

02:0004:00 PM Convention Center Front Walk

Festival Beach Food Forest is an early adopter of the urban agriculture movement. It has achieved success as an edible forest where visitors can openly forage and enjoy fresh food on the shores of Lady Bird Lake. The pilot project is completely fence-less and open to all. The tour will introduce you to the edible and medicinal plants, the strong community brought together by food sharing, and the effort that makes this urban oasis happen.

Jodi Lane

Fruitful Commons, Executive Director

Jodi Lane is the Executive Director of Fruitful Commons, a 501c3 nonprofit committed to supporting and advocating for urban community-led agriculture and regenerative land practices. Her 30+ years of experience in the realms of architecture, equitable community engagement, and regenerative agriculture have honed Jodi’s focus on values, resources, and systems that cultivate the capacity and capability in people, communities, and other natural systems to renew, evolve and thrive. She has worked on residential, commercial, and institutional projects and participated on consultant teams for a number of master plan initiatives in Austin, Texas, as well as in Ukraine and Kenya. Recently she consulted on the innovative district-wide financial and regulatory initiative for the City of Austin’s South Central Waterfront District, guiding public and private investment toward the equitable inclusion of parks, trails, open spaces and affordable housing for long-term community and climate resilience. Jodi is a certified LENSES Facilitator of systems-thinking design and has designed and trained 3D modeling courses for Google. She holds a Masters Degree in Architecture from the University of Texas.

Jingyi (Hythus) Hu

Jingyi is a Landscape designer with TBG Partners Landscape and Design and has a passion for permaculture and wildlife. Jingyi hails from a small farming village in the mountain of China known as Anhui. In college, she was the president of a martial art club and practiced Kung Fu. It was during her time as president of the club that she made her best friends, as well as discovered that beer and barbeque do in fact, taste the best at midnight.

Mitch Wright Owner, Vista Planning & Design

Speakers Bios

Mitch Wright has been practicing Planning & Landscape Architecture for 36+ years, most recently with his company, Vista Planning & Design. The philosophy surrounding all of Vista’s work is finding the right balance between high quality design and planning coupled with a high level of environmental stewardship. Mr. Wright believes that detailed site analysis and comprehensive public engagement are the only way to orchestrate a well-considered and thoughtful plan. Current research areas with planning & design are wellness and therapeutic spaces, intelligence stimulation including children’s natural play, and pedestrian experiences through spatial sequencing. There are volumes of research pointing to the benefits of natural spaces for societies mental and physical health and this carries through with all park and master planning projects. Mr. Wright also prefers to work with native and endemic plant material recognizing that the cost of water and the extremes in weather events, sets the stage for many landscape challenges that native and endemic species are well suited to withstand. Mr. Wright has also partnered with Texas A&M University on a research project regarding Texas + Mexico border policy and its implications on social, economic, environmental, and city planning and design impacts. Mr. Wright has lectured on the subject at state and national conferences in planning and landscape architecture as well as in Europe at the International Borderlands Conference.

Mr. Wright has created planning and design projects at a variety of scales for public and private clients including small neighborhood places, urban parks, corridor studies, park master plans, mixed use community master plans, and city comprehensive plans. As an award-winning photographer, Mr. Wright has also lectured and exhibited on photography including a recent exhibition “Community Vitality Project”.

Karen Luzius Landscape Designer

Land Steward, Festival Beach Food Forest

Karen Luzius is an experienced herbalist, permaculture designer, and land steward in the Austin area for over 10 years. Karen in her 40+ years as a resident of Austin has developed skills in permaculture, plant medicine, photography, communication, and art design principles.

WEDNESDAY

Red Line Parkway Tour

02:0004:00 PM

Bike

Join the bike convoy to several completed landscape architecture projects along the Red Line Parkway! We’ll meet at the Downtown Station (4th Street and Neches) and explore the urban parkway up to the MLK Station and back. Along the way, we will view several adjacent landscape architecture projects, such as Brush Square (Asakura Robinson and Dovetail Studio), Plaza Saltillo Station (TBG), and The Pillars in the Boggy Creek Greenbelt (Public City, Raasin in The Sun, Austin Parks Foundation). Parkway staff will share information about the organization, recent parkway planning, design, and construction experiences, and professional insight to trail planning. B ikes and helmets will be provided. (30 people max.)

Speakers Bios

Tom co-founded the Red Line Parkway Initiative in 2017 and has served as its Executive Director since 2019. He is a longtime Austin-area trails, walking, and bicycling advocate and has served in a number of roles over the last two decades. He also currently serves on the boards of People United for Mobility Action (PUMA), Austin Outside, and Safe Streets Austin, and was Bike Austin Executive Director from 2009-2014.

Brianna is the Director of Planning and Associate Principal at a local planning and design firm, Asakura Robinson. She has over 7 years of experience in economic development and stakeholder engagement. Brianna has volunteered for RLPI since 2017. She’s excited to be part of something that can change Central Texas as we know it. Brianna is most excited about using the Parkway to commute between Mueller and Downtown Austin.

WEDNESDAY

Tom Wald Brianna Frey Red Line Parkway Initiative, Executive Director Red Line Parkway Initiative, President

TX Urban Heat | Conflicts and Solutions

01:3002:30 PM

Classroom C

It is important to discuss the future design of transportation corridors, the potential for retrofitting existing ones, and the role of landscape architects in bringing solutions to mitigate Urban Heat Islands. In this session, panelists will bring to light diverse perspectives from planners, landscape architects, and architects (professionals of the built environment), highlighting the science behind prioritizing urban tree canopy and urban design to mitigate urban heat island. Panelists will discuss how design professionals, through advocacy and municipal government collaboration, can make important inroads to reducing the UHI effect.

(CEPH – SUSTAINABILITY, HSW)

Julio Carrillo Senior Planner & Manager, Parkhill’s Planning Sector

Speakers Bios

Julio Carrillo, AICP, LEED AP ND, is a Senior Planner & Manager with Parkhill’s Planning Sector. Julio is a Certified Planner (AICP), Peruvian Architect (CAP), and LEED Accredited Professional. He co-founded and directed Peru’s Green Building Council.

He served as chair in Austin’s AIA Urban Design Committee (2022), and as the chair of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Urban Land Institute of Austin – Texas (2022). He has been awarded and recognized for his urban design practice. In 2021 Julio was selected as an International Expert of a group leading a research team of young professionals planning the future of cities in Asia.

Julio is Director at Planning Commitment Inc ( www.planningcommitment. org ), forging the implementation of the PLANNING 2050 initiative: a commitment for cities, communities, planning professionals, firms, and organizations to take action that positively impact aspects of Equity, Climate Change and Resiliency.

Jana McCann CEO

McCann Adams Studio

Jana McCann is an architect/urban designer and CEO of McCann Adams Studio. Formerly with Roma Design Group of San Francisco and prior to that, working as Urban Design Officer for the City of Austin, she has extensive experience in pedestrian, bicycle and transit facility design, transit-oriented development planning, and streetscape and public space design – in London, Paris, and in her native Texas. Her firm is currently involved with light rail and other transportation corridor planning and parks and trails master planning throughout Central Texas, and major Austin infill master planning projects, including the Mueller Airport Redevelopment, the Highland Mall Redevelopment, and most recently. Colony Park.

Jana is a 1980 graduate of The University of Texas School of Architecture with High Honors. In 1990 she earned a Graduate Diploma at the Architectural Association (with Distinction) in London. She is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

Phillip Hammond is a member of Parkhill’s Landscape Architecture Sector. Graduating from Texas A&M University in 2018, he continued on in his professional career of interdisciplinary work designing trails, streetscapes, and public outdoor facilities. He contributes to Parkhill projects with the abilities of a landscape architect to design, evaluate, collaborate, and prepare technical documentation from the start of a project to final construction to intended use. Phillip is most passionate about the connections between individuals and their natural world, and believes that our work here at Parkhill offers the impact to improve clients’ lives by bettering these connections.

Phillip Hammond, RLA, is an expert in technical tools and designs for streetscape planning, placemaking, wayfinding packages, master planning, and site analysis. He has prepared design documentation for trails and transportation corridors, using his passion for connecting people to the natural world from conceptual design through intended use. Phillip is a member of the National American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and Central Texas ASLA, serving as the secretary co-chair for the advocacy subcommittee.

Kevin Howard Co-Founder Urbinden

Kevin Howard is an urban designer and community planner with an interdisciplinary professional and academic background. He is a Founding Principal of Urbinden Design Lab, a planning, urban design, and policy firm focused on leveraging cross-disciplinary collaboration to build more sustainable and equitable places. As an urban designer and zoning expert, Kevin has consulted on more than 30 regulatory and planning initiatives across the country where he managed complex and high-profile projects with wide-ranging government, industry, and community stakeholders. In his work, research, and advocacy, Kevin focuses on promoting abundant and equitable housing, human-oriented and resilient places, sustainability through land use planning and infrastructure systems, regulatory transparency, and the democratization of city building.

Kevin currently serves on the City of Austin Design Commission, the board of Chestnut Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation, the board of the Central Texas chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism, and Austin’s newly formed Technical Advisory Review Panel. Kevin holds two Master’s degrees, one in Community and Regional Planning and another in Urban Design, both from the University of Texas. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies from the University of Washington.

WEDNESDAY

Phillip Hammond Parkhill

Combining Trees, Soils,Water in the Urban Environment

02:30 -

03:30 PM

Classroom C

This program will discuss the academic research, basic applications, sizing standard, notable Texas projects, Complete Streets applications and storm water mitigation potential for suspended pavement systems. Landscape Architects, recognizing and specifying tree soil volumes statewide, have developed successful details to meet site needs while committing to supporting the long-term health and vitality of urban trees. For years researchers have recognized the suitability of suspended pavement facilities in lowering pollutant concentrations in runoff as well as reducing the peak flow runoff from rainfall. The benefits of these tree-based suspended pavement soil systems are well known: Real estate value enhancement, urban heat island reduction, environmental equity and urban species diversity.

(CEPH – SUSTAINABILITY, HSW)

Shawn Freedberg Director of Business Development

Speakers Bios

Shawn Freedberg works closely with specifier and manages projects internationally. His experience as a Landscape Architect is valued with landscape architects, arborists and municipalities from the initial design phase through construction documentation and installation. Shawn is passionate about the urban landscape and has worked in the landscape architecture profession since 2002. Shawn has an MLA from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Austin Hicks Senior Associate, TBG

A Senior Associate based in TBG’s San Antonio office, Austin serves as a project manager and contributes to the successful development of a wide range of project types. He undertakes a variety of daily tasks including client and consultant coordination and production of documents ranging from conceptual design to construction documentation. Austin is also a licensed drone pilot and uses drone photography to capture all stages of a project.

Clayton Brunner Associate Principal

Experienced Landscape Architect, Project Manager, and Team Leader with expertise in a diverse range of projects. Project management background with recognized ability to build and maintain strong client relationships and complete jobs on-time and on-budget.

WEDNESDAY

Lake Design Considerations for Healthy Lake and Fisheries Management

03:3004:30 PM

Classroom C

This program will take a look at what elements should be considered for design to mitigate management headaches and provide lasting benefits to pond and lake health. It will explore a variety of topics such as depth profiles, vegetation control, fish and wildlife goals and management, and general structural goals of a successful lake build project. We will also provide some insight on how the frontend build vs long-term management costs can be influenced by a thoughtful layout and design. Also, what aesthetic improvements can be made to large water features that will increase interaction, assist in aquatic management, and fisheries development.

(CEPH - SUSTAINABILITY HSW)

John Jones President and Owner, Shorline Ventrues Group

Speakers Bios

John Jones is graduate of the Texas A&M University Wildlife and Fishery Science Program. He is a member of the American Fisheries Society and has advisory roles on several local and state aquatic committees. Over 20 years ago, John founded Lochow Ranch – Pond and Lake Management with extensive knowledge of the pond and lake management field. With several years of growth under the company’s belt, the Shoreline Group Ventures group of companies was born and now houses Shoreline Consulting, LLC, Lochow Ranch Pond and Lake Management, LLC, and Shoreline Products, LLC. now offering pond and lake development and construction consulting, fisheries management, and aquatic aesthetic and accoutrements design and installation.

WELCOME RECEPTION

06:3008:30 PM

3508 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

5:30 - 7:30 am

7:30 am - 5:00 pm

8:00am-10:00pm

Barton Creek Greenbelt - Longer Adventure

Jogging Tour |Convention Center Front - Walk

Nicholas Nelson

BADGE PICK-UP & REGISTRATION | Lobby

SILENT AUCTION BIDDING|Silent Auction App

8:00 - 9:00 am

9:00 - 10:00 am

10:00 - 11:00 am

Keynote: Working With: A Relational Practice | Exhibit Hall 2

David Malda

EXHIBIT HALL BREAK | Exhibit Hall 1

Aquifer Recharge, Community Resource:

Partnerships for Ecological Health and Social Good | Classroom A

Mikey Goralnik, Garry Merritt, Scott Parker

10:00 - 11:00 am

Growing Shade: Nurturing Trees for Our Future | Classroom B

Vincent Debrock, Shaney Clemmons

10:00 - 11:00 am

Sketch ! Austin | Tour 1A

Unlocking the biosphere: Innovation, activation, & application of climate data | Classroom C

Isabelle Asakura, Wei Xiao, Andrew Knuppe

25 April

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

10:00 - 11:00 am

Alliance Children’s Garden: A Guided Tour

Exploring Funding Fun and Local Inspiration |

Convention Center Front - Walk

Justin Lindabury, Adam Shriver, Patrick Beyer

11:00 - 11:30 am

11:00 am -1:30 pm

EXHIBIT HALL BREAK|Exhibit Hall 1

Lunch | Westside Covered Patio

Get Lunch from one of Austin Favorite Food Trucks “Juan Taco” or “Meat your Heart”

25 April

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

2:00 - 3:00 pm

Historical, Sustainable, Accessible - Renovating a Downtown Square | Classroom A

Brendan Wittstruck, Margaret Robinson, Scott Sinn, Kim McKnight

Making a New Town Center: Thousands of Decisions and Thousands of Decisionmakers | Classroom B

Steven Spears, Aaron Odland, Philip Koske

2:00 - 3:00 pm

3:00 - 4:00 pm

4:00 - 5:00 pm

Landscape Architecture in Texas, from a Regulatory Perspective | Classroom C

Jack Stamps, Glenn Garry

EXHIBIT HALL BREAK | Exhibit Hall 1

Equity & Inclusion: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Play for All Abilities | Classroom A

Jodi House, Steve Plumer, Taylor Bunn

4:00 - 5:00 pm

ASLA CAP in Action: Firms, Manufacturers and Advocates Respond to the Call | Classroom B

Sarah Fitzgerald, Amy Syverson-Shaffer, Aiman Duckworth

Tecnologico de Monterrey CDMX Campus | Classroom C

Jose Ramon Tagle, Alex Morvant

5:30 - 7:30 pm

ALUMNI RECEPTION | Covered Pavilion

Barton Creek Greenbelt - Longer Adventure Jogging Tour

Keynote: Working With: A Relational Practice

5:30 -

7:30 AM

Convention Center Front - Walk

This leisurely morning jog will begin at the conference center. Barton Creek trail provides access to hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing all within a short distance from downtown. This tour will experience a transect from an urban public realm and to a natural environment where people can easily escape the city and provide an opportunity for people to interact and appreciate nature. Public health, safety, and welfare will be discussed in detail during the jog.

8:00 -

9:00 AM

Exhibit Hall 2

The idea of “working with” begins with taking the time and care to understand what is already in place, how a place came to be the way it is, and then crafting strategies for a future design from this foundation. To kick off the 2024 Texas ASLA conference, David Malda, Design Principal, will share how GGN’s design approach is expressed in their work around the country as well as recent work in Austin and San Antonio. David’s talk will explore the potential of landscape to connect people to the land and to each other through the land. By focusing on building relationships among the people and places that already exist (and have often been damaged), David will explain how our work as landscape architects can support broader initiatives for belonging to a place, rather than simply adding another new thing.

Speakers Bios

Mr. Nelson is an adventure jogger and the director of landscape architecture at TNP, Inc. based out of Fort Worth. He has practiced and taught landscape architecture for more than 20 years. With extensive active and passive recreation experience, he has been able to integrate his expertise into a variety of projects associated with the public realm. He is passionate about collaborating with communities, clients, and design professionals to deliver vibrant experiences.

Speakers Bios

David Malda is a key design leader at GGN. His work explores the role of landscape in connecting people to each other through experiences of the land. Narrative and engagement informs his designs, resulting in projects with impacts that extend beyond their sites. David’s emphasis on drawing and making throughout the design process is central to his role within the office, and he shares this knowledge in numerous studio reviews and student engagements throughout the year. David has presented at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, DC, and published a related essay in the Harvard University Press book, River City, City Rivers. He has served as a panelist at the 2019 Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards CITIES: Detroit. He also co-founded a popular design drawing series at the University of Washington that began in 2016, and more recently he has co-led drawing workshops at the past two ASLA conventions. This focus on drawing is also central to an upcoming essay entitled Drawing in Perspective published by Routledge Press. His equity work includes co-presenting Landscape as Relational Practice: Connecting People to and Through the Land at the 2021 LABASH conference at Cornell University and The Falls Initiative: Connecting Process and Place field session at the 2023 ASLA national conference in Minneapolis. David holds a Masters in Architecture and a Masters of Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia.

THURSDAY

Nicholas Nelson David Malda Principal, GGN Director of Landscape Architects, TNP

Aquifer Recharge, Community Resource: Partnerships for Ecological Health and Social Good

Classroom A 10:0011:00 AM

Featuring a diversity of insights and perspectives, including from the disciplines of real estate law, conservation transactions, and landscape architecture and environmental design, this panel explores how Great Springs Project (GSP) is facilitating an ambitious conservation, ecological restoration, and community building initiative address the most critical water, land, wildlife, and public health challenges facing the Central Texas region. In particular, the panel will focus on strategies for positioning an ambitious, legacy recreation and mobility project as a catalyst for climate-adaptive investments in central Texas. Key ideas and concepts covered include: building partnerships/nurturing collaboration among local, state, and federal government partners, non-profits with ranging interests, and passionate community members; ensuring that acquisition is coupled with appropriate programming that contributes to vibrant and equitable communities throughout Central Texas; and leveraging trail implementation to achieve a range of ecological enhancement objectives, including flood and wildfire risk reduction, habitat conservation, and environmental education and advocacy.

Speakers Bios

Mikey Goralnik Trails and Transportation Planner

With backgrounds in both community planning and landscape architecture, Mikey applies a broad skillset to articulate and implement bold ideas for building community and enriching the lives of the people who make it. A licensed landscape architect and certified community planner, he is a Trails and Transportation Planner for the Great Springs Project, where he helps implement active mobility, recreation, and landscape enhancement initiatives that align with wider conservation, restoration, and landscape enhancement objectives.

Mikey has a bachelors degree in American Studies from Tufts University, and a masters degree in community and regional planning from the University of North Carolina, and a masters degree in landscape architecture from North Carolina State University. An eager trail runner, back-, bike-packer, he is deeply passionate about public lands in Texas and elsewhere, and looks forward to cultivating a sense of stewardship for the natural world with his young daughter.

Garry Merritt Scott Parker Chief Executive Officer Land Transactions Director

Garry brings to Great Springs Project a unique combination of business development savvy, real estate law expertise, government service, and longstanding commitment to conservation of Texas’ natural resources. A former Real County Judge, Real County Attorney, and corporate counsel, Garry’s legal expertise includes real estate transactions, real estate finance, water rights, business development, and contract negotiations. He is Board Certified in Farm and Ranch Real Estate Law, a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and holds degrees from Rice University and The University of Texas School of Law. After a stint as a corporate and real estate attorney in Houston and Team Counsel for the Houston Rockets, Garry returned to the Texas Hill Country to practice law and engage in public service in his rural hometown of Leakey.

Garry has served as Board Chairman of the Hill Country Alliance, the Middle Rio Grande Development Council, and the Southwest Area Regional Transit District. Prior to joining Great Springs Project, Garry served as General Counsel and Legislative Director of the Texas Association of Counties which represents all 254 counties in Texas with over 2,500 elected officials. An avid river guide and mountain climber, Garry cares deeply about Texas and our beautiful Hill Country and conserving our natural resources for generations to come. He has two children, Luke and Sarah.

Scott Parker serves as the Land Transactions Director for Great Springs Project. With a conservation career spanning three decades, Scott has completed conservation projects across the Hawaiian Islands, California, and Texas valued at over $38 million, $15 million of which preserved thousands of acres in Central Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast since his arrival in Austin in 2009. Under Scott’s leadership, he secured foundation grants and major donor gifts in excess of $6 million, providing significant conservation reach and impact in Central Texas and beyond. And, as an organizational representative for Great Springs Project and his prior conservation employers in Texas, Scott has participated in supporting and advancing five successful open space bond measures for Travis County, Hays County, and the City of Austin, providing over $328 million for public recreation and open space, watershed, and habitat protection.

Upon joining Great Springs Project in 2021, Scott has enthusiastically embraced the need to connect our communities and protect our springs and brings his years of experience to bear to realize this vision. Scott enjoys gardening, travel, and spending time with family and lifelong friends in his spare time.

THURSDAY

Growing Shade: Nurturing Trees for Our Future

10:0011:00 AM

Classroom B

This session will aid designers in selecting tree species for the future urban forests of Texas. Whether designing for residential, commercial, or public spaces, designers will leave this session feeling empowered to select species that are resilient against recent weather events.

Speakers Bios

Vincent is the Senior Arborist/Consultant with the company. He is a Board Certified Master Arborist and a Qualified Tree Risk Assessor. He has been President of the International Society of Arboriculture-Texas and is an advisory board member at TreeFolks. Vincent is the primary contact for all of our large projects, including the Trail Foundation, San Marcos River Project, Travis County restoration planting, Austin Independent School District, Bright Leaf Preserve, Zilker Park, and he is the personal contact for landscape architects.

THURSDAY

Vincent Debrock Shaney Clemmons ISA Board Certified Master Arborist Principal, Shademaker Studio

Unlocking the biosphere: Innovation, activation, & application of climate data

10:0011:00 AM

Classroom C

In the face of climate change, landscape architecture is increasingly reliant on complex climate data interpretation and innovative technology. Various projects exemplify this trend. One project focuses on carbon sequestration, using existing data to project future sequestration and optimize planting plans. City-level GIS data aids in understanding greenhouse gas emissions, involving community engagement to identify carbon reduction opportunities. County-wide data is used to create a one health index, identifying vulnerable communities for nature-based solutions. Another project analyzes water usage in parks, uncovering conservation opportunities. Lastly, a project enhances LiDAR tree canopy data to improve climate resilience planning by considering three-dimensional built environment aspects and equitable greenspace distribution.

Isabelle Asakura

Associate Principal and Co-Director of Research and Innovation

Speakers Bios

Isabelle Asakura is an Associate Principal at Asakura Robinson with a multidisciplinary background in science, design, and communication. She works at the intersection of urban design, landscape planning, and urban ecology to understand, synthesize, and visualize complex interactions among people, nature, and the built environment to develop engaging diagrams, maps, and renderings that bring projects to life. As Director of Research and Innovation, Isabelle works across the firm to bring rigorous data and analysis to the forefront of planning recommendations and design solutions. She leads 3D computational design efforts for modeling, scripting, and digital fabrication.

Isabelle is particularly skilled at translating complex data and analysis into dynamic visualizations and graphics with a strong focus on storytelling. Notable projects include the Dublin Sustainability Plan, Resilient Houston, Greener Gulfton Nature Equity and Climate Resilience Plan, and The Land, Water, Sky, and Natural Infrastructure Plan of the Texas Hill Country. She holds a Master’s in Architecture in Bio-Integrated Design with Merit from the University College of London Bartlett School of Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Biology from Lewis and Clark College.

Wei Xiao

Co Director of Research Innovation

Wei is a Senior Urban Designer with a passion for understanding urban vitality through different cultural lenses. He specializes in urban design, streetscape design, graphic design, and placemaking projects. Wei has held leadership role on a variety of projects including Houston vision 2020 competition, local and international tactical urbanism competitions, vision zero action plan graphic design, and uptown corridor streetscape design. Wei also specializes in UX design and product design and successfully shipped designs for both website and mobile applications.

Andrew Knuppel

Senior Planner

| Director of Community Planning

Andrew is a Senior Planner / Project Manager in Asakura Robinson’s Houston office. He is excited about the power of great design, thoughtful policy, and high-touch community engagement to empower community action and facilitate conversations around today’s pressing issues. His planning perspective is shaped by experiences working in local government, floodplain management, and hazard mitigation.

THURSDAY

Alliance Children’s Garden: A Guided Tour Exploring Funding Fun and Local Inspiration

Justin Lindabury

A Principal in TBG’s Austin office, Justin has more than 15 years of experience working on some of Austin’s most prominent projects. He joined the firm in 2006 and takes on diverse roles in project development from the initial concept through implementation. Justin excels at managing large project teams and coordinating with consultants and clients on challenging projects. He has a history of deep involvement within the local community having served on the Hill Country Conservancy’s board and currently as a member of the Violet Crown Trail Committee.

10:0011:00 AM

Convention Center Front - Walk

Join TBG Partners and the City of Austin for an enchanting, guided tour of the Alliance Children’s Garden, a captivating play haven nestled in the heart of Austin, adjacent to the Palmer Events Center.

This tour invites you to explore an imaginative wonderland where fun knows no age limits. Inspired by the scenic Texas Hill Country, the garden features abstractions of rolling hills, caves, and limestone basins to foster exploration and imaginative play. It offers distinct yet interconnected outdoor rooms, including the Hill Country Garden, Skyline Garden, Art and Culture Garden, and Rock and Slide Valley Garden. Each space encourages playful interaction, problem-solving, exploration, and an appreciation for local flora and fauna, reflecting Austin’s unique culture and environment.

More than just a play space, Alliance Children’s Garden exemplifies the success of public-private partnerships and civic spaces, drawing both locals and visitors. This tour offers firsthand insights into the project team’s approach, showcasing site design, grading, drainage, and native plant use to transform a downtown Austin location into something extraordinary.

This excursion into Alliance Children’s Garden provides a valuable lesson on converting neglected spaces into iconic community gems, enriching Austin and its visitors. As a vibrant urban and civic space, the garden and greater Town Lake Metropolitan Park that it’s a part of, significantly contribute to the success of downtown Austin. Having opened to the public in 2020, Alliance Children’s Garden continues to thrive, welcoming visitors for three wonderful years.

Adam Shriver Patrick Beyer Principal, TBG Partners Senior Associate, TBG Partners Project Manager, City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department

A SITES, LEED Accredited Professional, and Certified Playground Safety Inspector, Adam Shriver combines a keen design perspective with technological proficiencies to inform design solutions that are datadriven, artful and imaginative. He was the lead designer on Alliance Children’s Garden and has more than 15 years’ professional experience as a landscape architect.

Patrick began his career in Landscape Architecture with the City of Austin, Parks and Recreation Department. Through his twelve years as a public servant Patrick has designed and delivered several park improvement projects throughout Austin. Specializing in enhancing accessibility, his designs often feature sensible, inclusive play features. And now, as a parent himself, he understands the value of comfortable seating. Patrick is a registered Landscape Architect, a SITES accredited professional, and currently works as a Project Manager.

THURSDAY

Entitlements – Not just for Attorneys and Engineers Anymore

11:30 AM12:30 PM

Classroom A

Zoning applications traditionally draw images of attorneys and engineers debating on technical terms, regulations, and compliance standards, leaving the layperson perplexed and marginalized. This session, titled “Zoning Applications - Not just for attorneys and engineers anymore,” provides a paradigm shift, offering a nuanced understanding of zoning applications to diverse stakeholders.

The session will present the value of a landscape architect and/or planner led zoning process. Rezoning processes led by landscape architects and/or planners, as compared to those led by attorneys and engineers, can bring significant value to urban development, transforming the fabric of urban landscapes with a holistic, user-centered, and environmentally conscious approach. This session will focus on the Brodie Planned Unit Development (PUD) application, a transformative initiative aiming to redevelop a 37.6-acre site from a suburban shopping center to a mixed-use center, representing a harmonious blend of vibrant, transit-oriented, and ecologically balanced spaces.

While attorneys and engineers play indispensable roles in ensuring that rezoning processes are legally sound and technically feasible, landscape architects and planners bring a multifaceted approach that is crucial for the creation of sustainable, inclusive, and livable urban environments. Their approach extends beyond technical and legal aspects, intertwining environmental stewardship, community well-being, aesthetic appeal, and innovative design to shape urban landscapes that resonate with human experiences and ecological principles.

Leslie Lilly

For almost 20 years, Leslie Lilly has dedicated her time and energy to solutions that address the most pressing environmental challenges of our day – climate change, environmental and community resilience, land and water conservation, and environmental justice. She currently works for the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department on the Policy team, negotiating protections for Austin’s environmentally sensitive areas. She has an integrative approach that stems from a broad experience working in federal government as a wildland firefighter with USFW, in agriculture as a farm manager for the largest central Texas organic farm, in the non-profit sector as the Conservation Director for The Trail Conservancy, and in the private sector as the owner/operator of Lone Star Natives, a sustainable landscape design and construction company. Through her work Leslie has publicly championed efforts and implemented educational campaigns to restore ecological function through the advancement of green infrastructure; nurtured community-led stewardship through the development of award-winning programs and promoted and lead positive changes to Austin’s environmental policy.

Liz Johnston Rebecca Leonard Environmental Program Coordinator, City of Austin Deputy Environmental Officer, City of Austin CEO, Lionheart

Liz Johnston is the Deputy Environmental Officer for the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department, where she manages the Environmental Policy and Review team. She has a Masters of Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University and twenty years of experience working on issues related to environmental policy, urban ecology, and water resource protection.

Rebecca Leonard, FAICP, PLA, LEED AP, CNU-A, the founder of Lionheart Places LLC, has over 20 years of experience in landscape architecture, community planning, urban design, stakeholder engagement, and facilitation. She has designed significant projects in the realm of parks and plazas such as the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center and the Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans. She has led redevelopment and mixed-use projects such as Destination Bell Boulevard in Cedar Park Texas and Broadmoor in Austin Texas. She has master planned and designed large communities, corporate campuses, and resorts. A national leader in performance-based design, Rebecca’s desire to balance the environmental, community, and economic benefits in every project creates successful results. She collaborates closely with her clients to ensure that the plans she helps create are implemented. It is her awareness of the challenges bridging from visioning into implementation that drove her to open Lionheart, a firm committed to seeing clients realize their visions! She co-founded WxLA in 2018 – a gathering of leaders in landscape architecture that champion gender equality in the profession.

THURSDAY

Springdale Green: Toxicity Transformed. A Model of Sustainable Redevelopment

11:30 AM -

12:30 PM

Classroom B

Located in Central East Austin, Springdale Green reimagines the conventional workplace environment by transforming and healing a 30-acre former petrochemical storage facility into an environmentally conscious office campus—re-establishing native meadows, woodlands, and an urban creek tributary. Designed to be immersive and engaging, the project is designed to immerse tenants and guests within a series of natural and ecologically restored landscape environments. On target to achieve both LEED and Sustainable SITES Gold certifications, this project represents a paradigm shift towards nature-based design and is a model for urban ecology, restoration, green infrastructure and sustainable development. With considerable natural and manmade constraints, development of this project was only possible by utilizing a permitting tool called PUD zoning that leverages designed environmental superiority and preservation of the natural environment to achieve the project goals.

Michael Whellan

During his 33-year career, Michael Whellan has represented clients before city and county governmental entities on business and land use matters. After serving as a briefing attorney at the Texas Supreme Court, Michael began his career at Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody, PC, ultimately serving on the executive board and as President (2008-2013). In January 2018, he joined Armbrust & Brown,PLLC.

Edward Muth Principal, Gensler

Speakers Bios

Ed Muth has over 25 years of architectural experience with project types such as commercial office buildings, retail, financial, medical, residential and institutional. With a broad range of experience, Ed is considered a trusted advisor by his client and is often called upon to be a strategic partner at the onset of projects. Ed has been leading the design and delivery of projects such as 600 Guadalupe, a 66-story vertical mixed-use building, the 300,000 sf Travis County Courts Facility, a 37-story residential tower at 5th and Red River and the 800,000 sf Springdale Green office campus in East Austin. He graduated Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a Bachelor of Architecture and has been in Texas for the last 25 years.

Active involvement in community organizations is among Michael’s highest priorities. He has served on the Board of various non-profit service organizations such as CASA (Board Chair),Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas (Board Chair), the Anti-Defamation League, The University of Texas at Austin Plan II Honors Board of Visitors, Travis County Dispute Resolution Center, and the State Bar of Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution Section.

Michael obtained his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. He has also participated in the Leadership Austin Class, and Courageous Conversation - Beyond Diversity Training. In addition to achieving an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale Hubbell, Michael has also been recognized by Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas with the J. Chrys Dougherty Award for pro bono service, the Heritage Society of Austin’s Recognition for Service, and the Austin Young Lawyers Association’s Community Service Award.

Daniel Woodroffe

Through the efforts of his firm, dwg., he has helped shape the city of Austin throughout its greatest period of change. He has developed strong and diverse relationships throughout this process, exposing him to a range of perspectives, contributing to his expertise in the subject matter.

Harrison Hudson Landuse Attorney, Armbrust and Brown PLLC President and Founder, dwg. Senior Project Manager, Kimley Horn

Harrison is a senior project manager for the Austin development services division of Kimley-Horn. He has more than 16 years of experience providing project management and engineering design for drainage systems, site grading, surface and subsurface utilities, on-site sewage treatment facilities, water supply systems, and other site features throughout Texas. His experience includes site civil services for commercial retail stores, industrial, healthcare, and multifamily developments, single family communities, and state and municipal engineering projects.

THURSDAY

Lobbying for Your Professional Practice License

Dan Mays is an attorney with an extensive background in legislative and campaign activities. A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Dan has been involved in politics in and around the Texas State Capitol in various capacities for the past seven years.

11:30 AM12:30 PM

Classroom C

This will be a discussion of the legislative process and the needed steps to be taken to improve the professional licensure Practice Act for Texas Landscape Architects.

Andrea McWilliams Dan Mays President, McWilliams Governmental Affairs General Counsel, MGA

Before joining McWilliams, Dan finished a stint as Chief Committee Clerk and General Counsel for the powerful House State Affairs Committee. He was responsible for completing the Interim Report to the 79th Legislature, which included a thorough examination of issues relating to disclosure protections for individuals’ Social Security Numbers and the ever growing problem of identity theft. In his role as a policy analyst for the State Affairs Committee during the 78th Legislative Session, Dan was primarily responsible for completing all bill analyses, legal research, and other research and reports for a committee that received over 300 bills. He also advised and wrote reports for two influential Committee Chairmen: Congressman Kenny Marchant and State Representative Jerry Madden.

In 2003, in addition to his role with the State Affairs Committee, Dan took on the title of Legislative Director for Congressman Kenny Marchant during his service in the Texas House of Representatives. In that capacity, Dan was the lead researcher on all legislative issues and advised Congressman Marchant during four special sessions. Dan played a pivotal role during the 2003 redistricting special sessions in building a coalition of support within the legislature for Marchant’s congressional bid, and advised Congressman Marchant on legal issues relating to the redistricting trial. Dan also served as Congressman Marchant’s primary liaison for the House and Joint Select Committees on Public School Finance during multiple special sessions, working closely with key members and staff in both houses of the legislature.

Speakers Bios

Lobbyist, political fundraiser and national political commentator Andrea McWilliams is a skilled strategist, combining grace with grit and patience with persuasion. Known for her meticulous attention to detail, McWilliams brings her unique expertise to every issue she engages drawing on her time in both the private and public sector. The national media, including FOX News, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, USA Today, CNN, BBC, and NPR have all reported on McWilliams’ role as a leading fundraiser and political strategist. Named Texas Businesswoman of the Year by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Texas, she was recognized as “consigliere to the powerful and political.” McWilliams was the only lobbyist profiled together with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House in Texas Monthly’s “POWER” feature highlighting the most powerful people at the Texas Capitol.

THURSDAY

Historical, Sustainable, Accessible - Renovating a Downtown Square

2:003:00 PM

Classroom A

One of the three remaining historical squares in downtown Austin, Brush Square was renovated by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department in 2022 to meet the growing community needs and social responsibilities of public spaces. The first phase of improvements to Brush Square opened to the public in summer 2023 and is part of a comprehensive vision for the park to be an inclusive, vibrant space in Austin’s rapidly growing downtown. This session will describe the vision planning process and how the implementation has packed the benefits of historic preservation, sustainable design, an accessibility to all into a small one-acre downtown site.

Margaret Robinson is a Founder and Managing Principal at Asakura Robinson and leader of the Austin studio where she oversees local collaborations for civic, entertainment, cultural, commercial, and residential clients. She holds over 30 years of planning, urban design and landscape architecture experience in Texas, California, and abroad with special expertise in innovative design thinking and overall project leadership.

An expert and advocate of sustainable design, Margaret has championed the use of green infrastructure and high-performance landscape design solutions that preserve existing ecosystems, improve stormwater quality, and educate users about the benefits of sustainable construction techniques. Her award-winning portfolio includes the Landa Park Master Plan in New Braunfels, the South Central Waterfront Vision Framework Plan in Austin, and the Trail Design Strategy for the City of San Antonio.Margaret is a founding member of the Texas Land/Water Sustainability Forum which advocates LID and green infrastructure in the region and state. She speaks frequently on this topic to local and regional groups.

Scott Sinn is the lead Landscape Architect for Westwood Professional Services, Inc. Austin office. While he was employed with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, he worked on Capital Improvement Projects for the department funded through the voter approved bond program. His project responsibilities include design, management and implementation of parks, trails, playgrounds, building facilities and other park and site improvements.

Scott’s experience spans over twenty-five years and covers a wide variety of projects in planning, design, and construction. His project work has included residential, commercial, industrial and a multitude of recreation projects from sports fields to golf courses. He has spent time working at large multi-discipline design firms, small landscape architecture shops and municipal governments. Scott graduated from Mississippi State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree. He is licensed in the State of Texas.

Speakers Bios

Brendan Wittstruck started Dovetail Studio after seven years as Principal and project manager with the transdisciplinary planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm Asakura Robinson. A licensed Landscape Architect, he holds master’s degrees in architecture, urban design, and construction management from Washington University in St. Louis, where he completed his thesis on highway removal. Returning to Austin, he spent three years with the sustainability non-profit Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems. He currently serves on the City of Austin Design Commission and has built a career on the present evolution of urbanism and how the natural world can be fostered within cities to improve the lives and mobility of people within them. He served as the Project Manager for the Brush Square Vision Plan and the Brush Square Phase One improvements.

Kim McKnight is a Program Manager for Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department. She manages the Historic Preservation and Tourism Program, which entails preservation planning, management and promotion of the historic resources of Austin’s park system. Her team maintains the inventory of historic resources in the park system, works with community groups on park improvements, and advises on issues related historic properties and cultural landscapes. Ms. McKnight also leads PARD’s Signage and Wayfinding Program.

Projects include the Parks and Recreation 10-year System Plan, the Seaholm Waterfront Redevelopment plan, the historic Brush Square Vision Plan, and the Historic Cemeteries Master Plan.

Historic Preservation and Tourism, Austin Parks and Recreation Dept.

THURSDAY

Margaret Robinson Scott Sinn Kim McKnight Principal, Asakura Robinson Landscape Architect II, City of Austin Parks & Recreation Department Program Manager, Brendan Wittstruck Owner, Dovetail Studio

Making a New Town Center: Thousands of Decisions and Thousands of Decision-makers

Speakers Bios

Steven has 25 years of experience as planner, urban designer, landscape architect and now a developer. Steven joined Momark in 2017, after 20 years of consulting. Prior to joining the company, Steven was a partner of an international award-winning planning, design, and economics firm.

2:003:00 PM

Classroom B

Look around any development – urban, rural , streets or park spaces – and it is hard to believe the thousands of decisions that were made to create the space. Thousands of people have a voice in the process of creating any given space. This session proposes to explore the comprehensive design and collaborative development of Plum Creek’s Brick and Mortar District in Kyle, Texas. The district, renowned for its unique regional economic, residential, and recreational attractiveness, serves as a paradigm of quality mixed-use development and showcases the multitude of decisions and collaboration between various decision-makers to ensure its quality and sustainability.

Steven Spears Project Principal, Momark Development

During his time at Momark, Steven has led the development plan and entitlements of the 2125 acre property known as Austin Green, the new home of Tesla. He is the co-principal leading the vision, land plan, and development of the Brick & Mortar District at Plum Creek, a 140 acre mixeduse town center development in Kyle, Texas, and the 100-acre mixed-use town center development in Austin’s Goodnight Ranch.

In 2015, Steven was inducted into the American Society of Landscape Architects National Council of Fellows, specifically for his work in design, infrastructure, and innovative stormwater management, one of the highest distinctions in the profession.

Aaron Odland Philip Koske Associate, Lionheart Design Principal, Nudge Designs

Aaron Odland is a licensed landscape architect with over 17 years of experience in the water challenged states of Texas and California. He has helped design and manage, from concept through construction, projects ranging from urban streetscapes to hill country ranches. A SITES-AP certified professional, Aaron is passionate about having a positive climate impact through design and celebrating regional plants and materials.

Since graduating college, I’ve worked under a series of talented designers, illustrators and thought leaders. This diversity has afforded me a broad skill set including most aspects of landscape architecture, planning, strategy and interaction design. The context of my work includes every major market in Texas, with an emphasis on public spaces, retail experiences and parks. I later graduated from Austin Center for Design, which teaches design through a empathetic and human-centered approach. I believe that the process of design is collaborative and open to discussion throughout. Creating new places is a team effort. This means that everyone is part of the story and formation of ideas. My specific approach focuses on using a holistic and human-centered process to create high-impact spaces, with a curious and hands-on mindset during construction. Success for me is measured by what gets built and the surrounding stories.

THURSDAY

Landscape Architecture in Texas, from a Regulatory Perspective - TBAE UPDATE

2:003:00 PM

Classroom C

With data and case files developed and produced by TBAE, this class will provide a look at recent trends in licensure, enforcement, and other aspects of interest to Texas landscape architects. We’ll also survey some recent personnel changes on the Board and agency staff, discuss recent rule changes, and of course host a useful Q and A session.

Jack Stamps Managing Investigator, TBAE

Speakers Bios

Jack W. Stamps manages the investigations unit of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. Staffing of this unit includes an investigator and an investigations specialist. Jack has been with the Board since 2002.

Jack has 55 years of both regulatory enforcement and law enforcement experience. He began his law enforcement career in 1968 as a State Trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety. His job assignments have included: narcotics agent, homicide investigator, agency administrator, training academy director, and financial crimes investigator. Jack is a 1986 graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Glenn Garry Communications Manager, TBAE

Glenn has served as Communications Manager for TBAE since 2007, and for 28 years has held a range of public affairs positions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, never straying far from the State Capitol building in Austin.

THURSDAY

Equity & Inclusion: A MultiDisciplinary Approach to Play for All Abilities

Classroom A 4:005:00 PM

PlayGrand Adventures is a 10-acre, universally inclusive playground, where upon entering, everyone, no matter their life circumstance, feels welcomed, included and accepted. This panel will explore the multi-disciplinary approach the team and City took, ultimately yielding a successful inclusive play environment for any age and all abilities. The process to bring PlayGrand Adventures to life began in 2013 – and has, at every turn, been a true collaborative, community-driven effort between design professionals, City staff, medical professionals, and parents skilled in working with children and adults with special needs. Phase one of PlayGrand Adventures opened in January of 2020, offering a regional draw, free public park access, and inclusive play for any age and ability.

Jodi House Principal, TBG Partners

Speakers Bios

A Principal based in TBG’s Dallas office, Jodi joined TBG in 2011 and leads a team of landscape architects and planners that specialize in civic engagements and commissions. Jodi employs a collaborative project approach and works closely with colleagues, consultants, and clients to realize each project’s vision. Her extensive experience includes creative play spaces for all abilities and ages for cities to regional parks and trails, with a keen awareness of the site context and an underlying emphasis on the end user.

As a member of the Grand Prairie Parks, Arts and Recreations team for 17 years, Steve leads the Park Planning and Development Division and is responsible for the yearly management of a multi-million-dollar Parks Capital Improvement (CIP) program including new park development and renovations to park facilities within the Grand Prairie Park and Open Space system.

Steve has a total of 35 years of experience in both private and public sectors in design, site planning, project management, landscape architecture and golf course design, as well as his time in municipal park planning and project management. Steve led the City’s team on the PlayGrand Adventures playground project managing the extensive community fund raising efforts, parent focus groups, community awareness, and the design and construction process.

Steve Plumer Taylor Bunn Park Planning and Development Manager, Grand Prairie Parks, Art and Recreation Department Executive Director, Play4All

Dr. Taylor Bunn, Executive Director of Hope 4 All, has spent her career in public school districts and nonprofit organizations focused on education and the arts. She is a certified teacher, administrator, and project manager and looks forward to bringing her professional skills in leadership, operations, nonprofit programming, and curriculum development to this role. Taylor would be a professional student if she could and has an EdD in Learning and Organizational Change from Baylor University, an MBA concentrated in Strategy and Entrepreneurship and an MA in Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship from Southern Methodist University, and a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of San Diego.

THURSDAY

ASLA CAP in Action: Firms, Manufacturers and Advocates

Respond to the Call

4:00 -

5:00 PM

Classroom B

As the ASLA Climate Action Plan made clear, biodiversity loss, climate change, and their relationships to environmental injustices are defining issues of our time and are inextricably linked. To meet the CAP’s ambitious and science-backed goals of achieving zero emissions and doubling sequestration by 2040, the landscape architectural field must act holistically and re-think the status quo, analyzing every area of practice. From project impacts to client advocacy, firm operations to material manufacturing, join us to hear how practitioners across the industry are responding to the ASLA Climate Action Plan and the call for more climate and biodiversity-positive action.

Sarah Fitzgerald Associate, SWA

Speakers Bios

Sarah joined SWA in July 2020 after graduating with an MLA degree from the University of California at Berkeley. She is passionate about leveraging landscape design to better address the climate crisis and engage communities to empower them as stewards of their local landscapes. Sarah’s research and project work foregrounds carbon sequestration, low-impact development (LID), and sustainable design solutions that are sensitive to their ecological and social contexts. She is an active volunteer with the ASLA Climate Action Committee and was a co-author of the recent ASLA Climate Action Plan.

Amy Syverson-Shaffer

Amy Syverson-Shaffer is passionate about connecting people to nature and to each other. Her past work as a landscape architect and in business development frames her relationships-first approach to taking on big challenges. Today, she is lending her design acumen and contextual understanding to leading sustainability for the modern craft manufacturer, Landscape Forms. In 2023, she served on the inaugural cohort of the ASLA Climate Action Committee, where she has been working on the Carbon Drawdown and Biodiversity Subcommittee to bridge between key efforts by the vendor and member community. On any given day, you can find her enjoying a collaboration with colleagues or working in the garden.

Aiman Duckworth Sustainability Leader, Landscape Forms

Senior Landscape Architect/ Urban Ecologist, Biohabitats

A landscape architect and ecologist with 20 years in professional practice, Aiman’s work focuses on the assessment, planning, and design of natural systems that enhance and regenerate ecological, social, cultural, and economic vitality. Whether working on projects at the regional, city, neighborhood, or site scale, Aiman contributes intellectual leadership for conservation, restoration, environmental justice, and climate resiliency planning. He brings an evidence-based expertise in geospatial modeling, biodiversity metrics, and ecosystem service quantification. In his collaborations, Aiman’s perspective recognizes that we are biophilic creatures- with our inspiration, delight, health, and survival woven to ecosystems and landscapes.

THURSDAY

Tecnologico de Monterrey CDMX Campus

4:005:00 PM

Classroom C

The new campus of the Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey serves as a model of resilient design in the region. The landscape is designed to not only mitigate flooding but to celebrate water as a part of Mexico City’s geographic and cultural history: the city’s ancient origin on Lake Texcoco and the agricultural chinampas in nearby Xochimilco. The existing “cenote” at the center of the campus has been redesigned as a lush oasis and central gathering space, as well as a primary component of the improved stormwater management system. Captured rainwater is recirculated through a series of densely vegetated canals that clean the water as it weaves between the new buildings and forested terraces. Moving water creates soothing sounds as it flows through shaded outdoor classrooms and study spaces, down to the cenote. Additionally, the harvested rain water is used as irrigation for the preserved existing trees and new native vegetation.

Jose

Ramon Tagle Director of Architecture Mexico, The Beck Group

Speakers Bios

José Ramón is Director of Architecture for our Mexico office. He joined Beck in 2007 as a Senior Project Architect, and quickly showed interest in the Architecture division. With an Architecture degree from Universidad Iberoamericana and an Architectural Design master’s degree from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, José is well equipped to lead architectural operations at our Mexico office. He has more than 15 years of experience in Architectural Design, Construction and Sustainability. Any given day you will find him working on design boards, meeting with project teams and talking to clients. He is also passionate about Beck’s Integrated Design Process. José enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. In his spare time, you will find him visiting museums, art galleries or exploring the gastronomic diversity that Mexico City offers.

Alex Morvant Landscape Architect TELA

As a native of the south Louisiana, Alex brings a particular design language to the Southwest: one that is motivated by the unique cultural and physical characteristics of a place. He began developing his craft throughout his high school and college years by operating a small landscape construction business. Partnered with his brother, Alex designed and built numerous residential and small commercial gardens prior to earning his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. When he is not working on the great projects that TELA has underway, you may find him on a sketch crawl throughout the city, traveling with his wife, Kristen, or speaking French with his family and friends back home. For inspiration, Alex regularly travels to experience the many environmental and civic spaces the world has to offer. His senior thesis project—titled “The Vermilion Corridor”—reimagined waterfront access along Bayou Vermilion in Lafayette, Louisiana and won an Honor Award in the Analysis and Planning category of the 2016 ASLA Student Awards.

THURSDAY

26 April

5:30 - 7:30 am

7:30 am - 12:00 pm

8:00 -9:30pm

9:30 - 10:15 am

9:00 - 11:15 am

10:15 - 11:15 am

11:15am-12:15pm

12:15 - 1:15 pm

FRIDAY SCHEDULE FRIDAY SCHEDULE

Waller Creek Greenbelt Shorter Adventure

Jogging Tour |Convention Center Front - Walk

Nicholas Nelson

BADGE PICK-UP & REGISTRATION | Lobby

AWARDS BREAKFAST | EXHIBIT HALL 2

EXHIBIT HALL BREAK | EXHIBIT HALL 1

Seaholm Waterfront | Convention Center Front - Walk

Kim McKnight, Charlotte Tonser

Smart strategies to improve safety and education for Landscape Architecture professionals | Classroom A

Diana Wilson, Dale Clarke, David Lestage, Aan Coleman

Parks in Progress: A Journey Towards Climate-Positive Communities | Classroom B

Tim Bargainer

26 April 1:00 -2:30 pm

Plantastic Personality - Native Flora’s Humble and Hilarious Habits | Classroom B

Christina Moon

Barrier free interactive tour; Applying the ADA in the field | Convention Center Front - Walk

Elaine Andersen, Andrea LaCour

DREAM BIG Featuring Student Event | Meeting Room 5

Margarita Padilla- Posey, Anne Harman, Melda Clark, Matt Stubbs

Nature Based Solutions for the Leon Creek

Watershed in San Antonio |Classroom A

Jordan Clark, Sheeba Thomas, Nick Kearney, Tiffany Lim

Not my tree... Not in my contract... Not my problem... Right? |Classroom B

Kristopher Brown

Perception of Safety at Night - Nighttime Vulnerability Assessment (NVA) |Classroom C

Christoph Gisel

Sketch ! Austin | Tour 1A

Equity, Community Engagement, & Advocacy: A Greener Gulfton | Classroom C

Hugo Colon, Jaime González, José Eduardo Sánchez

Keynote: Climate Change: Global Challenges and Local Solutions | Exhibit Hall 2

EXHIBIT HALL BREAK | Exhibit Hall 1

Using the Three Sisters System to Win Bigger, Better Projects | Exhibit Hall 2

Rachel Brehm, Janki DePalma, Belinda Santolucito

Trauma-Responsive Design in Collaboration with Nature | Classroom A

Karim Elgendy, Lisa Casey, Amy Wagenfeld

Is Nostalgia What It Used to Be? | Classroom C

David Hopman

1:30

1:30 -2:30

12:15

1:30

1:30 -2:30

2:30 -3:00 pm 3:00 -4:00 pm 3:00 -4:00 pm

-2:30 pm

- 1:15 pm

Waller Creek Greenbelt Shorter Adventure Jogging Tour

5:307:30 AM

This leisurely morning jog will begin at the conference center. Waller Creek is a crucial step in rejuvenating the riparian corridor and its surrounding public area in downtown Austin. Restoring the neglected ecosystem while ensuring sustainable human interaction with it was a primary goal. This tour will experience how the public realm and nature were integrated together in the heart of the city, providing an opportunity for people to appreciate and enjoy it. Public health, safety, and welfare will be discussed in detail during the jog.

8:009:00 AM

Exihibit Hall 2

This year the Awards recognition Ceremony will be a breakfast and an optional event. Be sure and select the Awards Breakfast ticket if you plan on attending

Speakers Bios

FRIDAY FRIDAY mmcite.com

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RIVAGE

Nicholas Nelson Convention Center Front - Walk

Awards Breakfast / Presentation Director of Landscape Architects, TNP

Seaholm Waterfront

9:3011:15 AM

Convention Center Front - Walk

Republic Square dates to Austin’s founding in 1839 and features the famous Auction Oaks, a cluster of live oaks where the city’s first lots were auctioned off. Today, the bustling square features a cafe and active programming. Representatives from the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation will join PARD to provide a history of the square, and overview of improvements, and more information about the programming featured at the site.

The walk between the sites will allow for stroll along Shoal Creek, an urban trail, and a stop at Austin’s Central Libary, an award-winning civic project.

Kim McKnight

Program Manager, Historic Preservation and Tourism, Austin Parks and Recreation Dept.

Speakers Bios

Projects include the Parks and Recreation 10-year System Plan, the Seaholm Waterfront Redevelopment plan, the historic Brush Square Vision Plan, and the Historic Cemeteries Master Plan.

Ms. McKnight previously served as the executive director of the Texas Downtown Association, a statewide nonprofit organization with over 400 members. She also led the Texas Main Street Center of the Texas Historical Commission, which provides direct, on-site assistance to more than 80 Texas Main Street Cities in the areas of design, economic development, board development and strategic planning, visual merchandising, and interior space planning.

Ms. McKnight, a native Austinite, holds a Master of Science in Historic Preservation and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a certified planner with the American Planning Association. Ms. McKnight enjoys bird watching, Texas dance halls and peace on earth.

The Trail Conservancy

Charlotte is a native Texan with over 23 years of experience in landscape architecture and project management in Austin and across Texas. She is a registered Landscape Architect and LEED AP. She has led and designed projects ranging from parks to corporate campuses and sports venues to children’s gardens. She is the Executive Projects Director at The Trail Conservancy and leads all the capital and infrastructure work on the 10 mile Butler Trail in downtown Austin including park spaces, trail wide plans, exercise stations, overlooks and award winning restrooms. She is currently leading a new Comprehensive Signage Plan for the Butler Trail. She believes that this Trail and Lady Bird Lake in Austin are the crown jewels of our city and that experiencing nature can change people’s lives, as it did hers when she started walking on the trail in 2000.

FRIDAY

Charlotte Tonsor

Smart Strategies to Improve Safety and Education for Landscape Architecture Professionals

10:1511:15 AM

Classroom A

Hear from professionals with design build, multi-disciplinary, and boutique firm experience regarding the best things they learned in college and the top items that should be covered in Landscape Architecture curriculum regarding health, safety, and welfare. Experiences from each of these market sector disciplines will also be shared. Technology will also be discussed. The value of GIS and how it can be used in security planning and to understand user group behavior.

Dale Clarke Regional Director of Landscape Architecture, Burditt

Dale K. Clarke has enjoyed over 40 years of the Landscape Architecture profession. As broad of a profession as we know landscape architecture is, Dale has experienced many of our profession’s diverse opportunities. He has been awarded numerous State and national awards over the years from design to installation to maintenance. Currently, he serves as Regional Director of Landscape Architecture at Burditt /Land Place where he focuses on local and regional public Parks throughout the State. Mr. Clarke is a proud graduate of Texas A&M University, 1981.

Dale has professionally enjoyed working for a small Mom and Pop design build firm back when we used can cutters, a stint working as a Campus Planner for the University of Houston, Facilities Planning and Construction, Stanger Associates, SLA Studio Land provided a unique view of international practice with built projects in both Japan and England. After several years managing large landscape management companies, Dale started a successful design build maintenance company, Town Center Landscape which he owned for over twenty years and sold in 2021.

Dale provides a unique view of the profession and passion for good design with practical budget friendly environmentally sound problem-solving solutions.

David Lestage

Senior Landscape Architect, Burditt

Diana Wilson Director of Planning, Burditt

Speakers Bios

Award winning and internationally recognized landscape architect, Diana Wilson brings more than 35 years of design experience to every project. Her portfolio of work demonstrates her continued dedication to sustainable development, resource protection, preservation, water conservation practices and public safety. She have a proven track record executing all stages and phases of project planning at local, regional, and international levels. Diana has served as a CLARB volunteer for several years demonstrating her passion for the advancement of the profession of Landscape Architecture.

President, Coleman & Associates

David is a senior landscape architect, planner and author with over 35 years of comprehensive experience in a wide variety of projects and project types. His professional background includes work experience in landscape architecture and planning including large regional retail / commercial, community development, public spaces, golf club and recreational facilities, and residential gardens. With a broad background in design documentation and implementation. He is passionate for sound ecological approaches to design solutions which provide for long term stewardship of the land and its natural resources. David is an enthusiastic and motivating mentor to young professionals guiding them to set and maintain the highest of standards and performance in project delivery. Mr. Lestage is a proud graduate of Louisiana State University, 1988.

Outstanding Alumna of the College of Architecture, Aan Coleman has over 35 years of Landscape Architectural experience and a continued commitment to client service, design excellence, constructibility, sustainability, and financial stewardship. Her early years with a design-build firm gave her invaluable experience that serves as a solid foundation for her “reality based” approach to the profession. As a result, Coleman & Associates projects are designed to be affordable, construction friendly, well detailed, and able to withstand time and trends.

Aan has developed a team that continues to produce both awardwinning and environmentally sensitive work. Her dedication and extensive experience sis translated to all team members by unparalleled focus on the use of native and adapted plantings, tree and native vegetation preservation, and water conservation and rainwater collection systems.

Aan’s extensive experience with site preservation allows Coleman & Associates projects to emphasize the natural resources of leach individual site.

FRIDAY

Aan Coleman

Parks in Progress: A Journey Towards Climate-Positive Communities

10:1511:15 AM

Classroom B

Join us on a visionary journey in “Parks in Progress: A Journey Towards Climate-Positive Communities,” aligning with the 2024 Texas ASLA Annual Conference theme, “PIVOT.” Explore how parks can evolve from passive green spaces into dynamic catalysts for climate action and thriving communities. Discover strategies for crafting parks that thrive in changing climates, explore cutting-edge trends and technologies revolutionizing park design, learn the art of engaging communities in sustainable park stewardship, and navigate complex regulations and sustainability considerations in park planning. Envision a future where parks are active champions of a sustainable world and seize the opportunity to shape climate-positive parks in your communities. Engage in dynamic idea exchange during the Q&A and join us in this inspiring mission to reimagine our parks for a brighter, more sustainable future.

Tim Bargainer Sr. Vice President of Public Markets, RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture

Speakers Bios

Tim is a preeminent figure in the Texas landscape architecture arena, celebrated for his unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community betterment. Beyond his extensive accolades as an award-winning landscape architect specializing in public spaces, Tim has dedicated himself to serving our communities.

Over three decades ago, Tim embarked on his journey in landscape architecture with an unwavering dedication to excellence. His exceptional design acumen has garnered numerous accolades, solidifying his status as a visionary in climate-positive park design. Tim’s projects not only captivate with their aesthetics but also demonstrate a steadfast commitment to sustainable practices, setting a high standard for the industry.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Tim has generously volunteered numerous hours and served on various local boards and commissions, actively contributing to the betterment of our communities. Appointed by the Governor of Texas, he holds the distinguished position of Vice Chair on the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, where he serves as the solitary representative for the landscape architecture profession. In this vital role, he champions environmentally responsible practices, advocates for the highest industry standards, and shapes the profession’s future.

FRIDAY

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Equity, Community Engagement, & Advocacy: A Greener Gulfton

10:1511:15 AM

Classroom C

Embark on a transformative journey into the world of landscape architecture and urban planning, championing real people and fostering equitable, climate-resilient communities. The narrative centers on the “A Greener Gulfton for improved health, climate resilience, and biodiversity” project, a beacon of hope in an underserved community. Nestled in Houston, Texas, this endeavor signifies a profound commitment to improve the lives of Gulfton’s residents, addressing environmental and social challenges.

Delve into the core principles of equity and environmental justice, revealing their significance in the context of historical disparities in access to green spaces and clean air. Explore community engagement strategies that empower the local community, witness landscape architecture as a catalyst for advocacy and empowerment, and discover how it contributes to climate resilience and biodiversity, addressing pressing climate challenges while nurturing the natural world.

Hugo Colon Director of Design / Associate Principal, Asakura Robinson

Speakers Bios

Hugo Colón is as an Associate Principal in Asakura Robinson’s Houston Studio. He has a passion towards inclusive design and working with local communities in addressing issues of equity in transportation, open space and stormwater management. His background in architecture and landscape architecture has allowed him to gain experience in multiple project types that range from streetscapes, green infrastructure, LIHTC projects, nature centers, trails and master planning.

Prior to joining Asakura Robinson, Hugo worked with Design Workshop in Houston, where he managed and designed multiple streetscape projects in the Houston area and an ecotourism center in the Rio Grande Valley. He feels a deep connection to the Rio Grande Valley where he had the opportunity to lead planning initiatives that addressed flooding and infrastructure needs of low income communities along the USMexican border through community driven design when he worked at buildingcommunityWORKSHOP. Both experiences have instilled a deep interest in developing collaborative design practices while achieving the highest standards in design.

Jaime González is an interdisciplinary conservationist, environmental educator, and network weaver who works to better ensure that the practice and benefits of conservation are more equitable and inclusive in Texas communities, including Greater Houston. This includes providing better access to conserved lands, engaging the public in community science and conservation opportunities, supporting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) initiatives within the TNC-Texas Chapter, and contributing to policy development. Mr. González also is a member of TNC-Texas’s Climate Team, working with local communities, governments, corporations, health professionals, and other nonprofit partners, to cocreate healthier, climate ready, and wildlife-rich places using naturebased solutions. Lastly, Jaime also serves as the vice chair of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), which sets national standards for environmental education excellence.

Mr. González earned a M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction-Science Education and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Houston. He has also earned certificates in civic ecology/environmental education, environmental communications, and climate change and health from Cornell, Duke, and Yale Universities respectively. He is currently completing a One Health professional certificate from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.

Jaime has won numerous awards for his work, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Houston’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the Prairie Champion Award from the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, and the Elizabeth Hull Abernathy Award from the Garden Club of America for outstanding contributions to environmental education of youth.

José Eduardo Sánchez Jaime González, M.Ed. Community and Equitable Conservation Director Co-Founder, Tecolotl

José Eduardo (he/him) is co-founder of Tecolotl and has over twelve years of experience collaborating with communities to create, transform, and reclaim public space, both as a community organizer and as a socially engaged artist. He has led multilingual public engagement strategy and implementation for planning and design projects across Houston and Harris county. José Eduardo fuses his extensive experience leading organizing and advocacy campaigns with his expertise in language justice and popular education frameworks to create innovative and community-centered engagement processes. He also specializes in the creation of multilingual spaces and works with local, national, and international organizations as an interpreter, translator, and language justice consultant and facilitator. José Eduardo is a former Artist-in-Residence at Stove Works and Socially Engaged Art Fellow at Project Row Houses / KGMCA. He’s originally from Guanajuato, MX and a proud member of Houston’s Northline and East Aldine neighborhoods.

FRIDAY

Keynote: Climate Change: Global Challenges and Local Solutions

11:15 AM12:15 PM

Exhibit Hall 2

Speakers Bios

Karim is an urban sustainability and climate expert based in London. He is an Associate Director at Buro Happold, an Associate Fellow at Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs), and a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington. Karim is also the Founder and Coordinator of Carboun, an advocacy initiative promoting sustainability in cities of the Middle East and North Africa, through research and communication.

Karim’s interests include urban sustainability and resilience, climate policy, and energy transition. His current work focuses on the Middle East and North Africa region, especially around the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf, but his two decades of experience also span Europe, North America, and sub-Saharan Africa.

Karim has written tens of articles and publications. He has been invited to over one hundred public speaking engagements and has delivered guest lectures at some of the world’s leading universities. He is regularly interviewed and quoted by TV, print and digital media, and has appeared in most mainstream media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Financial Times, BBC, Reuters, Associated Press, Bloomberg, CNN, NBC, ABC News, PBS, and NPR. Karim is the recipient of the 2013 Green Building Entrepreneurship Award by the World Green Building Council, is a chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and has a masters degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

FRIDAY

Karim Elgendy Carboun

Barrier Free Interactive Tour; Applying the ADA in the Field

A designer with over 22 years of experience in managing projects from the design phase through final construction. Mrs. Andersen’s design experience includes extensive knowledge of building codes and ordinances for both commercial and multi-family facilities. Elaine is a Registered Accessibility Specialist in Texas and a National Certified ADA Coordinator, having consulted on over 1,000 projects for accessibility across the nation over the last 13 years. Elaine is also a Navy Veteran, bringing a valuable realworld perspective to accessibility.

12:151:15 PM

Convention Center Front - Walk

Join this interactive tour to see common ADA and TAS violations in the field! Led be accessibility specialists with over 1,000 projects’ experience - they will lead a group from the Convention Center, through Alliance Children’s Garden to Town Lake trail, and back. Along the way, the tour guides will discuss common accessibility requirements, point out areas of non-compliance, and discuss design solutions. The route will showcase common elements such as accessible routes, curb ramps, tables, play elements, drinking fountains, protruding objects and more. The tour will stop at various elements and demonstrate why there may be a compliance issue or discuss why the element is compliant.

Andrea LaCour Elaine Andersen Accessibility Consultant Accessibility Consultant

Mrs. LaCour is a Registered Accessibility Specialist in Texas and a National ADA Coordinator with 15 years’ experience in accessibility compliance. Andrea has provided accessibility consulting on over 500 projects in Texas alone: with a resume of over 100 park projects. Mrs. LaCour understands the differences in accessibility requirements from the ADA to TAS to FHA. She is a sought-after presenter, with over 100 presentations under her belt including AIA, ASLA, ASCE conferences and the national ADA Symposium. Andrea is also passionate about volunteerism – she serves as Chair of the local ACE Mentor Program.

FRIDAY

Speakers Bios

Trauma-Responsive Design in Collaboration with Nature

12:151:15 PM

Classroom A

Proactive communities and clients have recognized and are increasingly requesting trauma-responsive design to better support diverse groups of children receiving care. Trauma-responsive design grounds the experience of the individual through an approach of adaptability, autonomy, and simplicity. Nature is a core component to strengthen emotional regulation and increase comfort. Not all aspects of trauma-responsive design are intuitive, however, which will be explored throughout the presentation.

Trauma-responsive design originates in the allied healthcare field with expertise from occupational therapists that is now being adapted to landscape practice. Amy Wagenfeld, an authority on occupational therapy and its role in supporting designers, and a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association, will share her experience on the basis and application of traumaresponsive design with insight into the inner workings of shaping a youth mental health facility and a carceral project involving female offenders and their families.

Landscape architect Lisa Casey will highlight the dynamics of designing for children and parents of different ages and backgrounds with a robust outdoor environment for a non-profit campus in Fort Worth, which is committed to empowering parents and children to leave systemic poverty and domestic abuse. Distinct spaces in the campus design support classes of pre-school students with teachers, children of diverse ages, and parents receiving restorative therapy separately. Join the session for a thought-provoking discussion on applications of landscape architects working with allied professionals to craft meaningful contexts for healing.

Lisa Casey Principal, Studio Outside

Speakers Bios

As a principal at Studio Outside, Lisa Casey, ASLA focuses on design that brings wholeness for people and places with an emphasis on placemaking and children’s outdoor environments in civic and mixed-use spaces. Creating a sense of rootedness in a design comes from listening to the community and looking at layers of previous history on a site. A wellspring of creative inspiration is field sketching and extensive travel across the US and Europe. Recent projects include Rheudasil Park in Flower Mound with prairie-inspired plantings, a park in McKinney with natural play, a play feature at Bluestem Park inspired by the native scissortail in Fort Worth, and Bank OZK Headquarters in Little Rock. Lisa is invested in the local community and currently serving on the board of the AIA Architecture and Design Foundation in Dallas. She received the Outstanding Service Award for her work with national ASLA in 2018 and the Kay Tiller Chapter Service Award in 2016. She graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M University with a BLA in 2009.

Amy Wagenfeld

Principal Amy Wagenfeld Design

Amy Wagenfeld, PhD, OTR/L, SCEM, EDAC, FAOTA is an occupational therapist, therapeutic and universal design consultant, educator, researcher, and author. She is on faculty of Boston University’s PostProfessional Occupational Therapy Doctoral program and University of Washington’s Department of Landscape Architecture and is Principal of Amy Wagenfeld | Design, a therapeutic design consulting organization. She was awarded the American Society of Landscape Architects Outstanding Service Award and the American Occupational Therapy Association Recognition of Achievement for her unique blending of occupational therapy and therapeutic design. Amy publishes and presents widely on topics related to nature and health and is co-author of the award-winning book, Therapeutic Gardens: Design for Healing Spaces published by Timber Press. Her newest co-authored books include Nature Based Allied Health Practice: Creative and Evidence-Based Strategies published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers and The Nature of Inclusive Play (2024 release) published by Routledge, Inc.

FRIDAY

Plantastic PersonalityNative Flora’s Humble and Hilarious Habits

12:151:15 PM

Classroom B

In this captivating and immersive classroom session, we invite you to embark on an extraordinary journey deep into the heart of Texas’ enchanting native plant kingdom. Led by a seasoned landscape architect with a profound passion for the natural world, this experience promises to be an unforgettable exploration of ten remarkable native plants. With each plant, we will not only unveil their physical attributes and historical significance, such as their use in warding off spirits or as potent healers, but we will also infuse them with vibrant personalities, bringing them to life before your very eyes. Get ready for a truly unique and engaging event

Christina Moon

Associate Principal / Director of Landscape Planning, Asakura Robinson

Speakers Bios

Christina Moon is an Associate Principal in our Austin office. She began her career as a spatial design drafter for NASA consultants, architects, and petrochemical firms. This experience taught her to adapt to a variety of work flow and management styles; most importantly, working with this variety of disciplines taught her the value of documenting processes and design decisions. While working for these various companies, Christina spent her free time outside working in the garden, hiking, or camping. That’s when she decided to go back to school for a Master of Landscape Architecture where she could combine a love for outdoors and design. Since 2005, Christina has been privileged to work on park master plans, streetscapes, and planned communities throughout Texas. She enjoys researching and learning about new places and integrating native and well-adapted plant species into meaningful designs that bring people closer to the natural environment.

In her free time, Christina enjoys home improvement projects, restoring native prairie grasses and forbs, and educating herself and others on the benefits of creating and using herbal remedies. She is looking forward to working with the Asakura Robinson team to create beautiful, impactful spaces that positively affect people and the natural world.

FRIDAY

to fit your space, the 520 collection curved benches can be customized to whichever length and radius your space requires. Additional pieces in the collection include standard benches, connected straight benches, angle connector benches, curved and straight wall mount benches, seat islands, and tables. A solid steel frame supports seating surfaces made of Thermally Modified Red Oak, Ipe, Recycled Plastic(HDPE), and steel.

Made

1:002:30 PM

Meeting Room 5

FRIDAY DREAM BIG featuring Student Event

The “Career Discovery DREAM BIG featuring ULI UrbanPlan” initiative, launched at the TXASLA Conference in Dallas, Texas, aims to bridge the professional-student gap in landscape architecture and urban planning. It leverages experiential learning to immerse participants in understanding land use complexities, inspiring proactive community contributions.

The primary goal is empowering aspiring professionals by offering insights into landscape architecture and planning. Professionals introduce these fields to students, teachers, leaders, and families, sparking interest and encouraging careers in landscape architecture, urban planning, and related disciplines. This initiative highlights how the built environment emerges from interdisciplinary STEAM curricula—incorporating science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. By showcasing these fields’ collaboration, it unveils the beauty and potential of the built environment. Emphasizing hands-on learning through ULI UrbanPlan, participants deeply engage with land use decisions, fostering proactive community involvement. This approach imparts knowledge and inspires those exploring landscape architecture, urban planning, and related fields.

Ultimately, the initiative aims to make landscape architecture tangible, showcasing its transformative role in shaping communities. By nurturing interest, offering insights, and illustrating collaborative efforts, it guides aspiring landscape architects and urban planners toward rewarding careers.

Margarita Padilla-Posey Landscape Architect, Design Workshop

Speakers Bios

Margarita Padilla-Posey is a landscape architect at Design Workshop located in Austin, Texas. She earned a bachelor’s of landscape architecture at Texas A&M University. Margarita has 15 years’ experience working in small landscape architecture firms, interdisciplinary firms and designbuild companies. She is originally from Guatemala and fluent in Spanish. Margarita’s sustained involvement in ASLA has been an integral part of her landscape architecture practice since college. She completed a term as the central Texas secretary and the Texas chapter conference chair.

She has been involved in the diversity, equity and inclusion committee from the onset in 2013 she participated in the first Diversity Summit the goal of developing a deeper understanding of why landscape architecture is failing to attract a more diverse profile. Since then, she has been actively involved in the diversity, equity and inclusion. Her passion lies in advancing the profession through education, starting at the K-12 level education. Her abilities to listen, collaborate and facilitate demonstrates her firm belief that we must work together to support the growth and diverse future of the profession.

Anne Harman

Landscape Architect, Kimley Horn

Anne Harman, ASLA, PLA is a landscape architect in the State of Texas with Kimley-Horn, a multi-disciplinary planning and design firm. With her Masters of Landscape Architecture degree from Kansas State University, she brings a creative yet practical knowledge to the design and execution her landscape architecture projects.

Currently Anne serves on the advisory board for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Building Industry Leaders program with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas. She has participated in the program for over eight (8) years serving students all over the Dallas Metroplex. This program educates and mentors high school students on career opportunities in the AEC industry (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) and commercial real estate. Building Industry Leaders strives to enrich the lives of students who participate in the program and promote greater ethnic and gender diversity within our industry and future leaders.

Melda Cipli Clark, the founder and lead designer of FineLines Design Studio, brings her European and Anatolian heritage to her work. She graduated with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture in 1993 and has since collaborated with prestigious landscape architecture, architectural and engineering firms, and builders on various residential and commercial design-build projects in Turkey and the DFW/Texas area. In 2011, she established FineLines Design Studio with a focus on design-centric projects and the guiding motto “Define by Design,” emphasizing the importance of master planning in her approach. In 2013, she completed her MBA with a minor degree in Strategic Management to advance her management skills.

With over 30 years of experience in design and project management within the landscape architecture industry, Melda leads her team of designers and technical specialists in translating conceptual ideas into thoughtfully crafted spaces. She manages high-profile residential projects from design to completion, ensuring quality and successful outcomes. Melda’s passion for landscape design lies in its potential for positive impact on the world, and she takes pride in contributing to ecological and cultural projects. Beyond her work at her design firm, Melda is involved in the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee of the ASLA Texas Chapter to advocate for landscape architecture awareness.

Matt Stubbs, is an experienced Landscape Architect with a wide variety of in depth project experience spanning the past 19 years. Matt has created unique design solutions on numerous public, commercial and residential projects. His experience includes but not limited to public open space, master planning, public art, livable center studies, hike and bike trails, private estates, multifamily, mixed use, and transportation projects. Matt is the Managing Principal of Kevin Sloan Studio, where he strives to continue the work of firm founder Kevin Sloan, with a commitment to the quality design solutions that Kevin Sloan Studio has always offered. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University.

Matt Stubbs Lead Designer of FineLines Design Founder of Kevin Sloan Melda Clark

Nature Based Solutions for the Leon Creek Watershed in San Antonio

1:302:30 PM

Classroom A

San Antonio River Authority and TBG Partners will present the findings of the Leon Creek Watershed Nature-Based Solutions master plan. The session will provide an overview of the modeling efforts completed by SARA and how TBG Partners evaluated priority sub-basins within the watershed for scaled opportunities to locate and design highly impactful strategies to improve sustainable and climate resilient outcomes. The project team will present a collection of the 19 nature-based solutions designs and discuss next steps toward funding, final design, and implementation. The applicability and need for similar watershed level approaches for urban watersheds throughout the State of Texas will also be presented.

Jordan

Clark

Sustainability Associate, TBG Partners

Jordan is a Sustainability Associate in TBG Partners’ Dallas office, serving as a firmwide resource for developing and implementing sustainability standards. With a graduate background in ecological design, he attempts to bring a holistic approach to design projects of all scales. Jordan’s areas of interest and project focus include active transportation and multifunctional nature-based infrastructure. Jordan is also inspired by the “just sustainabilities” notion that there is no sustainable system that is not a just system—that it is impossible to separate the physical from the social.

Tiffany Lim Associate, TBG Dallas

Speakers Bios

An Associate in TBG’s Dallas office, Tiffany contributes to the successful realization of projects across all phases of production. She has a keen interest in art installations, garden design, and lighting design and how closely they relate to the user. Tiffany is inspired by sustainable design trends in addition to local artwork and installations, which plays into her passion of incorporating art within landscape.

Dr. Sheeba M. Thomas Dominguez has been with the San Antonio River Authority since 2008 and currently hold the position of a senior technical engineer. She has over 15 years of experience with hydrology, hydraulics and water quality models. She is a licensed professional engineer with the State of Texas and has PMP and CFM certifications. For more than a decade, her focus has primarily been on development of water quality models and tools to quantify issues and mitigation and has presented her work on multiple local, state and national platforms. She also enjoys occasionally teaching water resources engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Environmental Engineer, San Antonio River Authority Planner, TBG Dallas

A planner in TBG’s Dallas office, Nick is passionate about activating places through authentic community engagement. In his role, he develops concept frameworks for master planned communities and mixed-use projects, reviews code and planned development language, and creates plan graphics and maps. As Community Investment Committee Leader for the Dallas office, Nick is able to explore advancing social equity through planning, an area of interest to him.

FRIDAY

Sheeba Thomas Nicholas Kearney

Not my tree... Not in my contract... Not my problem... Right?

Perception of Safety at Night - Nighttime Vulnerability Assessment (NVA)

1:302:30 PM

Classroom B

“Not my tree... Not my department... Not in my contract... Not my problem... Right?” Pivoting Landscape Architects

Towards Sustainable Urban Forest Design Session Abstract: The climate crisis has reached a critical juncture, necessitating a shift in how we approach urban landscapes. This session focuses on empowering landscape architects as planners, specifiers, and designers to pivot towards sustainability and climate resilience in their projects. Trees, integral to urban environments, often suffer from neglect in the planning and design process. Let’s explore how landscape architects can drive positive change by integrating urban forests into their designs from inception to fruition.

1:302:30 PM

Classroom C

Do you feel safe walking your cities’ streets at night?

Research shows that lighting effects are often not factored in when designing our environment. As specialists in the built environment, we have developed the nighttime vulnerability assessment (NVA) – an evidence-based methodology to measure the social, physical and atmospheric qualities that work together to affect perceptions of safety after dark. Together we will explore the research behind the NVA methodology and how we use digital tools in lighting design as a vehicle for cities to ensure that built environments are supporting and implementing gender equity goals of inclusion, equality and diversity that improve nighttime wellbeing.

Speakers Bios

Kristopher

Brown Landscape Architect, Certified Arborist, Inventor, la terra studio, inc. / ArborStakes™

Kris is a CLARB-certified landscape architect, patented inventor, and ISA®certified arborist. When not on two-wheels, he employs his professional and entrepreneurial skills as owner/operator of la terra studio and ArborStakes™.

Kris has implemented thoughtful practices of landscape architecture, urban design, product design and sustainability. Grounded by innovation and design thinking, he believes as practitioners we must inherently be able to assess what-is, and practice the ability to design things better for the greater-good.

A true polymath at-heart, Kris would describe himself as a lifelong-learner and passionately curious. He takes immense pride in teaching his craft and mentoring other enterprising individuals designers and inventors.

Christoph Gisel Lighting Designer, Arup

Speakers Bios

Christoph is our Austin office leader, overseeing Arup’s operations in the Central Texas market. He is also leading the Texas lighting team. Being a member of Arup since 2013, he has gathered experience collaborating with design teams across the globe, including with Arup’s New York and Berlin offices. Christoph’s focuses on the creation of inviting and inspiring environments. His professional passions include lighting for city infrastructure such as parks, roads and bridges, and values public spaces as a place for social gathering.

FRIDAY

Using the Three Sisters System to Win Bigger, Better Projects

3:004:00 PM

Exhibit Hall 2

The Three Sisters System of planting involves the simultaneous planting of corn, beans and squash to maximize a symbiotic growth environment. A similar mindset can be adopted in terms of how firms combine business development, marketing and client care. How can you leverage these elements to win bigger and better projects? How can a firm create a true inclusive environment where technical staff, marketing and business development work together to be even more than the sum of their parts? How do you identify the strengths of your team and maximize efforts? Learn from stories from the trenches and bring back ideas you can implement at your firm today.

Speakers Bios

Rachel Brehm

Director of Marketing and Business

Known for thinking on her feet and a dynamic personality, Rachel’s skills lie in attention to details and how to tie them into successful marketing strategies. Her appreciation for the design industry stems from watching ideas transform from vision to reality. Her interest in communications and design has led to her current role strengthening dwg.’s relationships and position within the community.

Fueled by an unyielding passion to preserve green spaces, Rachel is a dedicated advocate for the conservation of our natural landscapes. With a deep appreciation for the restorative power of nature and the countless benefits it bestows upon communities, she champions efforts to protect and expand green areas in both urban and rural settings through various boards and organizations she is a part of.

When not at work or volunteering, she can often be found chasing around her two daughters and springer spaniels, cooking gluten-free meals, or attempting to keep her houseplants alive.

Janki DePalma

Director of Business Development, Kirksey

Janki DePalma is the Director of Business Development for Kirksey Architecture, with over 20 years of experience in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. She’s a connector at heart who believes there always is room to widen the circle and give people a sense of belonging. Janki is a frequent speaker and writer on topics such as networking, emotional intelligence and women in construction. She is a past-president for the Society for Marketing Professional Services, a board member of AIA Austin and active with ULI and Commercial Real Estate Women. A San Francisco native, Janki cheers loudly for the Warriors, 49ers and Giants.

Is Nostalgia What It Used to Be?

3:004:00 PM

Classroom C

Nostalgia is often conflated with kitsch by writers about regionalism and thereby dismissed as a design tool that merits serious attention. This presentation will start with a variety of examples that illustrate the complicated relationships between creative, rigorous, and authentic landscape regionalism and facile populist regionalism. The presentation will then explain psychological studies that demonstrate how nostalgia triggers lead to positive psychological outcomes, show examples of creative regional projects where nostalgic elements have been successfully used and frame the value of nostalgia within a critical regionalism design methodology.

Speakers Bios

David

Hopman Associate Professor, Landscape Architect, UT Arlington

Since accepting the position as a professor at the Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture at The University of Texas at Arlington in 2004, David Hopman, ASLA has energetically pursued a faculty role bridging education, research, and practice. He teaches courses to both graduate landscape architecture and architecture students that reflect his research interests in landscape aesthetics and critical regionalism, landscape architecture research, planting design and native ecology in metropolitan areas.

Landscape architecture practice experience as a registered landscape architect includes Kings Creek Landscaping, Huitt-Zollars, Inc., RTKL, Mesa Design Group, Inc., and a current independent practice. Recent projects include green roof design for Forest Park Medical Center (with David C. Baldwin, Inc.), The Plano Environmental Education Center landscape (with David Rietzsch and Associates), consultation on the planting design for the Bush Presidential Library in Dallas (with Michael Van Valkenburgh and Associates) and serving as an owner representative for a new Austin College Master Plan (with Studio Outside).

Professor Hopman designed and implemented the first extensive green roof in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in 2008 above the Life Sciences Building at UTArlington. He was in charge of the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) certification for The Green at College Park on the UT-Arlington Campus; one of the first three projects worldwide to receive certification in February of 2012.

Professor Hopman’s ideas on planting with polycultures of native plants can be found in ‘The Field’ posts for the ASLA planting design PPN and in lectures on YouTube. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Creative Regional Design: Renewing the Aesthetics of Landscape in Environmental Design and Planning, with a foreword by Frederick, R. Steiner (Staunton, VA: George F. Thompson Publishing, in association with the Center for the Study of Place).

FRIDAY FRIDAY

towards new ideas, products and solutions. By leveraging the collective experience and knowledge of our profession, we can PIVOT toward sustainability and climate positivity.

Please find the link to Online Program Booklet :

See You at the 2025 conference in Houston TX!

HOUSTON 2025

April 23-25

TX ASLA Conference Program Book 2024

SPONSORS

Message from the

PRESIDENT

EXIHIBITORS

24 April

24 April

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

ACC HighlandA Walking Tour

Speakers Bios

The Holdsworth CenterField Tour

Speakers Bios

Waterloo Greenway

The Confluence Construction Progress

Speakers Bios

Extreme Public Space Makeover, Austin Edition: The Capitol Mall and the Blanton Reimagined

Speakers Bios

Sketch! Austin

Robert Chipman, ASLA

Speakers Bios

Chip Sullivan,

Festival Beach Food ForestCommunity-led Urban Agriculture

Leading the Way

Speakers Bios

Red Line Parkway Tour

Speakers Bios

TX Urban Heat | Conflicts and Solutions

(CEPH – SUSTAINABILITY, HSW)

Speakers Bios

Combining Trees, Soils,Water in the Urban Environment

Classroom C

Speakers Bios

Lake Design Considerations for Healthy Lake and Fisheries Management

Speakers Bios

WELCOME RECEPTION

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

25 April

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

Barton Creek Greenbelt - Longer Adventure Jogging Tour

Keynote: Working With: A Relational Practice

Speakers Bios

Speakers Bios

Aquifer Recharge, Community Resource: Partnerships for Ecological Health and Social Good

Speakers Bios

Growing Shade: Nurturing Trees for Our Future

Speakers Bios

Unlocking the biosphere: Innovation, activation, & application of climate data

Speakers Bios

Alliance Children’s Garden: A Guided Tour Exploring Funding Fun and Local Inspiration

Entitlements – Not just for Attorneys and Engineers Anymore

Springdale Green: Toxicity Transformed. A Model of Sustainable Redevelopment

Speakers Bios

Lobbying for Your Professional Practice License

Speakers Bios

Historical, Sustainable, Accessible - Renovating a Downtown Square

Speakers Bios

Making a New Town Center: Thousands of Decisions and Thousands of Decision-makers

Speakers Bios

Landscape Architecture in Texas, from a Regulatory Perspective - TBAE UPDATE

Speakers Bios

Equity & Inclusion: A MultiDisciplinary Approach to Play for All Abilities

Speakers Bios

ASLA CAP in Action: Firms, Manufacturers and Advocates

Respond to the Call

Speakers Bios

Tecnologico de Monterrey CDMX Campus

Speakers Bios

FRIDAY SCHEDULE FRIDAY SCHEDULE

Speakers Bios

Seaholm Waterfront

Speakers Bios

Smart Strategies to Improve Safety and Education for Landscape Architecture Professionals

Speakers Bios

Parks in Progress: A Journey Towards Climate-Positive Communities

Speakers Bios

Equity, Community Engagement, & Advocacy: A Greener Gulfton

10:1511:15 AM

Speakers Bios

Keynote: Climate Change: Global Challenges and Local Solutions