A Seat at the Table: Landscape Architects in the Public Sector - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)

Jean Senechal Biggs, FASLA, is the Transportation Planning Manager for the City of Beaverton, Oregon. She leads transportation policy and planning, major capital projects, active transportation initiatives, and regional coordination for this growing Portland suburb. Collaboration and community engagement are central to her work, and she frequently finds herself bridging the gap between planning and engineering. She is passionate about building climate forward, equitable communities through walking, biking, and transit. Jean has been an active member of the Transportation PPN Leadership Team since 2016.

Adrian Smith, FASLA is the Team Leader for Staten Island capital projects with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, a role he has held since 2016. He manages a team of 20 landscape professionals who design and build projects on Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens, with an annual construction value of over $50 Million. Active projects include landscapes along Rockaway Beach and converting Fresh Kills landfill into a park. He previously held positions at several private design firms, in addition to maintaining his own practice. Adrian began serving as ASLA's Vice President for Professional Practice in 2020.

Matt Williams is a national award winning urban planner (APA) & landscape designer (ASLA) based in Detroit, MI.

Matt currently serves the City of Detroit in the Mayor’s office as a senior advisor on neighborhood economic development. Previously, he served as the project manager of the Warrendale Cody Rouge Strategic Neighborhood Framework plan for the City of Detroit Planning and Development Department. Matt is also the President of the Black Landscape Architect's Network.

He holds a masters degree in landscape architecture from Louisiana State University, and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business.