Chris focuses on the integration of ecology and culture, with a commitment to craft in the built environment. Chris led Sasaki’s CarbonConscience research project team from 2019 to the present and serves as a current co-chair of the ASLA CAC Carbon Drawdown & Biodiversity subcommittee. Through these efforts, Chris has been translating literature reviews and decarbonizing design strategies into tools and educational resources for designers and planners. Chris is actively applying these tools and research to projects in the USA and EU. Chris believes that every project is not only a design opportunity but an opportunity to experiment and learn.

Pamela Conrad is an internationally recognized landscape architect and climate advocate. She is a senior fellow with Architecture 2030, and a 2023 Loeb Fellow and Faculty Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She founded Climate Positive Design to enable climate action by providing guidance and an app to support design teams in drawing down carbon while creating environmental, social, cultural, and economic co-benefits. She is a farm girl from Missouri, inspired by the richness and ingenuity of nature.

Stephanie Carlisle is an architect and ecologist whose work focuses on the interaction between the constructed and natural environment, including life cycle assessment (LCA), urban ecology, environmental justice, and climate policy. She is a research scientist at the Carbon Leadership Forum, where she works to develop open-access embodied carbon and LCA data, tools, and methods to support the building sector in radically decarbonizing construction.  Stephanie joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design in 2014. Previously, Stephanie worked for nine years as a Principal and Environmental Researcher at KieranTimberlake Architects in Philadelphia, where she helped lead the office’s research on embodied carbon, material health, landscape ecology, and environmental impacts. Since 2012, she worked on the development team for Tally, a software tool that enables architects and engineers to conduct full-building life cycle assessments during design. 

Marieke’s leadership in multidisciplinary practice and landscape architecture has yielded significant, sustained impacts at local and national scales. Her commitment to promoting sustainability and ecological principles in dense environments has helped to create inherently social spaces that spark belonging and identity. She believes in the power of collaboration, emphasizing co-creation and design equity to ensure that built work reflects the unique character, values, and needs of a community. Marieke is an enthusiastic supporter of Climate Action and carbon drawdown in her work. She has served for three years on the ASLA Climate Action Committee, as well as for ten years at the chapter level. Additionally, she volunteers her time to support homeless and affordable housing, arts, and environmental non-profits.

Mariana Ricker is passionate about California landscapes and emphasizes the importance of site-specific, sustainable landscape design. She enjoys working in urban settings that engage diverse user groups and activate spaces essential to civic life.

In her work as a landscape architect, Mariana seeks to create memorable experiences, connect people to the environment, and provide elegant solutions to accomplish the project vision. At SWA, she works on a wide range of projects, from community parks to large-scale urban development and planning around the Bay Area and beyond. Mariana is committed to climate action within her project work and professionally. She is a member of the national ULI Sustainable Development Product Council, and currently sits on both national and local ASLA Biodiversity & Climate Action Committees. 

Andrew Wickham is a Project Leader at LPA, a national integrated design firm.  Andrew leads designs at the intersection of built, cultural, and natural systems and is a champion of metric-driven design.  His interest lies in how the blending of built and natural environments can enhance a user’s experience and reinforce values of equity, ecology, and curiosity.  Andrew is a proven thinker and strategist, speaking at numerous conferences about the value of performative landscapes and human experience. He is currently Trustee for California Sierra Chapter of ASLA and co-chair of the Leadership and Communication sub-committee of the national Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee.

Chris focuses on the integration of ecology and culture, with a commitment to craft in the built environment. Chris led Sasaki’s CarbonConscience research project team from 2019 to the present and serves as a current co-chair of the ASLA CAC Carbon Drawdown & Biodiversity subcommittee. Through these efforts, Chris has been translating literature reviews and decarbonizing design strategies into tools and educational resources for designers and planners. Chris is actively applying these tools and research to projects in the USA and EU. Chris believes that every project is not only a design opportunity but an opportunity to experiment and learn.

Meg Calkins, FASLA, SITES AP, is a Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at North Carolina State University. Meg’s scholarship focuses on the environmental and human health impacts of site construction details and materials. She is the author of the book "Materials for Sustainable Sites" and editor of the "Sustainable Sites Handbook". She is currently writing a book with the working title of "Details and Material for Resilient Sites: A Carbon Positive Approach" (Routledge 2025). Meg has taken an active leadership role in development and implementation of the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) since 2003.

Satyam is an associate on the Embodied Carbon Initiative within the Carbon Free Buildings team. His primary focus is on reducing the carbon impact of building materials by advocating for the broad adoption of low-embodied-carbon and carbon-sequestering building materials.

Satyam previously worked as a structural engineer and construction manager in his home country of Trinidad and Tobago. He planned, designed, and managed the construction of facilities in the education, healthcare, and housing sectors, to name a few. He focused on ensuring projects were on a sustainable pathway by reducing embodied carbon content, introducing green concrete solutions, and advocating for renewable energy and efficient wastewater management systems. He led cross-functional teams and fostered engaging communication efforts between stakeholders and contractors to ensure projects were finalized within expected timeframes and budgets, and to end-user satisfaction.

Bryce Carnehl has been in the landscape industry for over 20 years working in construction, landscape architecture, sales, corporate social responsibility, and marketing. Throughout these years he has dedicated himself to promoting the value of green spaces.

Every project begins with a plan, and better planning leads to project success. Bryce now works to create business opportunity for landscape stakeholders through design, planning, and specification efforts. He believes that together we can build business prosperity, increase the value of landscapes, and ensure healthy communities in which we all live, work, and play.      

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 collaborative 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. Since 2023, she’s served on the ASLA Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee, working to bridge between key efforts by Landscape Architects and their industry partner community. On any given day, you'll most likely find her working in the garden.

Danielle Pieranunzi is drawn to work that bridges the gap between science and practice to create accessible tools and compelling stories that foster positive change in society. Since 2006, she has worked on the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) collaborating with a diverse group of practitioners, scientists, educators, and policymakers to elevate the value of nature in the built environment. This resulted in comprehensive design guidelines and a certification system guiding development projects toward nature-positive outcomes while addressing impacts on carbon, resilience, human health, biodiversity, and more. At GBCI, Danielle continues to support SITES focusing on technical development and client solutions.

Julie Donofrio is an urban planner and community engagement specialist with nearly 20 years of experience in urban planning and design on a variety of scales, with a focus on creating equitable processes for community engagement. Currently she serves as the Co-Coordinator of OLIN Labs furthering research and development to support practice, and build a community of research and learning within the design community. Prior to OLIN she was the managing director of PennPraxis at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, where she also served as a faculty member in the Department of City and Regional Planning, teaching graduate students for over 8 years. Prior to PennPraxis, she was an associate urban designer and planner at WRT in San Francisco and Philadelphia. She began her career as an urban planner with EDAW (now AECOM) in San Diego. Julie holds a Masters in City and Regional Planning and a Masters of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelors of Arts from Wake Forest University. 

Hussein Sayani is Senior Project Manager within Langan’s ESG Advisory practice and is part of Langan’s Sustainability Committee. He is a climate scientist with 10+ years of experience in climate change research, data analytics, and carbon accounting. He specializes in ESG strategy and disclosures, greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting, and climate risk assessments. He has assisted clients across a variety of industries, real estate, manufacturing, oil and gas, and agriculture, with developing GHG emission inventories, product carbon footprints or life cycle assessments, ESG disclosures and has advised clients on climate change projections and associated risks.

Ronnie Siegel received a B.A from Colgate University and an M.LA. from the University of Pennsylvania.  She founded the firm Swire Siegel Landscape Architects in 1984, and has promoted sustainability with the use of native plants, conservation of water, and storm water recharge in her work in Southern California for 40 years.  Most of her projects also focused on the design of nature-based play and learning environments for children in urban areas.  She has promoted the benefits of open space design for children was a guest lecturer for the World Forum on Nature Education in Nebraska and for similar conferences around the world.  In addition, Ronnie created a Global Interactive Art Project called Carry the EARTH, which inspired action and collected environmental action stories from around the world from 2018-2023.  She has written and illustrated an award winning fictional children’s book DISPLACED: A Story About Climate Change and How Displaced Animals Ring the Alarm.   

Ronnie is currently working with the US Green Building Council California to facilitate a collaboration with the ASLA on climate action by helping to organize a full day of nature-based solutions sessions at their annual conference in May 2024.  She is on the Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee of the ASLA and  helping to prepare resources for its members to facilite action.  

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 collaborative 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. Since 2023, she’s served on the ASLA Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee, working to bridge between key efforts by Landscape Architects and their industry partner community. On any given day, you'll most likely find her working in the garden.

Tamar works with Sasaki teams to develop sustainability and resilience goals appropriate for each project and access critical resources to reach those goals. She enjoys collaborating to integrate sustainability considerations throughout the design process, from preliminary programming through construction management practices.

In this era of climate change, she believes that every project is an opportunity to make a healthy and resilient contribution to our clients, our communities, and our planet.

Tamar works across all Sasaki disciplines, on projects as varied as net-zero campus buildings, resilience and sustainability strategies for cities and corporate clients, and minimizing carbon emissions from buildings and landscape projects.  She directs Sasaki’s Sustainable Leaders, training the individuals embedded in each project team responsible for project sustainability metrics and goals.

Tamar came to Sasaki with 25 years of experience designing educational and community buildings, both in the United States and with the Green Architecture Studio that she founded in Israel. She completed her master of architecture and bachelor of architecture at Harvard.

Wes Michaels is principal at Spackman Mossop Michaels (SMM) in New Orleans. He holds degrees from Harvard and the University of Georgia and has over 25 years of experience and focuses on building adaptive communities through green infrastructure. He's an Associate Professor at Tulane and a founding faculty member of the Master of Landscape Architecture and Master of Science in River-Coastal Science. Wes has won multiple ASLA awards and authored 'Digital Representation in Landscape Architecture.

Hayden Akana is the Landscape Designer for the San Antonio River Authority (SARA), where she has been a part of the Planning Unit within the Engineering Department for two years. Her work is centered on implementing nature-based solutions (NBS) that enhance water quality and urban environments within SARA’s four-county jurisdiction, reflecting her commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Hayden holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Hayden’s academic background emphasizes sustainability within the built environment.

With an emphasis on resiliency and promoting local multi-benefit solutions, Hayden has contributed to significant SARA projects such as the Leon Creek BMP project for the Watershed Master Plan Program, the Nature-Based Solutions program, and the new Water Quality Improvement Strategies in the San Antonio River Basin project. Her efforts aim to foster safe, clean, and enjoyable rivers while addressing environmental and community needs.
Alongside her professional work, Hayden is dedicated to community engagement and education. She volunteers at local events to inform the public about the San Antonio River Authority's efforts, emphasizing the importance of small-scale actions in contributing to larger environmental goals, as well as empowering and educating individuals to make a positive impact on their surroundings. Through her work, Hayden strives to create meaningful connections between people and nature, underscoring the importance of landscape architecture in building resilient, sustainable communities that are prepared to face the environmental challenges of the future.

Michelle has 12 years of experience in the environmental science and sustainable energy fields and 13 years in business management. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) where she focused on geology and worked for the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute. Ms. Garza has been part of the Sustainable Infrastructure/Planning Unit in the San Antonio River Authority’s Engineering Department for nine years, where she works to educate the community on nature-based stormwater solutions to improve water quality and the urban environment. Ms. Garza is the development coordinator for SARA, working with developers in mandatory coordination areas, such as the River Improvement Overlay District and Westside Creeks Water Quality Overlay, on their LID/green stormwater infrastructure to protect our community's investment in the health and recreation of our creeks and rivers. Ms. Garza has project managed, working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on the Upper San Antonio River (SAR) Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Master Plan 319 Grant and as the representative on contractual matters for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on the Upper SAR WPP Implementation - Stormwater Retrofit Best Management Practices (BMPs) 319 Grant. She is actively involved in the community as Co-chair of the US Green Building Council (USGBC)-South Texas Regional Chapter, President of the University of Texas at San Antonio Urban Planning Student Association, a SARA Watershed Wise Warrior, a Texas Master Naturalist, and a Texas Waters Specialist. Ms. Garza works with SA Tomorrow’s Regional Center Plan and Community Plan areas, SA Climate Ready-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, and the SA 2030 District.   

Jessica is a Partner at OLIN where she leads the Los Angeles Studio and directs planning and design projects that seek to create socially and environmentally resilient infrastructure including the Los Angeles County LA River Master Plan and the Sepulveda Basin Vision Plan. Her other significant projects include the reimagination of the Truman Presidential Library and Museum Grounds, the Colburn School of Dance, Chicago’s Willis Tower Roof Park, the new U.S. Embassies in London and Brasilia, the O’Hare Global Terminal, and the SELA Cultural Center. 

Jessica’s work explores the relationships between hydrological, cultural, and social contexts. Specifically, she explores how landscape architects can create anticipatory design solutions that create more equitable communities in both urban and rural settings and respond to issues relating to flooding and water resources. In her design, teaching, and research she seeks to broaden the scope of the profession by thinking holistically about the places we live, why we live there, and the environmental, economic, and social effects of our settlement patterns. She leads the OLIN Labs @Scale project and is the author of “Wet + Dry: Rethinking the Mississippi River Cross-Section,” a study on Upper Mississippi communities exploring the relationships between income, topography, and flooding along the river.  

Jessica is a registered landscape architect and certified planner. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design where she won the Laurie D. Olin Award and a Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in structural engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Jessica has also taught at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Tennessee Knoxville, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she also served as the Undergraduate Programs Chair in the Department of Landscape Architecture. She is currently an Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California where she teaches the Master of Landscape Architecture Urban Design Studio in the School of Architecture. 

April Philips, FASLA, is the national chair of the ASLA Biodiversity & Climate Action Committee (BCAC), a registered landscape architect in California, a thought leader, artist, author and climate advocate. Founder of April Philips Design Works (APDW), an award-winning landscape architecture firm in California, April is now refocusing her energies exploring new horizons in art, ecology, climate action advocacy, lecturing, traveling, and making art that speaks to the experiential beauty and sprit of place. @AprilPhilipsDesign

Eileen Takata is the Environmental Manager for the South Pacific Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where she leads initiatives in Cultural Resources, Environmental Justice, and Public Involvement, and supports regional programs focused on environmental compliance and drought resilience. She has also worked extensively with the USACE Collaboration and Public Participation Center of Expertise (CPCX) and is a leader in the Landscape Architecture Community of Practice.

Before joining the South Pacific Division in 2022, Ms. Takata spent over a decade with the Los Angeles District, where she led significant projects such as the Los Angeles River and East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Studies and played a key role in the $3 billion Santa Ana River Mainstem flood risk management project. Her work included strategic communications, public engagement, and facilitating numerous planning and safety exercises.

A licensed landscape architect in California, Ms. Takata also has experience in private practice and public sector roles, including serving as a Watershed Planner for the County of Orange. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in landscape architecture and resides in a historic farmhouse in southern California with her family, where she enjoys speed puzzling, arts and crafts, and is actively involved in her church community.

Megan is a licensed Landscape Architect and SITES Accredited Professional in Montana. Much of her philosophy is rooted in a childhood spent in the forests of Montana in a multi-generational logging family, and then as a wildland firefighter throughout the Western US. This background influences her work and understanding of high mountain deserts, the impacts of climate on the land, and the influence of humans in nature. 

Megan’s focus is on resilient, long-term solutions that address regional and local challenges, as well as considerations for the people and animals that call these places home. Megan has experiences that ranges from large remediation and reclamation projects like the Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area to planning documents like Climate Action Plans that are based in implementable actions.

Megan holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Idaho and studied abroad in Italy and Germany. She currently serves on the Executive Committee as the Montana Vice President for the Idaho-Montana chapter of ASLA and volunteers on several community boards including the municipal ADA committee and the Center for Performing Arts. As a foster parent and reunification proponent, Megan believes that landscape architects hold a unique position to advocate for those whose voices are often not heard, and to convey the impacts of the built environment on social connection and belonging within our communities.

As the founder and president of Biohabitats, Keith has pioneered the practice of nature-based design, green infrastructure, and regenerative design within the landscape architecture community. As a multidisciplinary organization with a mission to Restore the Earth and Inspire Ecological Stewardship, Biohabitats practices at the crossroads between biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and environmental justice. Keith’s mission is to change the way capitalism is practiced. As a B-Corp and 1% for the Planet organization, Keith has instilled Self Governance, Wholeness, and Evolutionary Purpose as the guiding principles behind Biohabitats success. Keith is an advocate for biodiversity and ecological restoration around the world.

Dr. Sohyun Park, ASLA, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at the University of Connecticut. She earned her Ph.D. degree in Environmental Design and Planning from Arizona State University, a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from Seoul National University, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Sookmyung Women's University. She is a SITES Accredited Professional.

David Cutter, FASLA is the University Landscape Architect for Cornell University, renowned for its spectacular landscape, diverse architecture and sustainability ethos. He is licensed in New York, and a SITES AP with 30 years’ experience in planning, design, and management. Prior to joining Cornell, he worked as a consulting landscape architect and an environmental scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency in Philadelphia, and as a county planner, national scenic byway landscape architect, and community planner for the Army in upstate New York. While his primary duties revolve around campus planning, design and stewardship, working for a leading university has rekindled his interest in education and the nexus between academic and professional practice. He embraces the premise of the campus landscape as a living classroom and is always open to opportunities to collaborate with instructors, students and researchers to incorporate real sites, issues and research into the student experience. David has also been an active advocate for the profession, serving as a leader, mentor, and volunteer in the American Society of Landscape Architects at the state and national level, and a founding member of the Association of University Landscape Architects.

Jennifer Dowdell (Practice Leader at Biohabitats Inc.) For over 20 years Jennifer has worked at the interface of ecology, landscape architecture, & conservation planning leading projects ranging from regional greenways to state and national parks, institutional and educational campuses, and citywide ecological networks merging landscape ecology, climate resilience, and equity strategies with regenerative design. Her practice engages principles of systems-ecology, resilience planning, and environmental justice, facilitating dialogue on socio-ecological narratives that engage nature in design. Jennifer has contributed written pieces to publications including Landscape Architecture Magazine, PLACES Journal, theEarthIssue#4, and The Landscape Approach: From Local Communities to Territorial Systems.

Claudia West is a leading voice in the emerging field of ecological planting design. Known for her passionate advocacy of plant-driven design, Claudia is a widely sought out speaker and consultant who applies the technologies of plant systems to bring essential natural functions back into our cities. She has worked on all sides of the green industry—as a designer, a grower, installer, and land manager—grounding her innovative work in pragmatic solutions that address the realities of our urbanizing world. She is the co-author of the critically acclaimed book, Planting in a Post-Wild World, and co-founder of Phyto Studio.

As a Senior Associate and the Raleigh Office Director at Andropogon, Martha works with both public and private sector clients to develop creative design solutions rooted in ecology and community. She has worked on award-winning projects throughout the United States and beyond, ranging from large-scale coastal resiliency and brownfield restoration efforts to small-scale urban interventions tailored to community character. In addition to her experience as a landscape architect, Martha draws from past positions as an anthropological researcher, horticulturalist, and public servant working to help small towns develop meaningful cultural spaces. She received her MLA degree from NC State University.