To DBE or Not to DBE: Leveraging Diversity as a Strategic Advantage - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)

Patricia was born and raised in Mexico, she is the founder and president of BASE. A recognized leader in sustainable design and community involvement, Patricia creates landscapes that immerse people of all backgrounds and abilities in learning, exploration and play. Patricia’s community involvement and advocacy expand the boundaries of traditional landscape architecture. She founded an NGO that creates healthy habitats for pollinators. She has lectured at many universities and has won two national faculty ASLA awards. She received her MLA from UC Berkeley in 2007.

Elsa Mark-Ng is the associate studio manager at Agency and an honors graduate of Oberlin College's Environmental Studies program. At Agency, she leads the studio with marketing and communication, and supports business administration. Elsa enjoys crafting unique proposals and bringing together teams that speak to the communities and clients that Agency aims to work for. She has also served as the communications lead for WxLA, an advocacy initiative for gender justice in landscape architecture.

Hana Ishikawa is the Design Principal and Partner at Site Design Group, often leading the design process with complex, yet thoughtful ideas. Hana’s projects have ranged from master planning of modern entertainment complexes, traditional commercial interiors, and contemporary urban parks. Constantly looking for visually enticing environments from the rigid structure of classical aesthetics to cutting-edge modern design, whether it is conceptual design or construction details, she enjoys merging innovation and logic into all aspects of design. Influenced by her childhood in Tokyo, she wishes to balance form and function in every project.