LDA Alumni Class Notes
(as of 6/4/2014)
2013 - 2000
K.C. Farrell (2005) Upon graduation, I moved to San Francisco to work as a designer for a high end residential landscape architecture firm. In 2010, I decided to pursue my MLA at the University of California Berkeley. I graduated from Berkeley in 2012 and am currently working as a Senior Designer at LandDesign in San Francisco. In addition to my professional pursuits, I volunteer as a Site Advisor to the National AIDS Memorial Grove where I have led and documented several restoration landscape efforts.
Natalia Celuch/Gaerlan (2002) recently completed a Master’s in Urban Planning at Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Chris Alford (2002) received her MLA in Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley. She currently works for American Rivers managing their California Water Supply and Instream Flow Protection Program.
Steve Benes (2000) currently lives in Monterey, Ca., and is the CAD Manager and Landscape Designer for Wald Ruhnke & Dost Architects (www.wrdarch.com). He also teaches AutoCAD at the Monterey Peninsula College for the Interior Design Department and does tutoring, training, and contract work.
Magnus Bernhardt (1992) I am a Landscape Architect for region one at Odot in Portland and I am working on projects involving trails, wetlands restoration, visual resource, and transportation planning. I married Monica Bebee in 1995 and have a 4.5 years old daughter, named Annicka, along with our dog, Shasta. We are enjoying our city and recreation at the coast and in the mountains. Life is good.
Stephanie Bersch (2000) Received her landscape architecture license in 2002 and currently is a Senior Project Manager at vanderToolen Associates in Napa, CA.
Jefferson Birrell (2004) Nothing I'm doing at work compares to the recent birth of my son, Charlie.
Mark Brandi (2000) received a Master in Design Studies in Landscape Planning and Ecology from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. He is a landscape designer/ecologist with WRA Environmental Consultants in San Rafael, CA.
Jocelyn Brodeur (2006) works for David Gates Associates, Landscape Architects in San Ramon. I am studying for the LARE and will be taking a few test sections this year. Gates and Associates is supporting this decision as well as my goal to become a consulting arborist. I will go to San Diego in February to attend the ASCA Academy to become registered as a consulting arborist.
Caru Bowns (PhD 2003) is Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at Penn State University. Her research on the UCDMC Wildlife Preserve with Mark Francis received a Merit Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects was recently published in Inquiry by Design by John Zeisel (Norton, 2006). (http://www.larch.psu.edu/people/faculty/Bowns.htm)
Sarah R. Burke (2000) Following graduation I worked for a landscape architecture firm in San Francisco called Carducci & Associates for a couple of years. I married my husband J.T. Burke (also a UC Davis graduate, although not of LDA program) and we moved to San Rafael in Marin County. I worked for another L.A. firm in the small town of San Anselmo, called Granville Associates for 4.5 years. This last summer my husband and I took "career breaks," traveling to Europe and the northwestern states of the U.S. I am currently working in a plant nursery and I am involved in a local elementary school vegetable garden. I plan to do some more traveling later in the year.
Jessica Chase (2005) is an associate at Cassidy Turley BT Commercial.
J. Michael Churchill (2003) I have been married since 2006. I served in a mission in Cordoba, Argentina between 2004 and 2006. I am currently living in Provo, Utah. I have been a Landscape foreman for one year. Currently, I am working on starting an online retail business and possibly opening up a hardware store back in California.
Alumni Julia Cox, Cris Cruz, Mike Harris, Sarah Hayward, Darren Solano, Jocelyn Brodeur, Kari Koch (all 2006), and Cheryl Sullivan (1989) gave talks in the Fall 2006 Landscape Architecture Lunchbag series "The Story of the Landscape Architecture Senior Project" organized by Prof. Patsy Owens.
Lawrence Cuevas (2007) is working with Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey in San Francisco.
Anne Dain-Owens (2003) received her Masters of Science in Land Reclamation and Restoration from Cranfield University in Silsoe, Bedfordshire. Still attending same university following through with a PhD in soil dynamics related to "The effect of agricultural operations on buried artefacts" linking archaeology, agriculture and soil / land management and should finish the PhD in autumn 2009.
Erica Drew (2001) of Quadriga Landscape Architecture and Planning in Sacramento recently completed the design for the Native American Reflective Garden proposed to be constructed in the UC Davis Arboretum between the Mondavi Center for the Arts and the Law School.
Lina Duong (2003) works at Carducci and Associates in San Francisco, CA. Currently, I am the project manager for the Mayfair Community Center & Park in San Jose, CA and the Lafayette School District Outdoor Facilities in Lafayette, CA. I am also support staff for the Carneros Inn, Phase 1,2, and 3 in Napa, CA and Pixar Childcare in Berkeley, CA. While in the LDA program, I had participated in the Summer Abroad program 2002-Kyoto Japanese Garden and took numerous classes with lecturer Arno Suzuki. Since graduation, I have followed Arno's footsteps professionally. Early in her career, Arno had worked at Carducci and Associates with Larry Carducci. I have met Larry Carducci and we had wonderful conversions about personal and professional inspirations for landscape architecture. In addition, I married my high school sweetheart Tim Huey in 2006 and we brought a house together in San Francisco, CA, in 2007, I traveled to Japan from Tokyo to Osaka to find design inspirations. Currently, I am studying for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) exam.
Dawn Einwalter (2002) is a landscape architect with EDAW in Sacramento. I have been promoted to Associate. I'm currently the project manager of the North Watt Avenue Corridor Plan.
Tenaya Fihe (2006) is working at The Guzzardo Partnership, Inc., in San Francisco.
David Fletcher (2000) received his MLA from Harvard's Graduate School of Design. He is Assistant Professor and Assistant Director of the Landscape Architecture Program at USC and a landscape architect with Mia Leher Associates. His design work has been featured recently in the Los Angeles Times. (http://www.mlagreen.com/)
Kevin Fuselier (2002) Been working at MMI for a year and a half. Sat for graphic sections of LA exam and waiting for results. Signed up to take multiple-choice sections in Macon. Prior to MMI, I spent four years at a small primary residential design/build firm. At MMI, I primarily work on commercial and municipal projects with a focus on athletic facilities. Outside of work, I travel, play golf, and have been fixing up my first house.
Natalia C. Gaerlan (2002), ASLA, CPSI, CLARB Certified, I am currently working as a Principal Landscape Architect for Suba Design Studio, Inc., a multi-disciplinary landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm located in Rocklin, California (northeast of Sacramento). I am involved in managing projects in accessible playground design; residential landscape design for large custom homes; resorts; parks; and athletic fields.
Lucas Griffith (2000) completed his MLA at UC Berkeley in 2007. His thesis on Farmers Markets was recently discussed in the San Francisco Chronicle. He previously worked for Larry Halprin in San Francisco and is now working as the "Urban Designer" for the Presidio Trust, in SF.
Sarah Hayward (2006) has joinedGolden Gate Palmsto head the Landscape Design Department and is also co-starring in a new HGTV series Superscapes due to air in Feb 2009 for 26-episodes. Sarah has also started her own Landscape Design business, 'Sarah Hayward Designs'.
Scott Hendrickson (2007) toured the U.K. after graduation and is now settled in Santa Rosa, CA working for Golfplan.com.
Lindsey Holm (2005), Ying Lu (2006), Nina Suzuki (2005), Amanda Voltin (2005), Vicky Wilson (2004), Diana Walker-Smith's (2005) "Garden of The Knowledge of Man is as the Waters" at Cornerstones Festival of Gardens in Sonoma has been featured in the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Landscape Architecture Magazine. (http://www.cornerstonegardens.com/pages/davis.htm)
Katie Holmquist (2005) is now a graduate student of city & regional planning atThe University of Pennsylvania.
Hollie Huong Cun (2006) Currently working for a landscape architecture firm in Lodi/Stockton (2 offices). My company specializes in both commercial and residential design, including model/production homes, business buildings, parks, streetscapes, and private residential, within the cities of Lodi, Stockton, Modesto, Tracy, Manteca, Sacramento, Roseville, and Bullhead City, AZ. I have been with this company since September 2006, shortly after graduation. I am looking forward to keeping in touch with fellow landscape architecture alumni!
Courtney Ishii (2002) is currently working at Daedalus Design Group, a landscape architecture firm in the San Diego area. Her interests include urban design, sustainable design, and parks and public spaces.
Kirsten Johnson (2003) is completing her MLA at UC Berkeley.
Kari Koch (2006) is working in the Office of Peter Walker and Partners in Berkeley. (http://www.pwpla.com/)
Ken Konecny (2005) will be beginning graduate work at UC Santa Barbara's Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management in fall 2007.
Marco Lei (2007) is currently working at Robert La Rocca & Associates, San Francisco, as a Landscape Designer.
Michael "Brody" Lundeby (2003) I have just gotten back from a 15-month deployment to Northern and Central Iraq. I spent most of my time there flying missions in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter or Managing the missions from the Tactical Operations Center. Now I'm in Hawaii, working in Army Aviation still. I think about my choice to do military service and I'm proud, but I still have a tremendous desire to pursue a career in Landscape Architecture upon completing my obligation to the Army.
Margaret Macioge Young (2003) and husband have two small children in Sebastopol, CA. Maggie works at Prunuske Chatham, Inc..
After working for about two and a half years in San Diego, Matt MacLeod (2003) has returned to school and is working on an MLA degree at Cornell University.
Lynelle McNiel (2002) I'm working in the Landscape Architecture Department of a big, local Sacramento civil engineering firm. My boss is Mike Scheele, another UC Davis Graduate. I'm sitting for the LARE this year. I'm really enjoying my work environment.
Aric Merolli (2002) just graduated from UMass-Amherst with a Master's in regional planning.
Amy Mitchell (2002) is a landscape architect at Moore Iacofano Goltsman in Berkeley.
Nalani Ngoon (2001) I'm working for an investment consulting firm in Menlo Park, and living in Palo Alto near family and friends. While I love my job, it isn't quite the job I daydreamed about in LDA Studios! When my time allows, I still do landscape design plans. I hope all is fantastic for everyone that I had the opportunity to study with! Cheers
Paula Parmalee (2004) is a landscape architect with Foothill Associates in Sacramento. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Sierra Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Gary Rasmussen (2001) works at Blasen Landscape Architecture in Sausalito, CA.
Stephen Ramirez (2009) is working at AECOM in Sacramento.
Alia Robbins (Hansen - maiden name) (2005) I am married and living in Farmington, New Mexico. I got my New Mexico real estate license a year ago and I am working as a realtor and licensed assistant for my mother-in-law. I also work for my father-in-law, who is a contractor and builds custom steel-framed homes. I do some design work for him and do the architecture plans for the homes and landscapes. My husband and I are building our home now, and I got to design a lot of it! What fun!
Aimee Ruskewicz (2002) works at Vallier Design Associates in the Bay Area and is finishing her LARE exams. She has started her own artsy t-shirt company.
DeeAnn Schuttish (2007), along with Alan W. Parkman (1994), own a Design Build firm in the North San Diego County area, Green Life Studios, which specializes in water efficient residential landscaping and utilizing sustainable methods, California native and climate-adapted plants and cutting edge irrigation technology. Both are very active in the California Landscape Contractors Association, with DeeAnn serving on the state's Public Relation's Committee and in 2011 as East Bay Chapter President. Upon graduating, DeeAnn found design and cultural inspiration through traveling for three months in France, Spain, Italy, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Taiwan. DeeAnn met her business partner and husband, Alan Parkman, while working as an intern in the City of Orinda Planning Department in 2003-2004.
Elisa Maya Sepulveda (2002) 2007 was my landscape company's 3rd year of business. Most of our work is in Davis, both residential and commercial. The Lofts, Sierra Railroad, Burgers and Brew, and Crêpeville are a few of our more accessible projects. This year I also became a licensed landscape contractor! My work in Chile is still progressing steadily; we have a thriving summer camp. That is helping us create a stable financial foundation. We built a tree house and a 2-story cabin. We are powered by solar panels and we heat our water with wood burning cauldrons. Our organic gardens and hiking trails are diversifying yearly and our interest in creating our Arts and Ecology center is undiminished.
Darren Solano (2006), Associate ASLA, assisted Boy Scouts from San Diego area with their partial Landscape Architecture Merit Badges. Darren is working with The Lightfoot Planning Group in San Diego and has just been elected to the San Diego ASLA's executive committee and appointed to ASLA National's Emerging Professionals committee.
Matthew Strader (2003) I recently joined Vallier Design Assocs. Where I work with fellow alumna Aimee Ruskewicz. Before, I worked in residential landscape design in the Sacramento Area and on the Peninsula in the Bay Area.
Amanda Voltin (2005) I work at a small firm in the quiet beach town of Solana Beach. We have 7 employees and are a tight-knit bunch. The projects we work on are mostly streetscape design projects, city park projects, or office campus projects. I am really enjoying sunny San Diego and all the fun we have at our firm.
Diana Walker-Smith (2005) In May of 2007, my husband and I traveled to France. We had the opportunity to visit the gardens of Versailles, Villandry, Chenoncean, and most importantly the experimental gardens at Chamont sur Loire. In September, we plan to visit Spain and the gardens of the Alhambra. As a public art consultant for the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, it was with great pride that I brought to a the attention the work of former LDA faculty member Jennifer Madden to a panel selecting environmental art for the new county juvenile hall complex. I am pleased to announce that Jennifer's proposal was selected. Jennifer, and her husband, Jeffrey Reed, will install their entitled "Taking Flight" in late 2008.
Ruth Williams (2004) is the Executive Director for the nonprofit TREE Davis. She is completing her Masters Degree in Nonprofit Administration at University of San Francisco.
Jenny Yang (2007) I will be attending the Master of Urban Design program at CCNY this fall. I'm currently interning with the Freshkills Park team which is turning one of the world's largest landfills into a 2,200 acre park. I'm also interning with Michael Sorkin, who's the director of the Urban Design program at CCNY.
Lindsey Young (2005) I am currently between landscape architecture jobs and substitute teaching K-12 with Piedmont Unified School District.
2000 - 1990
Mary Bedard (1998) is a landscape architect with Mitchell Nelson Group (http://www.mngi.com/) in Portland and active in the community gardening movement in Portland.
Thomas Beebe (1993) Aloha! I live and love life on the spectacular North Shore of Kauai with my wife Lyle, 9 year old son Bodhi, 2 year old daughter Talia, and baby on the way in late March. I'm owner building our full solar green family home on 3 acres overlooking the ocean, I run Sweat Equity Management and I manage sales and marketing for Hideaway Vacation Homes (HVH.com). I'm also involved with Malama Kauai, a non-profit organizing efforts to create a sustainable future for the island of Kauai and the Kilauea community. I ride motorcycles, plant fruit trees, surf, play lots of soccer and rarely wear a shirt (and never pants). Life is grand.
Beau Beza (1992) is an Assistant Professor of landscape architecture at RMIT University in Australia. He is currently the Chair of the Sir Edmund Hillary Mountain Legacy Medalselection committee charged with recognising individuals or groups for their remarkable service in the conservation of culture and nature in remote mountainous regions. (http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=0pm3ualn29os;STATUS=A?QRY=beza&STYPE=ENTIRE)
Karen Bloom (1990) We own 80 acres on the edge at the wilderness, near the Trinity Alps, and are building stone terraces, planting fruit trees and vineyards, hoping to become a winery and meditation sanctuary. We make excellent pomegranate mead, and hope to scale up to commercial quantities in a few years. We are off-grid, and organic, and have survived floods, fires, drought, and a plague of grasshoppers in the last few years. The peaceful country life is always interesting!
Aaron R. Bock (1996) I am married to Holly Pichinino; we met in the LDA program in 1996. We have 3 kids, who are 11, 1.5, and 1 month. I designed & built residential landscapes in the bay area and graduated with a Masters of City and Regional Planning at Cal Poly SLO in 2000. I also graduated Juris Doctor at McGeorge in 2003. I am also published: OPR State Gen. Plan Guidelines: Chapter 2(2003), Capital Center for government: Initiating Review (2003). I recently assisted in the Yolo General Plan approval of the Dunnigan Land Use Plan and Subdivision Map Rail yards in Sacramento. I wrote utility policies for the Sacramento General plan update entitled: Land Park At Lathrop, CA 6,000 units-1,500 acres.
Michelle Ann Bond (1992) I am currently a Senior Design Associate at Suzman and Cole, where I have been now for over 6.5 years. I am licensed in California and my work in mainly high-end residential design in San Francisco and on the Peninsula.
Bill Brunsky (1992) is a Principal at George W. Girvin Associates, Inc. in Ventura, California. Focusing on resort development, the firm is involved in high profile projects around the world. Always in need of talented designers and project managers, students and alumni are encouraged to contact Bill.
Josiah Raison Cain (1992) is engaged in "Extreme Green" projects as a landscape architect and ecological design consultant. He closed his firm Native Systems to pursue a Master of Design Studies in Design Technology & Environment from Harvard's Graduate School of Design. Upon graduation, he was hired to open and manage a new office in Marin County for Rana Creek Living Architecture that has grown to 10 employees. The firm is best known for large "living roofs" such as GAP World HQ, Vancouver Convention Center, and the new California Academy of Sciences, and also designs wastewater recycling systems, rain catchment, gray water, landscapes, and urban habitat restoration/integration. Rana Creek "greens" large civic and commercial projects, urban plans, and resorts, in addition to a high end residential portfolio. The design division is uniquely supported by an environmental planning department and native plant nursery. Cain lectures regularly at Universities and Conferences.
Alison Caldwell nee Griffith (1996) is a mother, wife, and 8th grade teacher in NV.
Angelo Claudio (1997) recently received his Masters in LA from the University of Maryland. He works in San Francisco.
Christopher Corbett (1998) received the M.Arch. From the University of Oregon and is living and working in Davis.
David Cubberly (1998) is a landscape architect withLPA Sacramento, Inc.and a Lecturer at UC Davis.
Cara Day (1995) I am currently focused on residential design forming one half of a Design/Build Partnership. Our projects are predominately located in the peninsula Bay area and South Bay with a few in the Sacramento area.
Del Deletetsky (1998) is a Senior Transportation Planner at CalTrans in Sacramento.
Greg Desmond (1992) is the Interim Planning Director for the City of St Helena. www.cityofsthelena.org
Sheri Brown Dion (1991) is a landscape architect in South Lake Tahoe and a Lecturer in landscape architecture at UC Davis.
Chris Elliott (1994) is an Associate Principal and Project Director at Jones & Stokes, leading the 60-person Water Resources team in Sacramento. He served eight years on the City of Sacramento's Design Review & Preservation Board (succeeding Skip Mezger).
Dan Fernandez (1999) is a real estate agent in San Francisco.
Andrew Fulks (1994) is Director of the Putah Creek Reserve at UC Davis. (http://www.ucdavis.edu/).
John Gibbs (1994) is a landscape architect with WRT. (http://www.wrtdesign.com/)
Jacob Gilchrist (1998) and Jen Worth (1991) are landscape architects in the San Francisco Office of the Trust for Public Land. (http://www.tpl.org/)
Kathrin Grimm (1998) and Maria Pia Rosado (1983) are partners of A Pleno Sol Landscape Architecture in Mexico City. (http://www.aplenosol.com.mx/)
Nellie Hamilton (1998) is currently a Landscape Associate for the California Department of Transportation.
Diana Hershey (1997) After a two and a half year stint as a Planner for the County of Mendocino, I am currently working as a grant writer for an Indian Tribe that needs to develop a Land Use Plan for the 213 acre Rancheria and Strategic Plan.
Robert Hewitt (1993) is Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at Clemson University. He is working with faculty and students from the Department of Architecture at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt to work on a city redesign of Luxor Egypt. (http://www.clemson.edu/caah/landscapearchitecture)
Ken Hiatt (1994) is the Redevelopment Director of the City of Davis. (http://www.city.davis.ca.us/cdd)
Carl Jensen (1997) is the Director of Design-Build and a senior landscape architect at Wildlands, Inc. in Rocklin, CA. Wildlands owns and manages over 20,000 acre of land throughout the western US and is the nation's largest mitigation banking firm. I oversee a staff of 4 people including 2 landcape architects. My wife and I had a son on February 15, 2007. His name is Soren Davis Jensen.
Stan Jones (1998) most recent book is Graphic Guide to Site Construction (Taunton, 2003). He is Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Oregon. (http://landarch.uoregon.edu/index.cfm?mode=people&page=faculty&sub=joness)
Darren Kuhnau(1993) received an MFA in Graphic Design from Yale and is now a store designer for Kiehl's.
Vince Lane (1992) I am the managing partner of Iron Horse Ventures, real estate and land development. I am responsible for acquisition, strategy, operations and fund management. I live in Walnut Creek, California with my wife Karen.
Jennie Lewis (2000) I am designing on a "Pro-bono" basis for friends, family, and non-profits. Most of my time is spent pursuing my art. I work in charcoal and pastels. I donate art pieces for fundraising to non-profits like SPCA, CASA, Happy Tails, etc. I enjoy experimenting with different techniques and mixing media.
Rebecca Lillis (1995) After working for the Trust for Public Land in San Francisco on their Green Cities Initiative for four years, Rebecca and her husband, Dan, returned to Placer County where Rebecca has worked for Placer County as an Associate Planner and is currently working part time for the County's Community Development Resource Agency (CDRA). She spends her "spare time" working in the classroom of her children (9 & 6) as parent volunteer and as Head Art Docent for their school through the Placer County Office of Education. She is thrilled to have just moved into a new passive solar home, that she designed and her husband built, on some of the beautiful oak and pine studded land where she grew up, and is delighted to see her children exploring and learning in the same "outdoor classroom" that had such an influence on her.
Ellen Miramontes (1991) has her own landscape architecture firm in Lafayette, California. She recently prepared "Shoreline Plants: A Landscape Guide for the San Francisco Bay" for the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
Brian Joseph Morgan (2000) GIS Manager at the UC Davis Arboretum and PhD student in the Geography Graduate Group. Recent recipient of a $622,000 grant to develop an ESRI ArcGIS data model for botanical gardens and zoos.
Joe Nootbaar (1992) is principal and director of development for JMA Ventures in San Francisco. Their properties include Ghirardelli Square and Homewood Mountain Resort in Lake Tahoe.
Darrin Nordahl (1996) is city designer at the Davenport Iowa Design Center. He is author of "My Kind of Transit: Rethinking Public Transportation in America" (University of Chicago Press, 2009) and the forthcoming "Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture" (Island Press, 2009). He received his MLA from UC Berkeley in 2001.
Alan W. Parkman (1994), along with DeeAnn Schuttish (2007), owns a Design Build firm in the North San Diego County area, Green Life Studios, which specializes in water efficient residential landscaping and utilizing sustainable methods, California native and climate-adapted plants, and cutting edge irrigation technology. Both are very active in the California Landscape Contractors Association, with Alan serving in 2011 as Vice President of Resource Management in the San Diego Chapter. After graduating, Alan worked for Unlimited Designs, Bratt Landscape and Frederico Landscaping in Utah. In 1999, Alan joined Quad Knopf in Visalia, California as an Urban Design Planner. He then moved into municipal planning for 9 years, working for the cities of Visalia, Concord, Orinda and City of Manteca. In 2009, Alan joined fellow alumna DeeAnn Schuttish in creating Green Life Studios.
Tracy Peddicord (2000) owns a design/build landscape company with her husband, David, in Weed, CA. They live on ten acres with their two two children.
Kevin Perry (1996), Landscape Architect for Nevue Ngan Associates in Portland Oregon, was featured in the following article for his work specializing in environmentally responsible storm-water management. Perry also won an Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2006 for the SW 12th Avenue Green Street Project in Portland. The award recognized his efforts in open/natural storm water design and bioremediation. Perry won two of the twelve Honor Awards for Design from the American Society of Landscape Architects 2007 Professional Awards Program. His winning projects are NE Siskiyou Green Street and Mount Tabor Middle School Rain Garden, both in Portland, Oregon. He was the only person/firm to win more than one design award beating out major firms such as Peter Walker and Partners, Martha Schwartz, Design Workshop, etc. with one award each. Congratulations to Kevin!
Kristin Personett (1999) received an M.Arch. from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and is both a licensed landscape architect and architect. She has her own firm, Indigo Design Group, in Berkeley and lectures for LDA UCD.
Ryan Michalak (2000) is a newlywed and is in training to become a licensed land surveyor.
Johnny Ribeiro's (1992) company The Ribeiro Companies in Las Vegas has developed approximately 10,000,000 square feet of commercial space in Nevada, California and Arizona. (http://www.ribeirocorp.com/)
Scott Reeves (2000) is working at SSA Landscape Architects in Santa Cruz. (http://www.ssala.com/)
Linda Roberson (1996) received her Master's of Urban Design (MUD) from UC Berkeley in 2007. A report on one of her Berkeley studio projects in China ishere. Her thesis is entitled "Growing Opportunities: Urban Agriculture in Tacoma, Washington". She is currently working as a community planner/urban designer with Urban Ecology in Berkeley.
Paul Robins (1995) works with the Resource Conservation District, Yolo County and is a Lecturer in landscape architecture at UC Davis. Visit the website to learn about what we do and see some of our publications. I've taught a studio called "Farmscape Architecture" at UCD every other year since 03/04 based on my line of work. It's been a great experience for me and links up students with live projects on local farms with local conservation professionals.
Gerrie Robinson (2000) is a PhD student in Geography specializing in landscape architecture at UC Davis.
Kia Selley (1993) Managing an urban renewal area and real estate development projects for the city of Portland's Urban renewal Agency, called the Portland development commission Current key project is the Burnside Bridgehead Projects-A 4-block redevelopment site at the gateway to Portland Downtown; valued at $250 million. My husband and I are expecting our first child in March! We're renovating a 1960's contemporary ranch in Portland, designed by a local architect, John Storrs, which has been a lot of fun!
Corinne Hartnett (now Stewart) (1998) currently lives in Oakland, CA is an Urban Designer at EDAW San Francisco. She recieved her Master's in Urban Design from UC Berkeley in 2006.
Jane Talbot Wyrick (1999) After graduating, I worked for a time as a landscape designer at Orsee Design Associates in Sacramento before becoming a planner for the City of Folsom for eight years. I then worked for the City of Woonsocket, RI as the Deputy Director of Community Planning for two years. I married in the summer of 2012 and moved to a farm in Northeastern Oklahoma where I live with my husband, daughter and stepson. We grow grain and have some cattle. I plan to begin my own farm venture and recently started a blog about our life on the prairie. http://windontheplains.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Wait, ASLA (2000) I received my Landscape Architecture license in October of 2007. I am working on marketing for my new business and getting my name known. The main work that we do is residential and a little commercial.
Karen Walker (1998) I moved my home and office to a beautiful part of the coastal region about 3 1/2 years ago. Rural life was a complete lifestyle change with all its challenges and joys. I love it more each day. Work is great. I have fabulous clients and interesting projects. Our family is healthy and growing. I have much to be grateful for.
Sarah Washburn (1998) is a registered Landscape Architect working for the City of Westminster, Colorado Parks, Recreation, and Libraries Department.
Matt Weber (1997) I am in my 10th year of teaching 4th grade in Saratoga. I am married and have a one-year-old daughter named Caitlin. We live in South San Jose near Los Gatos. I enjoyed the LDA major, program, and classmates, but I love teaching. I often recall of my time in LDA as I am naming plants in my head while walking the dog, purchasing anything for my yard, looking at the outside of my school, or even going to the dump.
Mitch Wilks (1992) has his own landscape architecture firm in Berkeley.
Andrew Wong (1993) is a landscape architect with the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Hong Kong, China. At the same time, he is also a Chinese medicine doctor with his own firm and practise during night times and weekends.
Lanette Woo (1991) I stopped practicing Landscape Architecture back in 1996 when I entered the Peace Corps/Thailand and never looked back. After I got out of PC, I earned my MBA at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and started working for HSBC (then Household Credit Services) in 1999. I'm still with HSBC, but currently working overseas on an island call Jersey, which is part of the Channel Islands, located just north of France. BTW - they are in dire need of good landscape architects and creative architects here.
Ed Yu (1998) was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger as a member and Vice President of the California Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. He is President of Triton International Ventures, Inc., and President and Founder of EYM Technologies, Inc. in Los Angles. He received his MLA from Harvard's Graduate School of Design. (http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/members.htm)
1990 - 1980
John Akeman (1989) and Tim Cunnane (1990) have begun c2vdesign.com. John is also a planner for Capitol, CA, where he lives with his family.
Judith Boshoven (1987) has been appointed Executive Directorof the Yolo County Land Trust.
Barry Brown (1982) is a landscape architect at Randall Planning and Design, Inc. in Walnut Creek. (http://www.randallplanning.com/)
Dave Bushnell (1982) is owner of Bushnell Gardens Nursery and Busnell Landscape Creations in Granite Bay, CA. (http://www.bushnellgardens.com/)
Richard G. Caldwell (1981) Own Design/Build Landscape Company in Greater S.F Bay Area. Work on residential projects. Middle to high-end home! Married to Debbie with two kids, Bridget 19 and Dan 17.
Steve Chainey (1984) is a Restoration Ecologist with EDAW in Sacramento. (http://www.edaw.com/)
David Eng (1989) is a landscape architect with CalTrans in Oakland.
Liesel Fenner (1988) is Manager of Public Art with Americans for the Arts, the nation?s largest arts advocacy non-profit organization. She works with 350 public art programs nationally establishing professional infrastructure and best practices on par with those of the ASLA, AIA and APA. In her role, Liesel seeks to promote art and design collaborations and to further advance artist's role in shaping public spaces.
John E. Franklin (1988) I was promoted to Product Manager for GIS Data Management Solutions in January 2007. I focus on pipeline integrity management solutions. I am in charge of the entire product suite and a multi-generation product plan for the business. My emphasis is on regulatory compliance, data quality, in-field data collection, risk assessment, and mitigation measures. These software solutions are implemented across the globe. This is a challenging and competitive market; innovation is the key to success.
Tara Gee (1984) is Senior Landscape Architect for the City of Roseville.
Steve Greco (1987) is Assistant Professor of landscape architecture at UC Davis. He received his Master's (1993) and Ph.D. (1999) degrees in ecology from UC Davis and joined the UC Davis landscape architecture faculty in 2000.
Christophe Girot's (1981) firm Atelier GIROT is one of five finalists for Lower Don Lands Redevelopment Project in Toronto. He is Professor and Chair of Landscape Architecture at ETH Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, His design work was featured in the recent Groundswell Exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. (http://www.ila.ethz.ch/ueberuns/girotE.php)
Dimitrios Georges (1982) is an Associate Park Planner with the Yolo County Parks & Resources Department. He is involved in grant writing, design development, construction management/inspection, and ongoing management of a wide variety of recreational, habitat restoration, and natural resource projects on county parklands along the Sacramento River, Putah Creek, and Cache Creek.Dimitrios.georges@yolocounty.org
Scott Hall (1984) I returned from a film education and building background to UCD in the early (1980-83) eighties. The education at UC Davis allowed me a broader overview and possibilities in landscape design & installation. My whole living has been landscape architecture and construction since UC Davis; my passion is still fine carpentry. One day I shall figure out the meaning of "free time".
John L Haynes (1982) I am enjoying the good life in Park City, Utah with my wife, Teresa, and two daughters, Lauren (9) and Maggie (7). I recently joined IBI Group with responsibilities for directing quality management initiatives, managing ski resorts and National Park Service projects, and providing in-house continuing education programs. I am always on the lookout for talented people who have a passion for design excellence, construction documentation, and overseeing built work. Park City is wonderful place to live and work, so if you are interested in learning more about IBI Group, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Margarita Hill (1986) was recently appointed Professor and Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. (http://www.caed.calpoly.edu/documents/Margarita_Hill_Dept_Head.pdf)
Paul Junker (1989) is Planning Director of the City of Rancho Cordova. Junker was recently quoted in the following Sacramento Bee article.
Brian Kisling (1985) is with Interra-Vision Development in El Dorado Hills, CA.
Tanya Wattenburg Komas (1989) completed the Master of Architecture at Texas A&M University in 2005.
Gary Lai (1990) is currently a Senior Landscape Architect and Studio Leader for the Southern California Site Studio Group at HDR Architecture. HDRis a 7,500 person international A/E firm with 150 offices worldwide. Site Studio, Southern California, is currently working on Health Care, Transportation, Civic and Correctional projects throughout the Western US and in the middle east.
Suzanne Little (1983) works for the city of Anchorage.
Heidi Lorenzen Jones (1981) After 20+ years working for others, I started Groundbreakers in 1998 with 2 partners. We work predominately in new housing construction and commercial installations and have crews for all aspects of landscape construction including grading, drainage, retaining walls, concrete, masonry, irrigation, lighting, and planting. We are looking forward to a stronger year in 2008 - yes 2007 was tough! I am married with 3 kids, a dog, a cat, and a bird! I just started playing my cello again (after 20 years).
Frieder Luz (1983) is Professor of Landscape Architecture at Weihenstephan University of Applied Sciences, Freising Germany. (http://www.imla-campus.eu/index.php?id=luz-frieder&L=2)
Matthew D. Mailander (1990) I intended to become a golf course architect, but my golf dreams as an aggie golfer let me into the golf business/hospitality industry. But I do still fell tied to landscape and design. The Coachella Valley, San Bernardino Mountains, and the California Coast are my current canvas, which I color by hiking, always biking to work, golfing too. Perhaps a desert or mountain trail will led me back to architecture, while searching for John Muir's bliss!
Mary McKenna, RLA (1988) After graduating in December, 1988, I took a year off and played 'house wife' in Shingle Springs, California. My husband got an offer he could not refuse' and we moved to Ellicott City, Maryland. Three months later, in February, 1990, I was designing residential subdivisions and doing forest stand deliniations and wetland delineations. Spent 18 years working in the Maryland/East Coast Land Development Business as a civil designer, a landscape architect, a planner, a project manager and even a well & septic designer! I have worn a lot of hats in those 18 years and moved around a bit, mostly working for multi-disciplinary civil engineering firms. I have always found a way to learn something new, which keeps me happy. I have never been in the spotlight, but I have influenced a bunch of folks in this business, including architects and engineers who have worked with me. I guess that is my legacy. I retired in March of 2008 and am proud to have spent my second career in the Landscape Architecture Field. I can honestly say that the education I received at UC Davis more than prepared me for any Landscape Architecture challenge. I am currently managing rental properties for my family and considering my next 'career #3' move. I stay connected to Landscape Architecture by doing Critiques of student work at Morgan State in Baltimore. Achievements: Won the 1996 Maryland DNR Forest Conservation Ironwood Award for excellence in forest conservation and land development for the WMATA Light Rail Branch Avenue Route. I am the designer of the first public cold war memorial in the United States. I prepared the concept, the layout and managed the project. My design is of a C-130 Aircraft encircled by a landscaped berm in the rear wtih 17 Autumn-flowering trees at the base (berm and landscape materials value-engineered out of the project) and a granite walk in front with the names of the dead crew-members enscribed on Granite monuments. The plane is alone in its circle of trees and walkway, fostering quiet contemplation by the viewer. The 17 Autumn flowering trees were to represent the 17 crewmen who were killed on that September 2, 1958 mission, in addition to 17 being the number of airframes lost during the cold war. As you can see from the photo (click on the link), two more planes were added after the original memorial was built and concrete was used to save costs on all three memorials. I did not design those follow-on memorials as I had moved on from the multidisciplinary company that had the contract.
Thomas Phelps (1988) has his own firm Genesis Landscape Architecture in Chico, CA.
Anthony Owen Powell (1982) Designing and managing exhibit programs for Fashion & Digital Entertainment companies and leading a design team of 6. Looking forward to an early retirement to two acres of Piedmontese countryside and finally designing my own garden!
Kevin Ramsey (1989) Kevin has practiced golf course architecture since graduating in 1989. Now a partner at Golfplan, Kevin continues to create a golf course around the world. Kevin and his wife have a young daughter and live in Marin.
Bibi Reber (1982) I went to Singapore after graduating in 82 with Laura Boss to work for a large nursery installing these enormous projects during the building frenzy&emdash;mostly shrubbery, but Laura got a few good projects after I left. Went to New York and was a party planner for rich kids for a while, then came back to the Bay Area and did stints as a Construction Project Manager (which I loved) and ran a jewelry design and manufacturing company for 8 years. My husband and I started AsTech Consulting in 1997, a network security consulting group, but I happily have nothing to do with that any longer. We have and 8 year old boy, Lin, and 2 year old twins Alana and Beck.. I paint in acrylic and mixed media in my spare time, which is to say rather hard to come by.
Janet (Yee) Reksoatmodjo (1988) I worked for nine years in the LDA field before starting a family. I have been married for 17 years, and I have four sons ranging from 9 to 12 years old. I still have my license in case I ever have time to enter the field again! Currently, I am occupied with managing my husband's dental practice and doing the 'mom' thing. Hello to all my fellow classmates of '87! I miss you all!
Tom Richman (1981) has his own firm Tom Richman Landscape Architect in Palo Alto.
Rafael Rios III (1989) This year ('08) I will continue to practice law, but I will also be working expanding the company (Rios Wine Company LLC) that my brothers and I started in 2004. We currently operate as the wholesalers with limited retail privileges. We are applying for a winery permit, which will allow us to sell directly to individuals and open a tasting room. 2005 was our first vintage; we have a Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc that are on the market under our Solovino label.
Dave Roche (1984) has his own landscape architecture firm Roche+Roche in Sonoma. Roche+Roche Landscape Architecture is featured in the current issue ofCalifornia Home+Design, as one of 'Ten Landscape Architects to Watch'. Roche+Roche, in conjunction with GouldEvansBaumThornley Architects, were also awarded a PCBC Gold Nugget Award for Outstanding Adaptive Re-use for the pictured project,Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley. Next time you're in Yountville, stop in for a glass of wine.
Pamela Marie Ronald-Jardini (1982) I am the owner of a land-use planning firm in the San Luis Obispo county area. We specialize in subdivisions and land use planning and landscape architecture design.
Mark Rutheiser (1985) is President-Elect of theDavis Chamber of Commerce. He is a partner at Pyramid Construction in Davis and has joined Cunningham Engineering Corporation as their Senior Land Planner/Project Manager. He has more than 25 years experience in the planning, development and design of both public and private projects.
Gregory Scott Satterfield (1990) I've been working for HLA, LLC for the last ten years and have designed 16 parks in the Reno area. My senior project, which was the master plan for the South Davis ball fields, gave me the right direction to go into park planning and design. Recently, I've received two awards for park design the "Elmer H. Anderson" excellence award for neighborhood parks, Las Brisas and Center Creek Parks. Our company has been giving back to the profession and the community for ten years.
Mark Schattinger (1983) has his own firm MJS Design Group, Landscape Architects in Newport Beach, CA. (http://www.mjsdesigngroup.com/)
Kristin Schwab (1983) is Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Connecticut. (http://www.canr.uconn.edu/plsci/la/index.html) I'm currently collaborating on case study research for a book on sustainable site design, under contract with John Wiley & Sons. The book, tentatively titled In-Site/Out: Sustainable Sites, Sustainable Communities, examines ecological and cultural sustainability in relation to a site's contextual factors.
Jeffrey S. Smith (1981) is Principal Landscape Architect with Daedalus Design Group in the San Diego area. Recent graduates Micah Press (2007) and Amber Reilly (2007) are now working there.
James B. Springer (1983) Work is fun and rewarding. We, for the most of our work, design sports facilities. I enjoy seeing people having fun as they play on one of our fields. My middle daughter is a junior at UC-Davis in the animal science department. It is really nice to have my daughter going to my alma mater!
Kristin Stilton (Doerschlag) (1984) I have been in financial services for 12 years now, but I am still licensed in California (3133). I served 4 terms on the city design review board and experienced a short stint as city planning commissioner. I am very involved in city politics, strategic master planning, and community design sessions. My LA degree is still being put to good use.
Gary Strang (1982) and his own firm GLS, Architects and Landscape Architects in San Francisco, won an 2006 Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects for Units 1 & @ Dormitories Urban Landscape at the University of California, Berkeley. (http://www.glsarch.com/)
Cheryl Sullivan (1989) is director of landscape architecture at Cunningham Engineering. (http://www.cecwest.com)
Scott Summers (1984) Married with two children and living in the Boston area since 2001. Previously worked in Asia (primarily in Taiwan and China) for most of my career which started back in 1984 when I left for Singapore upon graduating from UC Davis (Chris Doreshlager (sp?) and I were recruited out of the graduating class). Currently working for Gale International who is the lead developer on a large private development project in Korea: "New Songdo City". Songdo IBD (International Business District) sits on a 1,500 acre landfill that when fully built will be comprised of 100 Million square feet of commercial, residential and retail space surrounding a large Central Park. The development also includes an 18 Hole Jack Nicklaus Golf Course and International School.
Keith Suzuki (1989) I have been working at Caltrans for over 16 years in the office of Landscape Architecture since graduating over 15 years ago! I oversee consultant generated landscape projects and I am involved in creating computer-generated visual simulations of future landscape improvements. I am happily married with two sons, 3.5 and 1 month old! Pastimes include photography and enthusiastically driving my 1988 Police package Mustang show car.
Kenneth Tam (1990) I have been working for the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department since 1991. Besides working a lot, I have been traveling abroad (e.g. China, Costa Rica, Ital, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Poland).
Marvin Yee ASLA (1988) is Community Gardens Program Manager for the City of San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department.
Ronald Yungul (1981) I currently live in the North Hollywood, California, with my wife and one-year-old son. I am a graphic design specialist for the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund that distributes residuals to film and TV scoring session musicians. I am currently producing a very low budget television pilot.
John Zanzi (1985) is a licensed landscape architect at H.T. Harvey & Associates, Davis, specializing in riparian and, wetland mitigation and restoration, and site reclamation of ecosystems throughout northern California and the Lake Tahoe Basin. John has led and managed projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin including Blackwood Creek stream habitat restoration, and the Revegetation Guidance Document for Erosion Control Projects in the Tahoe Basin prepared for California Tahoe Conservancy (winner of an Association of Environmental Professionals 2011 Merit Award, Environmental Resource Document).
Scott Zucker's (1983) firm, Zucker Design Associates, landscape architects in Laguna Niguel, CA was recently featured on HGTV. (http://www.zuckerdesign.net)
1980 - 1974
Debbie (Noble) Black (1975) I own a private practice in San Luis Obispo, I am married to architect Garth Kornreich, and I have two grown children.
Scott Erickson (1979) writes: After receiving my degree in EPM / Landscape Architecture in 1979, my career took a different turn. With my wife Myra (also a UCD grad), I spent three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tuvalu, a tiny island nation in the Central Pacific north of Fiji where we were involved in various small rural community development projects. Upon our return, I received a grant through the East-West Center in Honolulu to do graduate studies at the University of Hawaii. In 1985, I received my Masters in Urban and Regional Planning and a graduate certificate in Pacific Islands Studies. Although I was prepared for a career in foreign aid work, the birth of our first son led us back to California to be near family, and I ended up finding a great job with the City of Pleasanton where I started as a planner in January 1986. I have been there ever since, although my duties and title changed to reflect a focus on affordable housing. I am now responsible for administering the City's various affordable housing projects and programs. This has included below-market rental apartments, senior housing (including assisted living), first-time home buyer programs, and several unique regional housing assistance programs. I also administer several federal and state grants for the City. We reside in the Central Valley town of Manteca where my wife Myra works as a kindergarten teacher. Our son Andrew (23) graduated from CSU Fresno and now works with a telecommunications company there. Our younger son Nick (19) is attending Chapman University in Orange, California, where he is studying film production.
Brian Firth (1980) I run a 16-person office in Chico and I love the profession. I am glad to see a renewed interest in "Green" and "Sustainable," it reminds me of the 70's! I am raising three teenagers along with two dogs, three cats and a fish. I have many great memories of UC Davis and the Landscape Architecture Program.
Michael Glassman (1977) is co-host of the "Garden Police" TV Program on the Discovery Home Channel at 8:00 p.m. every Thursday evening. He is the author of "Garden Getaways: Havens at Home" (Sterling/Chapelle, 2006).
Leslie Hyche nee McBride (1975) We recently sold out Nursery-landscape business of 50+ years. My parents originally started it, and my sister, her husband, my husband John, and I purchased the business in 1986 and moved it to a new location. We grew Tahoe native plants, perennials acclimated to our climate, had a landscape design and installation business as well as a full operating nursery and gift shop. We are now nursery and landscape consultants and learning about a "semi-retired" life.
Lisa Killough (1978) All of my background in Landscape Architecture is coming to be forefront as the Santa Clara County Parks Department takes on a master plan for a new regional park in the heart of San Jose. This new park, called Martial Park, will celebrate the agricultural legacy of "The Valley of the Heart's Delight," and once built will be the first also. County Santa Clara Park, in an urban area since the 1960's. I am very honored to be part of an effort and to lead the Santa Clara County Parks Department through the exciting times. I am absolutely committed to the parks business and am part of a burgeoning movement to inspire our younger generation to get outside and into the natural environment. My husband of 21 years, Paul Johannessen, and I enjoy living in Los Gatos and we have spent a lot of our spare time hiking and backpacking in the Sierras.
Sally Kneeland Petru (1978) I've been a botanical artist for 8 years now with prints and cards available in local stores. My original work has been juried into a variety of shows in the Bay Area and has been displayed in galleries. My work as an artist has allowed me the flexibility to be on hand for our 3 children while developing my business. I've involved currently in the establishment of a northern California chapter of the ASBA (American Society of Botanical Artists). Please visit my website at www.sallypetru.com.
Stephanie McAllister (1978) I have a private in Sonoma County, focusing on projects in the North Bay region. Recent projects include school campuses and winery development. I live in downtown Petaluma with my husband Roger and daughter Acryn.
Skip Mezger (1977), Campus Landscape Architect at UC Davis, recently received a $175,000 Grant from the Getty Foundation to develop a Campus Heritage Plan for UC Davis. (http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=8956) Staff includes an assistant landscape architect, a construction inspector, and four landscape architectural student interns. When not working on campus, I enjoy spending time with my family of my wife and three wonderful daughters. Advisory Board member for UCD LDA!
Ernie Ralston (1976) Since graduating from UCDavis, my professional interest/experience transitioned from design to environmental planning and permitting. Our Land Planning and Routing group here at PG&E is responsible for siting and permitting natural gas and electric transmission and generation facilities. My two current major projects include: 1. Managing a study investigating the feasibility of constructing an overhead electric transmission line from southern British Columbia to a PG&E substation near the Altamont to import wind power resources from BC, and 2. Managing a McHarg-style GIS analysis to identify potential solar thermal generation sites in the Mojave Desert and photovoltaic generation within our service territory. We may be able to provide a summer intern position here in downtown SF to a student interested in environmental planning. Let me know if there is any interest.
Mark S. Smoot (1978) I have been with Cracknel since 1996. Previously, I worked for OUP Associates, landscape architects in Cape Town, South Africa-1988-1990. Town Planning Branch, City Planner's Department, Cape Town City Council, Republic of South Africa-1990-1996.
Shauna Welty (1977) Other than work, for the last 2 years, I have been traveling to Bhutan and India, as my vacation time will allow! Bhutan is environmentally pristine, and the kingdom heads into democracy next December. My hosts are a 14th generation lama, and his Wellesley-educated wife, who works for the U.N. in Bhutan. They are marvelous people to travel with! Traveling has broadened my education, 30 years after graduating from U.C. Davis! I look forward to returning in 2009.
Katherine (Naugle) Wood-Copa (1979) After graduation and California licensing, I enjoyed ten years in the field of landscape architecture practicing with wonderful firms in the Bay Area. After meeting my then husband-to-be on vacation in Italy (where he was so impressed with knowledge of plant names!), life adjusted dramatically. From home Marin County and work in San Francisco to his home in Miami, Florida training and competing dressage horses. Always my avocation, those horses became the focus of my new professional life. Successful competitions with championships and awards including best trainer and best instructor in South Florida, United States Dressage Federation Bronze and Silver Medals, and graduation from the national judging course and building a good teaching and training business were all the next phase. I didn't really like the South Florida landscape pr is plant palette, so I didn't even garden, much less practice any part of landscape architecture. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was the next impetus for another life phase. Happily a move north to the lovely Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York was the result. Although a native Californian, I do very much enjoy the seasons and their various beauties. And now, my UCD education plays an important role in the managing and beautification of our 13 acres farm. We operate a unique horse farm in the countryside just south of Rochester, New York. We are close enough to enjoy a city blessed with many cultural amenities, yet we are far enough to have scenic views, open a city blessed with many cultural amenities, yet we are far enough to have scenic views, open space and peace. We aim to provide out horses and clients with lovely gardens, spectacular landscape displays, picturesque views and historic architecture as a setting for the study of dressage. Professional challenges continue; the latest goal achieved has been certification as a trainer and instructor from training level to fourth level by the United States Dressage Federation. This is the highest level of certification awarded in the United States at this time and only about 50 people have successfully completed the rigorous testing process. So far, I am delighted to be fortunate enough to combine the skills acquired at UCD with my lifelong love of horses in a fine lifestyle in a beautiful part of this country. Hopefully time continues to bring good things.