Our Story

Starting Out:  I’ve always known that I wanted to work for myself.  I got into Landscape Architecture largely because I just flat-out liked plants and the environment, but the idea of a desk job did not appeal so much.  I studied Landscape Architecture first out of an affection for horticulture, but I later discovered that I was a weirdo in the field.  I accidentally attended the exact right school, Oklahoma State, where their Landscape Architecture degree program is a 5-year first professional degree program within the school of horticulture – as opposed to a school of design like so many other Landscape Architecture programs.  I’d already spent 4 years studying everything from ceramics to springboard diving without much real direction when I first moved from California to Oklahoma and started a new life and a new direction at OSU.

Since graduating in ’97, my career has exposed me to a broad range of project work and the intensity of working for exclusively small (12 people max) firms.  I kept to small firms deliberately in order to gain the most exposure possible by working directly with the principal.  I’ve been at the front-lines on several award-winning projects that include parks, schools, hospitals, trail systems, streetscapes, historic properties, commercial properties, estates, small gardens, and religious properties.  I am proud to say that I’ve worked under several Fellows in the field and I am all the better for having had a front row seat while they set the example.

Going Solo:  I started taking the occasional freelance client in 2002 and went full-time as a sole proprietor in 2014.  I got to the point where I was employed full-time and taking my lunch breaks away from the office so I could return calls to private clients.  I recognized that I was not serving my clients well, I was super overworked, and I realized that if I was ever seriously going to work for myself, I needed to take the leap. 

Professional Credentials:  I am a licensed Landscape Architect in California (PLA), a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP), Bay Friendly Qualified Professional and Rater (BFQP, Bay-Friendly Rater), and a Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL).  I’ve trained other BFQP’s and Raters (see below) as well.   

Educator:  I developed and taught 3 different courses over 5 years for the University of California at Berkeley Extension program in the Landscape Architecture Department before the program ended late 2019.  I also spent a couple of years at ReScape California training professionals and acting as Director of Education.  I am all about elevating anyone who wants to learn about the landscape and the environment.  My experience teaching clients, students, and professionals a variety of subjects has given me such a gift and community.

Fire:  My focus of late is fire.  I have been stepping back from private design work in order to focus on educating people about fire in the landscape.  Feel free to take a look at LifePropertyEnvironment.com where I have begun what feels like a significant career transition. 

Now:  When I am not writing or designing, I can be found knitting and gardening in Northern California with my wonderful husband and three kitties, Coconut, Squid, and Tinge.