It’s time for our annual meeting and you may have noticed an interesting change. It’s now the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture, a new name that conveys more clearly what this has long been: the largest gathering of landscape architects and allied professionals in the world—all coming together to learn, celebrate, build relationships, and strengthen the bonds of our incredibly varied professional community. Those of you who have attended before will also note some adjustments to the daily schedules, designed to better respond to your needs.

In my many years of attending I’ve found that the energy flows from the first day to the last, and then continues through the rest of the year in my practice and teaching life. Although we often share the “why” of what we do, in education sessions and presentations we can discuss the “how and what” in meaningful dialogues. The professional development hours don’t hurt, either. And it’s always exciting to visit the EXPO and engage in productive face-to-face interactions with product vendors and suppliers. The conference is also a chance for students and emerging professionals to be welcomed into their new profession and begin to build connections that will last a lifetime.

For me, the delight of coming together in a large space filled with professionals who don’t require me to explain what I do is, in itself, refreshing. And meeting new and old friends is a joy. I learned long ago that the myriad opportunities experienced may add up to a few days in November, but can be transformative experience that can be far greater than the sum of their parts.

Although in 2019 there’s a new name and a new schedule, one thing that won’t change is the fact that this event—as always—is the most important and rewarding gathering of landscape architects anywhere. It will be good to see you in San Diego!

Shawn T. Kelly, FASLA
President

ASLA Annual Meeting Education Advisory Committee

Greg Miller, FASLA
Morrow Reardon Wilkinson Miller, Ltd.

Shawn Kelly, FASLA
Kelly Design Group, LLC & University of Wisconsin, Madison

José Almiñana, FASLA
Andropogon Associates, Ltd.

Robert Berg, ASLA
Design Workshop-Denver

Bradley Cantrell, ASLA
University of Virginia School of Architecture

Chad Danos, FASLA
Duplantis Design Group, PC

Christopher Della Vedova, ASLA
Confluence

Todd Hill, ASLA
DTJ DESIGN

Mark Hough, FASLA
Duke University

Janelle Johnson, ASLA
Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects

Tim Orlando, ASLA
Sawyer Berson Architecture & Landscape Architecture, LLP

David Rubin, ASLA
DAVID RUBIN Land Collective

Peter Simone, FASLA
Sawyer Berson Architecture & Landscape Architecture, llp

Chip Trageser, FASLA
The Office of James Burnett

Susan Van Atta, FASLA
Van Atta Associates, Inc.

Ramiro Villalvazo, FASLA
Ramiro Villalvazo Consulting

Thaisa Way, ASLA
University of Washington

Susan Weiler, FASLA
OLIN

Ernest Wong, FASLA
Site Design Group, Ltd.

Pennsylvania/Delaware Host Chapter Leaders

Host Chapter Co-Chairs
Peter Simone, FASLA
Susan Weiler, FASLA

Field Sessions Co-Chairs
Susan Mattison, ASLA
Anna Wik, ASLA

ASLA/ACE Mentor Program Legacy Project Co-Chairs
Kimberlee Douglas
William Tamburro

Host Chapter Booth Co-Chairs
Ann Marchino,ASLA
Rachel Sclan Vahey, ASLA

Publicity Committee
Tri-Chairs
Kim Davies, ASLA
Jayne Spector, ASLA
Laura E. Stedenfeld, AFFILIATE ASLA