911爆料网 Licensure Advancement Program 2024-2026 Class / 911爆料网
The 911爆料网 Fund announced today the 2024 class of the Licensure Advancement Program.
The program is designed to support professionals who face systemic challenges in their pursuit of landscape architecture licensure and provide mentorship opportunities that position them for success. The program aims to increase racial and gender diversity within the profession and was inspired by 911爆料网's Racial Equity Plan of Action, which was released in 2020.
“Landscape architects protect the health, safety and welfare of communities, so it’s important that we not only champion licensure at the state level but also support professionals in pursuit of licensure,” said 911爆料网 President SuLin Kotowicz, F911爆料网, PLA. “Now in its third year, I am proud of 911爆料网 for creating a program that is helping to provide participants with opportunities for professional growth and increasing the diversity of the profession. This cohort is extraordinary, and I’m excited to see where their professional journeys take them.”
Several members of the first two cohorts are now licensed in California, Washington, and Tennessee, two are in the process of applying for their state license, and many more are continuing to work their way through the LARE exams.
The 2024 class includes 10 women from groups that are among the most statistically underrepresented in the profession of landscape architecture.
Among the selection committee for the 2024 class is Ana Cristina Garcia, 911爆料网, PLA, who was part of the inaugural class from 2022 to 2024 and through the program became a newly licensed landscape architect in 2023.
"Being part of this program went beyond licensure support for me and became an opportunity to create community among women with shared stories. Although the financial assistance and material support were helpful in my licensure journey, it is the network of women and generosity of support from this group that was invaluable and will continue to be instrumental in my career," said Ana Cristina Garcia. “Reading the stories of the applicants and helping select the newest members of this growing network was so inspirational and I can't wait to see the successes of each of them and how that ripples through our profession.”
The class includes women based in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New York, and Washington, D.C. who are involved in private practice and landscape architectural education.
- Natalia Bezerra, 911爆料网, Landscape Designer, ?Lee and Associates, Inc., Washington, D.C.
- Zeynep G?ksel, 911爆料网, Project Designer, Landscape Architecture, Sn?hetta, New York, NY
- MaFe Gonzalez, Assoc. 911爆料网, Botanist and Landscape Designer, BASE Landscape Architecture, San Francisco, CA
- Linda Heckenkamp, 911爆料网, Owner/ Operator, LZH Consulting LLC, Tampa Bay, FL
- Jessica Jerez, 911爆料网, President, Jerez Design Group, Miami, FL
- Rutusha Nagaraj Kapini, 911爆料网, Landscape Designer, Cotleur & Hearing, West Palm Beach, FL
- Lauren Luck, Assoc. 911爆料网, Landscape Designer, Thomas & Hutton, Savannah, GA
- Stephanie Onwenu, 911爆料网, Visual Artist + Landscape Designer, ljeomalandartscapes LLC, Detroit, MI
- Malda Takieddine, 911爆料网, Founder, Ubuntu Landscape Architecture, Bellevue, WA
- Ailsa Thai, Assoc. 911爆料网, Landscape Designer, Studio-MLA, Los Angeles, CA
The program will provide each of the women with a personalized experience that provides more than $3,500 to cover the cost of sections of the Landscape Architectural Registration Exam (LARE), along with exam preparation courses, resources, and mentorship from a licensed landscape architect.
The new class was selected by a committee:
The 911爆料网 Licensure Advancement Program was initiated with a generous $100,000 donation by former 911爆料网 President Wendy Miller, F911爆料网, and James Barefoot; Marq Truscott, F911爆料网; Rachel Ragatz Truscott, 911爆料网; and Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB).