Presidents MessageDavid L Stipe, ASLA, LLA
My colleagues on the Executive Committee and I have been busy addressing many topics of relevance to our profession. From issuing a doodle poll on the stamp and deciding whether to embark on the process of updating it with the licensure board and the state to promoting World Landscape Architecture Month beyond the walls of our professional circle of colleagues. Additionally, a core group of folks have been planning the upcoming conference to be held in Wenatchee at the end of May. I have been playing a small role in all of these different initiatives and efforts, while beginning to prepare for the President and Trustee’s annual advocacy trip to Washington DC. Curtis Lapierre and I will be heading to our nation’s capital for Advocacy Day and the mid-year leadership meetings from April 22nd to the 25th. Chapter Presidents and Trustees from all over the country gather in our nation’s capital to advocate for our profession and for the federal programs that are so important in ensuring our communities are wonderful places to live, raise families and practice our profession. We are also happy to be bringing along two student representatives to Washington DC to aid in advocating for academic policy issues that affect the development of young practitioners. Shelby Upton from the University of Washington and Taylor Wiek from Washington State University will be joining Curtis and me on the advocacy trip. Both are excited at the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital and experience one of the more important initiatives WASLA focuses on every year. I have been doing quite a bit of reading on the issues that our national chapter see as topics for discussing with our elected Representatives and Senators, but I want to hear from our membership. What are the topics (funding, policy, etc.) related to our profession that you feel are important and would like Curtis and I to discuss with members of the House and Senate? Whether it is funding for parks, open space and a strong wilderness system, access for all or safe routes to school in a couple of weeks we will have the attention of those that represent is on one of the world’s largest stages. During these brief meetings we will be discussing the topics and issues that are important to us with minimal interruption. It is a rare opportunity for our profession’s leaders to connect with our nation’s leaders to advocate for the profession, the environment and for programs that enhance the fabric of our society. Send me an email at [email protected] if you have a topic to our profession that you would like us to discuss while we are in the nation’s capital for Advocacy Day.
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