Events

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WASLA Board of Directors

President
Rachel Gleeson, ASLA

Past President
Mike FaulknerASLA

Trustee
Tim Slazinik, ASLA

Treasurer
Lauren Konney, ASLA

Member at Large, Eastern WA
Dan Cronan, ASLA

Member at Large, Western WA
Sheryl Fishel, ASLA

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Hello WASLA Members,

As summer begins to wind down, so does my time as WASLA President.

In my first newsletter two years ago, I reflected on WASLA’s history and the many landscape architects who built and sustained this chapter before us. After serving as President, I’ve come away with a deeper appreciation for just how much WASLA does to bring together Washington’s landscape architecture community, advocate for the profession, support students and emerging professionals, organize events, and collaborate across state lines.

WASLA’s strong reputation and national presence are the result of generations of volunteers who have contributed their time, ideas, and energy. I’m grateful to everyone who served alongside me and to those who established the foundation we continue to build upon. It has been an honor to do my part in stewarding those efforts, and I look forward to continuing that work on the Board as Past President.

A few highlights from the past two years:

• Our first Field Day, celebrating the transformation of the Seattle Waterfront
• The 2026 RECLAIM Conference in Tacoma, with our strongest post-COVID attendance
• Most recently, Field Day at the University of Washington, celebrating a campus and institution that has contributed so much to our profession and its future

I’m also very optimistic about the incoming Board and the energy they will bring to WASLA. Our new and returning board members include:

• Rachel Gleeson – President
• Tim Slazinik – Trustee
• Lauren Kooney – Treasurer
• Rhiannon Neuville – Secretary
• Cresha Wee – Statewide Member-at-Large
• Sheryl Fishel – Western Member-at-Large
• Dan Cronan – Eastern Member-at-Large

I also want to offer a special thank you to Su Wanqin for her years of service as Treasurer. Her work has helped keep the chapter financially strong and positioned well for the future.

Finally, thank you to our members, volunteers, committees, sponsors, students, educators, and everyone who continues to show up and contribute to this community. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have served as your President, and I look forward to continuing the charge alongside all of you.

Mike

October 21, 2026 | 5:30pm to 9:30pm

Award Entry Submissions are due by TOMORROW AT 5PM!!!!!

Award Descriptions

Award of Excellence may be presented to a single entry in each category for a project that truly stands far and above all other entries and embodies the spirit and understanding that best reflects the Vision and Mission of ASLA.
Honor Award is presented for superior professional accomplishment and a higher level of excellence recognized in the work presented.

Award Categories

• General Design|Public Ownership
• General Design|Private Ownership
• Residential Design
• Analysis and Planning
• Urban Design
• Community Stewardship
• Outstanding Emerging Professional
• Green Ribbon Award!

LEARN MORE

A big thank you to everyone who attended, presented and sponsored our 2026 Field Day!!!

Lauren Konney - Treasurer

Lauren Konney is a Principal at Land Morphology with more than 15 years of experience in landscape architecture. Lauren has led the design and delivery of award-winning high-end residential, commercial, and public gardens projects across the United States. Throughout her career, she has also been committed to mentoring emerging professionals, improving project delivery standards, and fostering collaboration across disciplines.

Lauren earned her Master of Landscape Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and her Master of Architecture at the Tulane University in New Orleans. Lauren is now an active member of the Washington Native Plant Society and WASLA’s Climate Action Committee. She is passionate about advancing the landscape architecture profession and creating thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces that strengthen connections between people and the natural environment. When she’s not in the office, you’ll find her deep in the woods studying the flora and gently transporting slugs to safe leaf litter.

Sheryl Fishel - Western Washington, Member at Large

As founder and principal of Flecktura, a landscape architecture and planning studio, Sheryl Fishel focuses on defining places through the integration of client vision, land use, and landscape architecture, to create outcomes that are distinctive and attainable. Prior to founding Flecktura, she worked for over a decade in the Mid-Atlantic, the last five years as Manager of Landscape Architecture at Rodgers Consulting, where she led detailed design efforts for large-scale, multi-phase projects. Her work includes transforming commercial malls into mixed-use lifestyle centers, regional planning efforts and large-scale residential communities.

Success in these projects is the result of interdisciplinary work focused on maintaining design integrity from land feasibility studies through final construction. This approach establishes a streamlined workflow that improves project delivery and strengthens client outcomes. Earlier in her career, she worked with LSG Landscape Architecture, advancing public and private projects, including parks for the City of Arlington, Caroline County Regional Park, Janiela Farms and the HHMI Research Campus, Midtown Row mixed-use neighborhood, and senior living communities. Across all roles, her work consistently centers on the communities the projects serve and long-term impact on place.

Sheryl is committed to advancing the role of landscape architecture in shaping Washington’s built and natural environments through advocacy and interdisciplinary collaboration. Within WASLA, she serves on the 2026 Conference & Field Day Planning Committee and the Student Awards Review Panel. Beyond WASLA, she serves on the Urban Land Institute Northwest Women’s Leadership Initiative and is a member of the Center for Leadership cohort. She also contributes to AIA Seattle’s Women in Design Committee and volunteers at Seattle Parks’ Kubota Garden.

Sheryl is a licensed landscape architect in Washington and an AICP-certified planner. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University and is recognized as an LAF University Olmsted Scholar.

Members now have access to free monthly PDH live webinars and recordings via ASLA Online Learning. | Read More

A very warm welcome to our new and renewing WASLA Members:

Anne Hanenburg | Curtis Carpenter | Fred Gracey | Jill Fortuna | Kyra Loaring | Natalie Underwood | Sasha Matienzo | Sashi Raghupathy

Interested in becoming a member? 
Learn more about benefits of membership.
Join today!

• Landscape Designer - Anchor QEA
• Arborist - City of Seattle
• Landscape Architect - Walker Macy
• Marketing Coordinator - J.A. Brennan Associates
• Planning Specialist - The Seattle Design Commission
• Senior Landscape Architect - Mackenzie
• Experienced Landscape Architect - SPW Landscape Architects
  
• Landscape Architect/Landscape Designer - SPW Landscape Architects

Looking for the perfect job candidate?

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All job postings appear on the WASLA website AND are included in WASLA's monthly newsletter that goes out to over 2,000 subscribers!

• September 21st - 1st Annual Mickey-Corso Fun-Raiser - Register
• October 21st - WASLA Annual Awards - Georgetown Ballroom - Register

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