2019 Annual WASLA Conference Keynote

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

8:00 am
Grit Advocacy: Landscape Architects as Agents of Change

Description:

Landscape architecture aspires for greater visibility, relevancy, and efficacy, but change doesn’t happen overnight. How can we empower the profession to act at the granular level, getting into the system to influence change? From barriers to the profession to the contemporary challenges that landscape architects address, this session will focus on ‘Grit Advocacy’ and how our profession can iteratively connect and create change.

Speaker:

Jonathan Geels, Landscape Architect, Troyer Group

Speaker Bio:

Jonathan Geels
Landscape Architect, Troyer Group

Jonathon Geels's experience encompasses public health and equitable design with an emphasis on engagement strategies. He is passionate about urban sociology applications in landscape design and sees it as integral to environmental and infrastructure management as well as economic development. As his work continues to span sectors, he seeks to solve problems by connecting people to new ideas through design, innovation, and advocacy. He is the Past-President of the Indiana Chapter of ASLA, recipient of the Rising Star ASLA Advocacy Award, a member of the South Bend Regional 40 Under 40 2016 class, the 2017 South Bend Chamber Outstanding Business Leader of the Year, and he is a member of several community advocacy and academic committees.