We had a good Annual Meeting at Top Golf a few weeks ago. Thanks to those that attended and the folks that helped organize the event! We are already discussing ideas to improve next years’ experience and participation. Please feel free to share any thoughts about this gathering with the executive committee. 

In case you missed the annual meeting or updates from ASLA late summer, some important news: ASLA elevated 27 members as ASLA Fellows for their exceptional contributions to the landscape architecture profession and society at large. Election to the ASLA Council of Fellows is among the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members and is based on their works, leadership/management, knowledge, and service. One of our chapter members, Philip J. Meyer, earned this prestigious elevation to fellowship. On behalf of PGASLA, congratulations to Philip, and we appreciate your significant contributions to our profession. And big thanks to David Stokes for his extensive work to facilitate the nomination process.

The CLARB/ASLA Web Licensure Summit occurred on October 19^th. If you weren’t able to attend/view, feel free to reach out to David Contag or Karissa Pankratz for notes. And, as part of ASLA Advocacy Day, our own Dede Brokesh and Karissa were busy with staff from the offices of Senator Marshall, Senator Moran, and Representative Mann. They spent time sharing information regarding the Outdoors for All Act and the Excess Heat Mitigation Act. Thanks Dede and Karissa!

Several events are coming up. Buzzword Bingo at the Center for Architecture and Design is around the corner! Register and come have some fun. Next month, PGASLA is sponsoring the Wichita – Tacky Sweater Crawl on December 2^nd. Thanks to Karissa for coordinating this event. Have fun eating, drinking, and getting tacky. Also, Jackie is working to confirm our annual bowling event for December 9^th. More information on both events is coming soon.

On the horizon!

KC Design Week is scheduled for April 14-22^nd. They are looking for Crossroad firms to host Open Studio Night on Friday, April 15^th.

This my last letter, and month, as president of the chapter. I relocated to Minneapolis about seven months ago for a position at Coen+Partners. The transition has been a roller coaster and the challenge to stay plugged into the chapter, challenging. Thank you to the other members of executive committee for their patience, understanding, and continued productive work within the chapter. It has been a joy to be around good and talented people as we strive to improve our collective efforts on behalf of the members. Our chapter has some good ideas for the upcoming year and I hope members get involved and attend as many events as possible. As always, please reach out to us if you have any comments, questions, or ideas to improve the chapter experience. And as always, thank you to all our sponsors. We appreciate your support and involvement!

I hope to run into some of you in San Francisco at the annual conference. If not, all the best from up north!

Keep creating,

Brett Payton, PLA, ASLA

PGASLA President

Attention all PGASLA members! The annual holiday ‘Spare Time’ bowling tournament is just around the corner.

Sign up by December 7th to enter your firm in the tournament (Teams of 3 to 5 preferred). If you aren’t interested in entering the tournament, feel free to stop by for some casual bowling, drinks and snacks. RSVP with the link below.

As usual, we will have a holiday cheer award. Dust off your ugly sweater or best holiday outfit for a chance to win a gift card.

Questions? Reach out to VP of Sponsorship + Education Jackie Dietz at jackie.dietz@forms-surfaces.com.

December 9 | 5:30 - 9:00pm

Ward Parkway Lanes | 1523 West 89th Street, KCMO

Join us for a game night dedicated to our favorite industry terms! These are words you use all of the time at work and to impress colleagues and clients. For one night, and one night only, these words transform in a classic game of BINGO!

This isn't your Granny's Bingo night!

Members*: $10; Non-Members: $15; 

*If you are a member of AIA Kansas City, AIGA-KC, IDSA, IIDA-MA, KC APA, PGASLA, or

SEGD, good news . . . you are already a member of CfAD.

Submitted by David Contag, Chapter Trustee

October 2022

The health of our ASLA organization is doing well as we approach our Annual Meeting on Landscape Architecture this coming week. Membership is growing steadily. Our society continues to offer leadership opportunities on national committees and communication is very open under the leadership of our CEO Torey Carter-Coneen thru town hall style meetings. Our Society continues to be at the forefront of climate action through the introduction of its climate action plan to be presented at the 2022 meeting.

Brian Roth will be our incoming chapter Trustee for a 3-year term following the annual meeting in San Francisco and I will transition over to PGASLA VP for Advocacy after 6-years serving as Trustee. We have seen many changes in the last six years and much of it for the better. ASLA is a much more streamlined organization that continues to reach out to its members to ensure it represents and promotes the goals of its members. Thank you all for the support of ASLA and for the work you do to improve the environment and quality of life for people.

Highlights

• Conference on Landscape Architecture in San Francisco – you don’t want to miss out on this world-class educational opportunity (Register).  
• Air fares have dropped substantially, and the airlines have finally worked out all the logistical issues experienced over the summer. 
• The ASLA Fund has launched a campaign to raise funds to send students to the conference! Due to high demand, with over 800 students wanting to attend the 2022 ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture and volunteer, we need your help to support free registration for this amazing number of students. Donate today to sponsor a student! 
• CEO Torey Carter-Conneen was the keynote speaker at Colorado State University, Oct. 11-12. He met with faculty and students and talked about ASLA and how it keeps professionals and students connected. He also updated the audience on advocacy and other initiatives that ASLA is pursuing on the national and global level. He also took the time to visit two firms in the area.   
• President Eugenia Martin, FASLA, interviewed five of her woman predecessors and two woman successors, to mark the fact in 2022 ASLA will for the first time have three women serve as President, Incoming President, and President-elect (Eugenia Martin, FASLA; Emily O’Mahoney, FASLA; SuLin Kotowicz, FASLA). To promote the conference, this video was posted on the conference website, and leveraged in the member email message below, to promote the President’s Dinner (the event where the historic leadership transition will occur). Martin also interviewed Past President Claire Bennett, FASLA, last week in Indianapolis to discuss Bennett’s experiences in ASLA and the profession.   
• President-Elect Emily O’Mahoney attended the Modernscapes MENA 2022 conference in Dubai on October 18 and 19. She was invited to give a keynote speech on the effect of green infrastructure on human psychology and lead a panel on healthy landscapes.  
• On September 22-23, ASLA hosted DREAM BIG with Design, A Showcase of Landscape Architecture and PreK-12 Design Learning for young students and educator communities. This year, 705 students were enrolled by their teachers, which is an increase from 638 last year. And $32,000 was raised this year, which is almost double the amount (19,000) raised last year. 
•  The Education team completed its production agreement with the award-winning children's musician, Billy Jonas, to compose the ASLA song, The Big Idea. Staff and ASLA members collaborated over a 9-month period to create a song that captured the essence of landscape architecture and the professionals who are designing our future. The song was featured during DREAM BIG with Design, and the PR/Comms team is planning to debut the song after the annual conference.