Black History Month a Time to Highlight ASLA's Diversity

Initiative
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) marks Black History Month by spotlighting
the African American landscape architects who, along with their Latino colleagues, are helping to
expand the Society's diversity profile.

According to ASLA President K. Richard Zweifel, FASLA, ASLA has a longstanding commitment to
inclusion and is communicating and educating about the landscape architecture profession to
diverse communities. ASLA is undertaking outreach that includes a redesigned career discovery
page for students, including "personal paths" video interviews with minority landscape architects,
and an education hub for teachers launched last year.
"The celebration of Black History Month is very important to ASLA," said Zweifel. "We want
everyone to know that African American landscape architects are providing incredible contributions
through their design skills and environmental stewardship in making our communities better places
to live and raise our children. We also want parents, teachers and children to know about landscape
architecture and the satisfying and creative professional career it offers."
In order to help develop and further action items and strategies to increase diversity in the
landscape architecture profession, ASLA launched a multi-year commitment in July 2013 to sponsor
a series of annual multicultural focus summits with landscape architects representing a variety of
practice types. The African American landscape architects who participated in the June 2014 summit
included:

C.L. Bohannon, Ph.D, ASLA. Bohannon is an assistant professor of landscape architecture at Virginia
Tech, where he also received his doctorate in architecture design research in 2014. His prior
leadership roles with ASLA include serving on the Florida ASLA Chapter's executive committee from
2008 to 2011, the Society's Council of Education from 2008 to 2009 and the Test Prep Committee
from 2007 to 2008. He is a current member of the Committee on Education.

Wesley Brown, ASLA. Brown is the project manager of planning and capital projects at Central
Atlanta Progress - downtown Atlanta's business improvement district. In this role, Brown is
responsible for managing downtown Atlanta's infrastructure improvements and strategic planning
efforts, which create vibrant public spaces and improve mobility. Brown received a bachelor's
degree in landscape architecture from North Carolina State University and a master's degree in
urban design from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Domini Cunningham, Assoc. ASLA. Cunningham is a landscape designer with BETA Group Inc. and
received two master's degrees from Auburn University, one in landscape architecture and another in
community planning. At Auburn he was part of a team that received a 2014 ASLA Professional Honor
Award in the Research Category for "The Phenology Project."
Michael Hill, ASLA. Hill's career has been devoted to empowering youth and communities to
reconnect to and shape the places they live, play, work and learn. He works as a landscape architect
for the U.S. Forest Service's Independent Resources Enterprise Team, and supports the agency
through meeting facilitation, youth program support, scenery analysis, recreation facilities planning
and design. He received his master's degree in landscape architecture and planning from Virginia
Tech in 2011.
Janelle Johnson, ASLA. Johnson is a senior landscape architect at OLIN Studio. Her professional
experience spans both the public and private sectors as a landscape designer and project manager.
She has worked on a variety of projects including the design and construction of city parks and
urban design strategies for distressed communities. She received her master's degree in landscape
architecture and regional planning from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010.
Tammy Martin, Assoc. ASLA. Martin has worked in human resources for more than 12 years and is
currently transitioning to the field of landscape architecture and urban planning. She graduated
with distinction with a master's certificate in landscape architecture from the University of
California Los Angeles Extension. She works as a regional human resources coordinator for Zenith
Education Group and also performs landscape design and consulting through Tammy Martin
Landscape Design.

Courtney Hinson Cason, ASLA. With more than six years of experience in the land development
industry, Hinson Cason works as a planner for Parsons Brinckerhoff. Her previous experience
includes working as a planner and landscape architect for a civil engineering, surveying and landplanning firm. She received her master's degree in landscape architecture from North Carolina
State University in 2007.
Christopher L. Sanders, Associate ASLA. Sanders is a designer with SWT Design whose career focus
is environmental stewardship and innovation. He had previously been a conservation specialist with
the Big Bend Groundwater Management District in Stafford, Kansas. He earned his master's degree
in landscape architecture from Kansas State University in 2012.
Lindsey D. Smith, ASLA. Smith is the assistant chief landscape architect for the city of New Orleans
Department of Parks and Parkways. His career has emphasized design, community engagement,
project management and communications skills. He earned his bachelor's degree in landscape
architecture from Mississippi State University in 2004 and is currently studying for a master's
degree in urban and regional planning from the University of New Orleans.
About the American Society of Landscape Architects
Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects,
representing more than 15,000 members in 49 professional chapters and 72 student chapters.
Members of the Society use "ASLA" after their names to denote membership and their commitment
to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Landscape architects lead the stewardship,
planning, and design of our built and natural environments; the Society's mission is to advance
landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education, and fellowship.
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