LARC Graduate Students
Landscape Architecture
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Micaela Ada BS, Kinesiology, University of Maryland |
Micaela joined PSLA shortly after earning her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at the University of Maryland. Through her undergraduate studies, she discovered an affinity for the relationship between the natural and built environment, and human physical health. She is pursuing landscape architecture as her avenue to creating a positive impact at this nexus, which she continues to explore through her involvement with the NatureRx@UMD lab. Looking particularly at urban settings, Micaela intends to focus her graduate studies on understanding how environmental design creates and encourages active communities and supplements overall health. |
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Daniel Bentley BS, Plant Science / Urban Forestry, University of Maryland |
As a lifelong Maryland resident, Daniel is acutely aware of the unique ecosystem at work in the Chesapeake Bay area. Years spent fishing, camping, and hiking the forests of Maryland have fostered his curiosity for these natural environments. His plant science background enables him to see the intricate connections between these ecosystems and the humans who call this state home. Daniel’s passion for developing a thriving urban tree canopy has led him to his graduate studies in the Landscape Architecture Program. He hopes to use his tools and knowledge to improve the future urban tree environment in the Mid-Atlantic and abroad. |
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Erin Callahan Northeastern University |
A Los Angeles native, Erin’s experiences both at home and further afield have shaped her into a conscious and collaborative creator ready to take on the challenges of our times. As a political science undergraduate at Northeastern University, she researched the ways in which climate change has informed intrastate conflicts both contemporary and historical. After working in financial services for several years she returned to UMD to pursue her MLA, deeply moved by the ways in which the discipline contributes to the improvement of environmental, social, and economic justice. She is particularly interested in urban design, restorative ecological design, and playscapes. |
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Stephanie Cavanaugh Clemson University |
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Audrey Erin Fann BS, Texas Tech University, 2018 |
Audrey has a background in natural resource management with a concentration in conservation science. Audrey has a rich history in working with animals, including interning at two accredited zoos. She wants to create stimulating zoo enclosures that allow animals held in captivity to thrive. After joining the landscape architecture program, she gained an interest in restoring natural habitats focusing on threated or endangered animals. Audrey’s goal is to work with a firm that has a similar interest in conservation and restoration, whether small or large scale. |
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Alison Jones MPS, Sustainable Landscape Design, 2014, George Washington University MFA, Painting, 1997, George Washington University BA, Art History/Studio Art, 1985, Oberlin College |
Alison has a background in art history, painting, and sustainable residential design. She is interested in how we perceive the environment through all our senses and how this knowledge can be applied to the design of restorative public landscapes. Her pursuits invite interdisciplinary collaboration and draw on environmental psychology, cognitive neuropsychiatry, aesthetic theory and experience, and ecological science and application. Happiest with her hands in the soil, she derives great satisfaction and solace from tending her exuberant garden. |
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Eve Josar BA, Wayne State University |
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Elliott Kenney Bard College |
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Jonathan Mallory BA, Philosophy, Geneva College |
Jonathan Mallory discovered landscape architecture by taking an environmental history course during his undergraduate career and has worked extensively in the field of landscape maintenance. He has interned with the firm VIKA and is studying the intersection of landscape design and healthcare. In his studio work, he has strived to create spaces that renew the earth and uplift the human spirit. |
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Bryn Martin BA, Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County |
Bryn Maeve Martin first learned about landscape architecture when she was studying psychology at UMBC, with a focus on social psychology and health psychology. From the first time she read about landscape architecture in an article, she felt drawn to the field by the prospect of improving the health of humans and the environment through design. She is interested in strengthening communities, infrastructure, and ecologies through the design of the built environment. She is particularly interested in the planning, design, and management of urban green infrastructure as a strategy for climate resilience. |
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Katherine Hope McCormick BS, Landscape Management, Brigham Young University Minors in Environmental Science and Business Management |
Katie McCormick comes to the field of landscape architecture through careful preparation and with the intent of using her skills to contribute to positive change. Her interests include stormwater management, environmental sustainability, and urban design. Her studies at BYU encompassed plant science, horticulture, landscape design, and business management. She has spent the last three years working for a high-end residential landscape firm in Bethesda, Maryland. She loves her job, her colleagues, and her clients, using the landscape as her canvas. Katie is a life-long learner of languages and music. When not tending to one of her client’s gardens, you can find her dabbling in her own garden or spending time in nature. |
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Aliya Mejias BA, Environmental Studies, American University |
Growing up in a suburb of New York City, Aliya Mejias witnessed firsthand the impacts that sprawl has had on our ecology. This instilled a deep appreciation for sustainable and resilient design. After completing her BA in Environmental Studies, she became drawn to landscape architecture because of its holistic approach to solving problems and its intersection with urban planning and environmental justice. An avid bike commuter and enthusiast, she is interested in the Complete Streets model to promote green infrastructure in urban cities to restore ecology, increase access to green spaces, and manage stormwater runoff. Intersection of landscape architecture and transportation, specifically regarding land use, micromobility, accessibility, and stormwater management. |
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Kelsey Moody BA, English Language and Literature, University of Maryland |
Shortly after she graduated from the University of Maryland, Kelsey spent a year in Colorado volunteering with a nonprofit, which led her to the healthcare and social work sectors. During this time, she saw how people gained strength and renewal in nature. She became fascinated by the way physical environments influenced human health and well-being. After learning more about how landscape architects design spaces to shape how people interact with the world around them, Kelsey decided to pursue a career in landscape architecture to combine her love of working with people with her love of art, the outdoors, and design. Her areas of focus are therapeutic design and community engagement. |
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Stephanie Pully BS, Environmental Science, UMBC 2012 |
Stephanie Pully is the State Coordinator for the University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Program. She has spent many years in the restoration and environmental outreach field working as a Conservation Technician for the National Aquarium’s Field Conservation team. Stephanie enjoys working and learning outdoors and has particular interest in native plants and conservation landscaping. Her interest in landscape architecture stems from a family history in the field as well as a love for public gardens and providing access to beautiful green spaces for all. |
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Matthew Reise |
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Xiaojin Ren BS, Ecology, Xiamen University 2019 BS, Ecological Technology Design, UMD 2019
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As a “2+2” transfer student from China, Xiaojin had many opportunities to sample multiple classes across various areas during her undergraduate years. She regarded art and design as her hobbies and has always maintained an unabashed passion for nature. After attending one design presentation in the Landscape Architecture Program and visiting a few of the design studios, she recognized that Landscape Architecture is precisely what she wants to pursue as a future career. Xiaojin is particularly interested in therapeutic landscapes and wants to put what she has learned into the creation of better environments for elders who are experiencing physical and emotional aging problems. She also wants to address the mental health issues of young people who face great pressures in modern society. Research Focus: - Ecological restoration - Therapeutic Landscape - Senior-Friendly Landscape Design |
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Hannah Lee Savio BA, Classics, Vassar College |
Hannah grew up in rural upstate New York. At Vassar, she merged her studies in Ancient Roman Society with a Minor in Geography and developed a thesis about Sustainable Agriculture in Ancient Rome. This preceded various jobs in the agriculture sector including urban farming with youth, flower farming, and work with community gardens. Always finding happiness in green and leafy places, she made the decision to pivot and pursue the MLA at Maryland with the goal of creating that joy for others. She aims to study climate adaptive design and innovative stormwater management. She has particularly enjoyed working as a teaching assistant and teaching landscape architecture concepts to others. |
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Jainee Shah |
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Audrey Seiz Clark University |
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Marci-Ann Smith University of Maryland, Eastern Shore |
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Mary Christensen Brigham Young University
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Landscape Architecture & Community Planning
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Bridget Stokes BS, Accounting, George Mason University |
Bridget Stokes took a very roundabout way to finally find her passion and pursue landscape architecture. After studying accounting and practicing as a government auditor for several years, her thirst for design and creativity finally gave in. She hopes to be able to combine her savvy business skills with her developing landscape design skills to eventually own her own business. She is fascinated with biophilic design and how incorporating well designed landscapes into urban settings can reduce stress and improve your overall health and well-being. Bridget is the Social Media Coordinator for Student ASLA and is currently working as an intern at a small residential design firm where she enjoys meeting clients and designing outdoor spaces based on their unique needs. - Urban Design and Community Development - Participatory design strategies for public spaces in underserved communities |
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William Sullivan |
