LECTURER PROFILES
Below are profiles of our guest speakers for this year at WreckShop! They will all be speaking about the growth of landscape architecture, and sharing their expertise. An opening lecture will be held on Thursday, October 27, from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM followed by the a second lecture taking place from 2:30PM - 4:00 PM.
KEYNOTE LECTURE
Kona Gray
Strong leadership and a sense of integrity are part
of Kona’s DNA. As a firm leader with 28-years of
experience in 30+ countries, his global design and
management sense has positively shaped many
environments. He successfully integrates creativity
and regional resources into functional spaces that
invigorate the imagination. Kona envisions
welcoming places that promote community and
vitality in diverse neighborhoods around the globe. Blending
sensitivity with innovative design solutions, he unites a client’s
vision with his own vanguard designs to produce environments with emotional purpose and presence.
Kona is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and currently serves on the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board and recently served as ASLA Vice President Professional Practice. He is a Past President of the Landscape Architecture Foundation and member of the Urban Land Institute. He is committed to DEI initiatives with ASLA, LAF, HD and ULI. Kona serves on the University of Miami School of Architecture MRED+U and NSU School of Business MSRED Advisory Boards. He is a registered Landscape Architect holding a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Georgia.
At EDSA, Kona’s award-winning projects are inspired by a passion for creative design solutions that solve meaningful global issues. His portfolio ranges in multiple scales with emphasis on communities, parks, hospitality, urban public realms, mixed-use destinations, healthcare, and campus spaces. With an uncompromising dedication to quality, he consistently takes into consideration important factors like community, heritage, environment, and the constant pursuit of improving humanity through Landscape Architecture.
OPENING LECTURE
Eric Schultz
In his role as managing principal, Eric oversees the
implementation of dwg.’s strategic vision, ensures the firm’s
financial stability, and guides the research and development
priorities of the practice. He is dedicated to pushing the
boundaries of how people work—developing new processes
and workflows, promoting the use of scientific data to drive
design decisions, and adapting technologies of adjacent
industries to position the firm as a global leader in design and
sustainability.
Eric leads projects that create far-reaching urban environmental impacts. From developing a pocket patio ordinance to creating design guidelines for a city-wide rail system, he recognizes the potential for influencing meaningful policy to have positive effects beyond the scale of a single site. He participates in code review and re-write committees, and his mastery of complex city-permitting issues has made him one of the most sought after team members for urban design and development projects.
PORTFOLIO REVIEW
Mark Smith, RLA
Mark Smith is a Vice President with RVi Planning + Landscape
Architecture and is the Managing Principal of RVi’s home office
in Austin, TX. RVi has offices in Texas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia,
and North Carolina. Mark is a registered Landscape Architect in
multiple states throughout the US. He is responsible for
recruiting, marketing, firm management, and design oversight.
Over the course of his career, he has practiced throughout the
US and oversees a wide range of projects, including national
veterans cemeteries, parks, master planned communities, and
transportation facilities.
Mark is a graduate of LSU in Baton Rouge, LA, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture. He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), is CLARB certified, and is a Certified Arborist. He lectures regularly on design, professional practice, and portfolio design in Landscape Architecture programs throughout the south. His upcoming book, “Design Portfolios: A Recruiter’s View,” is scheduled for publication by Wiley in late 2022.
