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.

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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.