Barbara Deutsch, FASLA

Barbara Deutsch, FASLA, is the CEO of the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) in Washington, DC. Barbara has a diverse background in both the private and not-for-profit sector. She brings ten years of award-winning marketing experience from IBM before making a career change to become a landscape architect. This experience was influential in the development of LAF’s Landscape Performance Series strategic research initiative. Prior to LAF, Barbara worked on re-greening cities from Hong Kong to Washington, DC.  She served most recently as an Associate Director for BioRegional’s OnePlanet Communities program in Washington, DC to deliver Zero Carbon, Zero Waste, Livable communities.  In addition, she served as Senior Director of Casey Trees where she led the 2002 Street Tree Inventory, Citizen Forester Program, and 1425 K Street Green Roof Demonstration Project. She was principal investigator for the award-winning EPA Grant “The Green Build-out Model:  Quantifying the Stormwater Management Benefits of Trees and Green Roofs in Washington, DC”, which has helped inform EPA’s proposed new stormwater ruling and the District of Columbia’s stormwater planning and programs. Barbara earned a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia, a Master's in Landscape Architecture from the University of Washington, and was awarded a Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Kenneth Francis, PLA

Kenneth Francis is a founding partner and principal of Surroundings, a New Mexico based landscape architecture studio. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from The Cooper Union in New York City and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. While studying at Harvard, he was awarded a travel grant to research the historic and cultural landscape of the acequias in Northern New Mexico. As a direct result of this study, Kenneth’s work has been focused on innovative and sustainable water practices at every project that comes into the studio. Kenneth has 23 years combined architecture and landscape experience and has presented on the topic of green infrastructure at multiple conferences, including the 2014 ASLA National Convention. He has been interviewed on PBS Austin and Kenneth also spoke at the Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Conference for ASLA New Mexico. He was also profiled in Smithsonian Magazine for the stormwater design features of El Parque del Rio, an award winning, regional example of green infrastructure along the Santa Fe River.

Mark Smith, RLA

Mark Smith is a Vice President/Principal and practicing Landscape Architect with RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture in Austin, Texas. With four decades of practice, his responsibilities include concept development, firm-wide design oversight, site planning and master planning, strategic marketing, and firm operations. Focus areas of his practice currently include Transportation Aesthetics, Community Design, and Veterans Cemetery Design. A Graduate of Louisiana State University, Mark is a lifelong resident of the Gulf Coast region of the US. He has worked with design offices in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Austin during his career and has practiced throughout the U.S., as well as internationally in Canada and the Caribbean. Mark is a Registered Landscape Architect in Texas and other states. He is also an ISA-Certified Arborist and a trained Public Involvement Specialist.