PRESIDENT - ELECT
DAN LAMBERT, MCADAMS
Dan is the Director of Landscape Architecture for McAdams in their Charlotte office and has been in professional practice for 23 years. Dan's career has taken him from his original home state of Colorado to coastal South Carolina and ultimately to Charlotte where he continues to deliver high-quality design, urban planning, and guides a team of eight fellow landscape architecture professionals to reach their professional goals and potential while building the framework at McAdams for them to grow into a regional and national presence. Dan has been a member of ASLA since he was a student at Colorado State University in the late nineties and has been active in membership at varying levels since. Dan has spent the last six years serving the North Carolina Chapter as a volunteer and in the elected position of Member-at-Large for Conferences and Awards. Dan's passion as an advocate for the profession has led him to promote quality landscape architecture works within our communities and drives his desire to serve the membership. Dan has helped coordinate several conferences, online webinar offerings, and continuing educational events. Dan's current efforts include reconnecting with fellow professional organizations and Universities to host shared events for the benefit of all we serve.
Dan's decades of service and networking amongst allied professionals make him well-positioned to provide ideas and initiatives to bridge the gap in both professional respect and in public perception of landscape architecture and our role and value within the community.
Current Society Participation:
NCASLA Member-at-Large Awards Conference & Awards 2020-2023
NCASLA Conference Planning Committee Member 2018- present
SERC Conference Planning Committee Member 2023
SECRETARY
BRENNA LAFFEY, DESIGN WORKSHIP
Brenna is a landscape designer and project manager at Design Workshop in the Raleigh studio. She holds her graduate degree in Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State University, where she served as President of the Student Chapter of ASLA, and is actively pursuing professional licensure. Her experience and interests in the field translate across multiple scales of intervention, from large-scale systems thinking to crafting thoughtful details. Brenna’s background in interior design and materials fuels her passion for human-scale place-making. Inspired by witnessing the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Sandy in NYC, Brenna has also participated in cross-disciplinary teams working in the realm of resiliency and environmental justice. She believes that design at any scale can be a powerful medium in addressing complex issues and advocates for equitable, meaningful, and sustainable solutions. Brenna is experienced in project management and has worked on a variety of project types from land use planning at a County level to traditional landscape and site design.
Previous Society Participation:
NCASLA Emerging Professionals Committee - 2021-2022
TRUSTEE
EMILY BLACKWELL HSIAO, POND COMPANY
NCASLA members deserve a Trustee who will unapologetically advocate for the needs of the NC membership and collaborate smoothly with fellow members nationwide while serving on the governing board. Over the past decade I have advocated at the NC Legislature and with congressmembers in Washington, D.C for the protection of our practice and for legislation to fund projects we design. While serving as NCASLA President and on our Executive Committee for nearly seven years, I commissioned and led the first strategic planning retreat to rewrite our goals and strategies leading to stronger programs, expanded volunteer committees, and the selection of a new management firm to better serve our chapter’s needs. I’ve had the privilege of honing my cross national, best practice collaboration experience via orchestrating the multi-chapter planning committee for the inaugural Southeast Regional ASLA Conference, serving on the Federal Government Affairs Advisory Committee, and serving on the national Leadership Development Committee. I feel privileged that Pond & Company, a 600-person strong firm spanning from NC to Hawaii, entrusted me with launching the new regional NC-based office, and I’d be equally honored to be entrusted by the members of my home state to serve as your next Trustee.
Superlatives:
Most-likely to change her hair color annually
Most-likely to be speaking at the next park conference
Most-likely to be the only one wearing heals
Most-likely to be wearing her ASLA pin at an event
Most-likely to be holding up a Wolfpack hand sign
Most-likely to be travelling for a food and bourbon adventure
Most-likely to post shoe and hardscape photos on Instagram
Most-likely to know historical facts about your small NC hometown
* All votes tallied by self
Previous Society Participation:
NCASLA Secretary 2013-2016
NCASLA President Elect 2016-2017
NCASLA President 2017-2018
ASLA Inaugural Southeast Regional Conference Committee -2017
NCASLA Past President 2018-2019
ASLA Leadership Development Committee 2018-2019
SERC Conference Planning Committee - 2019
Current Society Participation:
ASLA Government Affairs Advisory Committee 2018-present
TRUSTEE
ZAK PIERCE, CLH design
Zak’s dedication and interest in ASLA began more than 15 years ago at Penn State, where he served as Secretary for their Landscape Architecture Student Society. Once in North Carolina, he continued his commitment and immediately became involved with the NC Chapter by volunteering on several long-range and conference planning committees. path of participation.
Previous Society Participation:
NCASLA Associate Member at Large - 2010-2014
NCASLA President Elect - 2014-2015
NCASLA President - 2015-2016
NCASLA Past President - 2016 -2017
National ASLA Chapter Presidents Council Chair Designate - 2017-2018
National ASLA Leadership Development Committee 2017-2019
National ASLA Chapter Presidents Council Chair - 2018-2019
NCASLA Conference Planning Committee Member 2022
Current Society Participation:
NCASLA Secretary -2021 - Present
NCASLA Constitution and Bylaws Committee Chair - 2021 - Present
ASLA Constitution and Bylaws Committee Member 2022- Present
NCASLA Legislative Affairs Committee 2022- Present
All these roles within ASLA have been spurred by his infectious passion for the Society and his desire to promote landscape architecture with potential and emerging leaders across the country. He truly values the comradery among the chapters and serves as a conduit between the NC Chapter and ASLA. If appointed as NCASLA Trustee, he is excited to continue his journey of leadership within an organization that is committed to designing healthy, beautiful, and resilient places for all.
Zak Pierce is CEO of CLH design, a landscape architecture and civil engineering firm in Cary, NC. He oversees the company’s business development efforts, client experience, and long-term vision for the company. As his landscape architecture career has developed, ASLA has provided countless leadership opportunities to help him progress quickly within his career. He truly values his ASLA membership and the great benefits it has provided to continue developing his confidence and skills as a landscape architect.
As both a licensed landscape architect and LEED AP professional, Zak is committed to promoting environmental awareness and conservation through safe, functional, resilient, and meaningful designs for all members of the community. He is a frequent speaker at parks/recreation, public safety, and landscape architecture conferences to further his professional development and promote the importance of landscape architecture.
MEMBER AT LARGE - GOVERMENT AFFAIRS
PAUL KUHN, TOWN OF CARY
Paul Kuhn is a licensed landscape architect who has worked for Cary, NC for over 18 years. Paul is currently the Capital Program Manager for Cary overseeing the $1 Billion worth of existing projects occurring in Cary. Paul oversees the twenty-year capital improvement plan for the future of Cary. Prior to coming to Cary, he worked in the private sector in Pennsylvania for about 4 years. Paul graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s in landscape architecture and a minor in planning. He has also successfully completed a course on Municipal Administration from UNC. He is a problem solver who has planned, design, and built some of the many “first” projects in Cary. He enjoys working on a range of projects that the public will use from maintaining the current, building for current needs, and planning for the future. He has worked on greenways, parks, venues, public safety, and other government facility projects during his career. He has also worked closely with the development community building in the local community.
Previous Society Participation:
NCASLA Conference Planning Committee Member 2021 - 2022
COASTAL SECTION CHAIR
SHARON RHUE, THE EAST GROUP
Sharon fell in love with landscape architecture as an extension of her love for the natural and built environments of Southern California 25 years ago and has never looked back. Upon returning to her native NC in 1999, Sharon continued the education she began at UCLA with a Masters of Landscape Architecture from NCSU. After several years in Raleigh, her career took her to Greenville, NC, where she is currently a Senior Landscape Architect at The East Group. In this smaller market my practice is broad. I am interested in coastal ecologies and the smart growth of urbanizing communities. Another interest involves the intersection of art and architecture, which has led to long-term engagement with Pitt County Arts Committee where Sharon currently serves as Chairperson.
Current Society Participation:
NCASLA Coastal Section Chair - 2021 - present
TRIAD SECTION CHAIR
STEVE RASMUSSEN CANCIAN, NC A&T
Steve Rasmussen Cancian is a PLA and an Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at NCA&T. Prior joining the NCA&T faculty, Steve was the principal of Shared Spaces for 17 years-a California firm focused on the participatory design of culturally resonant public spaces and improving neighborhoods without catalyzing gentrification. Clients included the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Fresno, Yosemite and Golden Gate National Parks, and community organizations representing working class renters in Oakland and East Los Angeles. Steve's work has been featured in LAM, the New York Times and the Venice Biennale.
Steve has recruited Anna Reeves to serve with him as Triad Section Co-Chair. Together they hope build a more vibrant and interconnected design community in the Triad, which will benefit NCA&T students and local firms and professionals.
Previous Society Participation:
SASLA President UC Berkeley - 2001-2002
Current Society Participation:
NCASLA University Representative of NC A & T - 2020- present