AGENDA
keynote speaker
Jessica Leonard AIA, LEED AP
Principal, Ayers Saint Gross
Jessica Leonard has more than 15 years of experience leading and managing master plan projects for large, complex institutions. A skilled leader of workshops and stakeholder meetings, Jessica believes that everyone’s voices must be heard, and that the best project outcomes result from an inclusive, engaging design-centered process. She finds satisfaction in helping institutions find clarity and a compelling vision for the future.
Jessica is passionate about working across multiple disciplines in the firm to help provide the best design solutions for clients. Thanks to her foundation in architectural design, she can think and design at multiple scales, develop insight into programmatic relationships, and understand building condition challenges. She believes design should be welcoming, inclusive, and inspiring, understands the importance of implementation, and how to design projects that will meet user needs.
Jessica enjoys working with large flagship public, R1, and land-grant universities across the country and she has extensive experience with the Smithsonian Institution, having led and managed projects for the National Zoo, NASM, NMAH, Pan-Institutional Collections Space Study, Pod 6, and the Dulles Collections Center. In her spare time, she enjoys guest lecturing at the University of Maryland and working as a mentor with SHARPkids, a program she founded in Baltimore City.
FIELD SESSIONS
awards gala,
Thursday, september 4, 6-9PM
Each year the INASLA recognizes outstanding projects completed by individuals or organizations located in the State of Indiana. These awards are given to raise standards of excellence, heighten public appreciation of quality landscape architecture, and expand public awareness of the profession and ASLA. The award winners will be recognized on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at the INASLA Awards Gala. Projects will be spotlighted on the INASLA website.
The Awards Gala includes a sit-down served dinner, drink tickets, a cash bar, and the awards program.
The event is cocktail attire.
6-6:45 pm - cocktails (bar accepts only credit/debit cards-no cash)
7 pm - dinner
7:45 - awards
9 pm - conclusion
SESSION DESCRIPTIONS + SPEAKERS
Keynote Session
Meeting the Moment: Designing Flexible, Inclusive, and Resilient Campus Environments
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
As designers, we are navigating a rapidly changing landscape shaped by technological advances, social transformation, and environmental urgency. Demographic shifts, climate change, and a renewed focus on belonging and student success are driving the need for more adaptive, inclusive, and resilient environments.
University campuses—often operating like micro-cities—offer a unique lens for understanding how design can respond to these evolving demands. This keynote explores how interdisciplinary planning and design with deep engagement can create flexible spaces that meet today’s needs while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges. Drawing on projects at several institutions, including Purdue University, we’ll examine how honoring the past, centering people, and looking toward the future can help campuses deliver on their mission in a time of change.
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify key technological, environmental, and demographic trends shaping campus landscapes and institutional environments.
2. Explore strategies for creating flexible, inclusive, and resilient environments that support institutional missions.
3. Demonstrate how interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement can inform planning processes and lead to more sustainable, mission-aligned campus outcomes.
Speaker(s):
· Jessica Leonard, Principal, Ayers Saint Gross
AM Tour 1
Grounded in Design: Transforming Campus Identity Through Landscape Architecture
2 PDH, LA CES/HSW
Join Rundell Ernstberger Associates (REA) for a guided walking tour of Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus, where decades of strategic design and planning have shaped a more walkable, bikeable, and identifiable campus experience. This interactive session will explore how landscape architecture has redefined connection and place identity across one of Indiana’s most dynamic educational environments.
Participants will engage firsthand with several key projects that exemplify the transformative power of intentional landscape and urban design. Stops will include Centennial Mall, Potter Quad, the new Dudley and Lambertus Halls, Memorial Union’s enhanced courtyard, Engineering Mall, and the Grant Street Cycle Track. At each site, the REA team will discuss the design strategies employed to enhance pedestrian and cyclist comfort, accessibility, stormwater management, placemaking, and wayfinding - all while preserving the campus’s heritage and enhancing its future.
This session will highlight how multi-phase, cross-disciplinary coordination, long-term visioning, and thoughtful design have helped Purdue meet contemporary mobility needs while reinforcing a distinct campus identity.
Learning Objectives:
1. Explore how layered design interventions across Purdue's campus improve pedestrian and cyclist experience and promote multimodal connectivity.
2. Understand how site design, plantings, and materials contribute to campus identity and environmental performance.
3. Examine the collaborative process between landscape architects, university stakeholders, engineers, and architects in realizing cohesive campus improvements.
4. Gain insights into phasing and implementation strategies for major public realm improvements on active institutional campuses.
Session Requirements:
· Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
· The tour route will cover approximately 1.5 miles with stops and shade.
· Tour will take place rain or shine (adjustments may be made in the event of inclement weather).
Speaker(s):
· Carl Kincaid, ASLA, Partner, Rundell Ernstberger Associates
· Kevin Sweetland, Associate, Rundell Ernstberger Associates
· Allison Leavitt, Director of Campus Planning, Purdue University
AM Tour 2
Living Campus: Maintaining New and Historic Landscapes in a Changing Environment
2 PDH, LA CES/HSW
Explore Purdue University's West Lafayette campus on a walking tour with the Director of Grounds and Director of the Purdue Arboretum. See how the campus landscape has transformed over the past decade through sustainable practices and initiatives like the 1869 Tree Plan. Discover how historic and new campus spaces are designed and maintained to adapt to changing social, economic, and environmental conditions, while supporting the university’s growing campus community.
Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss the challenges of maintaining landscapes in changing social, economic, and environment conditions.
2. Share insight on designs that are successful (and unsuccessful) in the campus environment.
3. Highlight the 1869 Tree Plan impacts to campus and lessons learned from successfully meeting this ambitious plan.
4. Emphasize the importance of including maintenance professionals in design review to ensure design intent is fully realized as landscapes age.
Session Requirements:
• Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• The tour route will cover approximately 2 miles with stops and shade.
• Tour will take place rain or shine (adjustments may be made in the event of inclement weather).
Speaker(s)
· Phil Richey, Purdue University Director of Grounds
· Paul Siciliano, Professor of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Director of the Purdue Arboretum
PM Tour 1
Title: Rooted in Nature at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara
1.5 PDH, LA CES/HSW
The John and Catherine Christian House, commonly known as Samara, is one of the most complete Frank Lloyd Wright homes in the United States. Nestled in one of Indiana’s most historically significant cities, the 2,200 square-foot Samara was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2015. The home affords national and international visitors of all ages the rare and immersive opportunity to experience Mr. Wright’s fully realized Usonian design just as if they were guests of the family.
Transportation: Transportation will be provided to Samara from the conference venue.
Learning Objectives:
1. Experience an immersive example of a Mr. Wright’s fully realized Usonian architecture.
2. Understand the historical context and design decisions that shaped Samara’s architecture and landscape.
3. Examine the ongoing work to preserve and adapt both Samara and its grounds, transforming a private home into a National Historic Landmark that hosts thousands of annual visitors.
Speaker(s):
· Nathan Allaire, Samara Site Director & Curator
· Kyla Marvel, Samara Site Interpreter & Assistant
PM Tour 2
Title: Take a Line for a Walk: A Sketch Walk Workshop
2 PDH (pending approval)
Let’s ditch the screen and take our sketchbooks—and ourselves—for a walk. Relax your shoulders, loosen up, and join this hands-on workshop as we experience and record the world around us. Through live demonstration and guided exploration, we’ll practice drawing techniques that bring energy and perspective to our sketches. We’ll sharpen observational skills, explore line, structure, tone, and depth, and learn to see in new ways. As we walk, we’ll study materials, details, and scenes—capturing the unique energy of place through expressive drawing.
Learning Objectives:
1. Build drawings using a variety of techniques: continuous line, ghost/ reference lines of target points as scaffolding for complete drawings.
2. Build interest using foreground, middle ground and background.
3. Explore level of detail, tone, and contrast.
4. Enjoy the process and product of a gentle afternoon together
Speaker(s):
· Joe Blalock, PLA, ASLA, Chair and Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, Ball State University
· Craig Farnsworth, PLA, FASLA, Roan Distinguished Professor of Practice in Landscape Architecture, Ball State University
Education Session 1a
Indiana’s Past and Future Climate and Its Impact on the Landscape Architecture Profession
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
Explore the impact of Indiana's changing climate with our expert panel and learn how rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns affect everything from public health to agriculture. Join us to discover innovative strategies from global precedents and see how landscape architects can lead the way in adapting our communities to these critical challenges.
Learning Objectives:
1. Build a knowledge of the general trend of climate change impacts on the state of Indiana.
2. Learn how some governments in Indiana have responded to climate change on the local level.
3. Explore how the profession responds to climate change in other states, and brainstorm together on the best practices for landscape architecture in the state of Indiana.
Speaker(s):
· Keith Cherkauer, Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University, Director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center (IWRRC), and Co-Lead of the Water Challenges Research Community within the Institute for a Sustainable Future (ISF)
· Stacy Haviland, City of Fort Wayne Superintendent of Park Planning, Development & Botanical Conservatory
· Yiwei Huang, Co-Chair for INASLA Climate Action Committee, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at Purdue University
Education Session 1b
Designing for Belonging: Inclusive Play in an Evolving Social Landscape
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
As communities evolve and social expectations shift, it is no longer enough for play spaces to be merely accessible—they must be meaningfully inclusive. In this session, Mara Kaplan, a nationally recognized leader in inclusive play, explores how playgrounds can adapt to meet the changing physical, emotional, and social needs of all children and their families. Drawing from over 30 years of experience and hundreds of real-world conversations with parents of children with disabilities, Mara shares innovative, practical strategies that integrate universal design principles with evolving community values. Attendees will learn how to create play environments that promote equity, connection, and resilience—helping public spaces rise to meet the demands of a more inclusive future.
Learning Objectives
1. Develop a list of the design elements that parents are looking for in an inclusive playground.
2. Identify and implement strategies that improve navigation, safety, and engagement for visually impaired children.
3. Analyze the unique difficulties associated with transferring out of a wheelchair and identify design strategies for wheelchair users and their families.
Speaker(s):
· Mara Kaplan, MBA, Educator, Inclusive Play Design Specialist, Advocate
Education Session 2a
Connected by Design: Evaluating Parks as People Magnets Through Social Impact
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
Public spaces can be powerful tools to cultivate social connection. When designed thoughtfully, they enhance the sense of community, build civic trust and strengthen community resilience. Drawing from research, case studies, and design principles, the presentation will examine strategies that empower landscape architects and urban designers to create places that prioritize social benefits, foster a sense of belonging, and cultivate a lasting sense of ownership among the communities they serve.
Learning Objectives:
1. The audience will learn about the importance of creating social impact through public spaces.
2. The audience will learn about layered public engagement strategy in the design process.
3. The presentation will provide case studies to demonstrate social benefits.
4. Design tips for adaptable spaces that promote social wellbeing.
Speaker(s):
· Rotina Tian, PLA, ASLA, Urban Designer and Landscape Architect, Rundell Ernstberger Associates
· Patrick Stout, PLA, ASLA, Senior Associate and Landscape Architect, Rundell Ernstberger Associates
Education Session 2b
Changing Forests: The Impacts of Ecology, Invasive Species, and Human Choice on Our Trees
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
The tree species that grow in our cities and towns are influenced by many factors, including the composition of trees that make up our natural areas, insects and diseases, the plant nursery industry, and people’s preferences. Learn about how the urban forest has changed over the last two centuries, how that impacts ecology and ecosystem services, and how we can plan to create a more resilient and equitable forest for the future.
Learning Objectives:
1. Illustrate how urban forests have changed.
2. Demonstrate data and tools that can be used to improve equity.
3. Highlight organizations that are successfully expanding green equity.
Speaker(s):
· Lindsay Darling, GIS and Data Administrator, The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Plenary Session (no ceu)
Call to Action: K -12 Engagement
PDH not provided for this session
[Description forthcoming.]
Speaker(s):
· Sean Rotar, PLA, FASLA, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, Landscape Architecture Program Chair, Purdue University
· Joseph C. Blalock Jr., ASLA, PLA, Department Chair, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, Ball State University
Education Session 3a
Please Take Your Carbon Footprint Conversation Outside
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
The profession of landscape architecture, along with the overall building design and construction industry, is shifting to more conscious carbon friendly designs. One of the forefronts of this movement is understanding how intentional site designs can impact the carbon footprint of a project. This presentation will provide a snapshot of the impact of carbon emissions of the building design and construction sector including discussing various forms of carbon emissions that impact the industry. It will then detail site’s role in each form of carbon emissions and look at three case studies in detail.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the current state of carbon emissions in the building design and construction industry.
2. Review the different types of carbon emissions including examples of each with the site design.
3. Review the carbon emissions of three case studies in detail with general observations and suggested improvements for each.
Speaker(s):
· Brett Schlachter, PLA, Landscape Architect and Urban Designer, Browning Day
· Dan Overbey, AIA, NCARB, LEED Fellow, LEED AP (BD+C, ID+C, O+M), WELL AP, EcoDistricts AP, ActiveScore AP, Associate Principal and Director of Sustainability at Browning Day, Associate Professor of Architecture at Ball State University
Education Session 3b
Open Data for Collective Impact on Design and Decision-making: Community Cases
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
As the built environment constantly evolves in urban areas, open data has become a crucial tool for agencies and organizations to assess risks and opportunities. With temporal and spatial data across multiple disciplines, including health, economic conditions, crime, mobility, and environmental hazards, designers can take open data and uncover underlying patterns to create valuable interpretations and responsive design solutions for community groups. This session explores how combined societal textual and spatial data analytics can prompt transparent design communication and an engaging decision-making process to help community buy-in for design and planning proposals. Through two Midwestern cases, attendees will learn and brainstorm how these civic data could drive their work and communication strategies for socially and environmentally impactful deliverables.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand key types of open data such as demographics, health, mobility, and their relevance to design and community planning realm.
2. Learn textual and spatial analytic outputs that can uncover the context and inform adaptive design strategies.
3. Identify effective communication strategies that leverage open data, to support a transparent and engaging design process.
Speaker(s):
· Kuang Xin, RLA, Doctoral Candidate, Purdue University
Education Session 4a
Voices from Nonprofits: Indiana Wildlife Federation + Wabash River Enhancement
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
Environmental nonprofit organizations and landscape architects share a common commitment to sustainable land management, conservation, and restoration. This session features two prominent Indiana nonprofits—Indiana Wildlife Federation and Wabash River Enhancement Corporation—who will discuss their missions, advocacy initiatives, and project implementation strategies. Attendees will discover how these organizations are shaping environmental policy and conservation efforts in Indiana and explore opportunities for landscape architects to partner with nonprofits in advancing shared sustainability goals.
Learning Objectives:
1. Learn about the mission, goals, and project implementation strategies of Indiana Wildlife Federation and Wabash River Enhancement Corporation.
2. Discover how nonprofits shape environmental policy and conservation efforts in our communities.
3. Explore opportunities for landscape architects to partner with and support nonprofits in advancing shared sustainability goals.
Speaker(s):
· Dan Boritt, Executive Director, Indiana Wildlife Federation
· Amy Krzton-Presson, Watershed Coordinator, Wabash River Enhancement Corporation
· Taylor Metz (moderator), Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, Ball State University
Education Session 4b
From Source to Site: Reducing Material Impacts Through Smarter Choices and Strategic Collaboration
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW (pending approval)
Landscape architects face increasing pressure to meet climate and sustainability goals while navigating real-world constraints like volatile lead times, shifting material availability, and evolving client demands. But what if the key to making more resilient, low-impact choices lies in understanding the entire supply chain?
This session explores how upstream decisions—beginning with resource extraction and continuing through manufacturing—shape the environmental footprint of site construction. Aligned with the ASLA Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan, the course empowers participants to evaluate materials through a climate-conscious lens, revealing the often-hidden impacts on embodied carbon, biodiversity, and supply resilience.
Through real-world examples and expert perspectives from sustainability, engineering, and supply chain professionals, participants will learn how to make informed decisions and collaborate more effectively with manufacturers to drive transparency, durability, and reduced environmental impact. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to reduce embodied carbon, select low-impact materials, and align their design practice with the urgent demands of a changing climate.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand supply chain factors that influence the upstream impacts of material choices on carbon emissions, biodiversity, and project feasibility—from resource extraction to manufacturing.
2. Identify key material attributes and design-phase strategies to reduce embodied carbon and ecosystem disruption in site furnishings and hardscape elements.
3. Learn how to collaborate effectively with manufacturers to improve transparency, reuse potential, and environmental performance.
Speaker(s):
· Amy Syverson-Shaffer, Landscape Forms Sustainability Leader
· Natalie Biddle, Landscape Forms Director of Engineering
· MC: Julie Barnard, Business Development Representative for Indiana & Northern Kentucky
Education Session 5a
One Health District – Indy’s New Neighborhood
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
Indianapolis’s southwest quadrant, home to the Valley neighborhood, has endured displacement, redlining, and industry. Despite this, residents have persevered. The Master Plan for the former GM Stamping Plant, at the heart of the neighborhood, centers on a "One Health" vision to integrate human, animal, and environmental well-being. Learn about the planning and design of this district and its board themes, which include green corridors, expanded trails, a new bridge, improved transit, and mixed-use development featuring research institutions, housing, and businesses. Other aspects include the White River State Park extension will honor industrial heritage, while blending natural and urban elements and the collaboration between multiple public and private entities.
Learning Objectives:
1. Learn the history that led to the Valley neighborhood’s rise and decline.
2. Understand the complexities of redeveloping a legacy brownfield site.
3. Learn of the proposed One Health District development and its unique positioning within downtown Indianapolis.
Primary Speaker(s):
· Eric Lucas, CEO,MKSK
Education Session 5b
State Government 101: Understanding the Legislative Process and How You Can Be an Influencer
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
The INASLA’s contract lobbyists from Krieg DeVault LLP will provide attendees with an overview of the Indiana General Assembly, including a brief explanation of how a bill becomes a law, typical issues that are introduced that are of interest to the industry, and how members can engage with their elected officials. The presentation will also include an explanation of how to navigate the General Assembly’s website so that members can follow the process on their own. We may also touch on the Executive Branch and key administrative agencies.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understanding the legislative process
2. Understanding the role that INASLA lobbyists play in that process
3. Understanding of bills that are introduced each year impacting the industry
4. Understanding of how to directly contact your local legislators and how to effectively communicate with them
Speaker Bios:
· Mathew Norris, Of Counsel, Krieg DeVault LLP
· Grant Achenbach, Senior Associate, Krieg DeVault LLP
Student Session (no ceu)
For Students by (For)mer Students
PDH not provided for this session
Back by popular demand, this returning tradition from last year invites you to a candid, students-only panel at the INASLA Conference. Recent landscape architecture graduates from Purdue and Ball State will share how their lives have changed since graduation, and what they wish they had known while preparing for co-ops, internships, and entry-level work.
This closed-door session is your chance to ask honest questions, get practical advice, and hear real-world stories about the transition from student to professional. From maximizing your time in school to thriving in your first job, this is a valuable opportunity to learn from those who’ve just taken the leap.
Speaker(s):
· Yiwei Huang, Co-Chair for INASLA Climate Action Committee, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at Purdue University