One vote per eligible member for each position is allowed.

PRESIDENT ELECT CANDIDATE

LAUREN EWALD

Lauren is the Studio Director for Fletcher Studio and has acted as the design lead for a range of projects, including public parks, office campuses, mixed-use districts, and the studio’s award-winning work for the nation's first spreading forest cemetery. Prior to joining Fletcher Studio, Lauren worked for design offices in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and her childhood hometown, Kansas City. In her current role, Lauren leads the development of project designs with the studio owner, while overseeing project documentation, and providing day-to-day communication with clients and project teams. She supports larger office objectives as well, leading team operations, staffing, mentorship and workflows. Lauren is most fulfilled when her team succeeds, and she is a small part in her coworker’s individual stories of growth and development.

Lauren is building her platform with larger advocacy goals in-mind. She started advocating for meaningful community engagement processes during college at Kansas State, where she graduated with an MLA in 2013. Lauren has volunteered for various environmental, political, and community programs since childhood, and is most inspired when design work often aligns with these causes. She served as the ASLA-NCC Vice President for the 2024-2025 term and the co-chair for the 2022 ASLA Legacy Project in San Francisco, as a part of the ASLA-NCC National Conference Committee. She also has served as an ASLA Mentor.

Lauren has served four years on the Professional Advisory Board for her alma mater, Kansas State, and is currently the Chair-Elect. She has lectured at the ASLA National Conference, LaBASH, the ULI Orange County / Inland Empire Center for Leadership, Cal Poly, and Kansas State.

VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE
KRISTA VAN HOVE

Krista is a campus planner at Stanford University with a degree in landscape architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Her involvement with the Northern California chapter has included roles such as Past President 2019-2022, Vice President 2022-23, Member at Large 2017-19/2023-24, and chapter volunteer 2016-17. She is passionate about helping people find their place in the Bay Area as Landscape Architects and providing members with memorable events, lectures, and experience that foster community. Her engagement with ASLA goes beyond the local chapter and includes leadership as Past Co-Chair and Volunteer with the Campus Planning & Design PPN from 2016-2024, attendance to almost all national conferences but two since 2012, student LABASH 2012-2014, and Past President of her student chapter. Her goal is to bring guidance and mentorship back to the ever thriving NorCal Chapter Executive Committee.

SECRETARY CANDIDATE

FIWASEWA OGUNDIPE

Raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Fiwa’s journey from Architecture to Landscape Architecture is rooted in a passion for connecting built and natural environments to uplift underserved communities. Her work explores how design can foster resilience amidst environmental and social challenges. At BASE Landscape- through design, writing, and mentorship, she seeks to create community-centered landscapes that honor culture, celebrate beauty, and amplify stories of place especially for those least remembered. While at UC Berkeley, she co-chaired CEDSOC, served on ASLA’s Lecture Committee, advocating for Students of Color and was nominated as a 2022 LAF Olmsted Scholar.  

TREASURER CANDIDATE

MICHELLE JEPSEN

My interest is in furthering the ASLA-NCC mission through continuing my involvement of the JEDI committee, and others, and as the chapter Treasurer. My intention is to continue elevating the chapter’s mission, and serve the chapter’s members. We have some of the best professionals in the country; being immersed within the chapter and community is elemental. There is a lot we have accomplished as an organization, to be on the ground in any way is empowering. Looking forward to another great year.

CCASLA REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE

BRODIE HEGG

Brodie Hegg was born and raised in California. Starting from his home base in the Central Valley he began exploring the wildness of California’s mountains, rivers, deltas, deserts and coasts. Through these excursions Brodie learned a deep love and sense of stewardship for these beautiful landscapes. Brodie spent over 15 years in landscape construction, design, and maintenance before his love of art and nature led him to study at UC Davis, where he majored in Landscape Architecture. After receiving degrees in Landscape Architecture and Art, Brodie relocated to the Monterey Peninsula to practice professionally. Over the course of his professional practice, he has worked on a variety of projects that include residential design, habitat restoration, living architecture, and commercial projects. After founding his own firm in early 2020 Brodie expanded his scope to include irrigation design. Brodie’s construction background has allowed him to take a practical, yet artful, approach to landscape design.

Select up to 8 At Large Member Candidates

AT LARGE MEMBER CANDIDATE

MAFE GONZALEZ

MaFe Gonzalez is a landscape designer and botanist with a strong interest in ecology, taxonomy, and conservation of plants. Her journey into landscape architecture was inspired by her studies in botany where she saw a need to participate in world-making—especially to create spaces that re-establish reciprocal relationships between people and the environment. Currently a landscape designer at BASE Landscape Architecture in San Francisco, CA—MaFe is a passionate and purposeful practitioner that initiates or supports a variety of projects and visions. She is also a lecturer in the United States and Colombia, and is a leader and researcher of academic and pro-bono initiatives.

AT LARGE MEMBER CANDIDATE

VERMOUTH LI

Vermouth Li is a landscape designer at WRT whose work operates at the intersection of climate-adaptive design, cultural narrative, and social resilience. She holds both a Bachelor and a Master of Landscape Architecture from University of California Berkeley. As a recipient of the 2025 ASLA-NCC JEDI Scholarship and a 2026 ASLA-NCC Merit Award, currently serving as the JEDI Advocate for the chapter, Vermouth has demonstrated a consistent commitment to excellence and advocacy within the profession.

Vermouth’s professional background includes contributions to sustainable, community driven design and planning projects at firms such as WRT, PWP, VITA, and Plural. She brings a rare combination of technical rigor, evidenced by her published research on channel morphology at Wildcat Creek, and artistic sensitivity, drawn from over 20 years as a professional guzheng performer and educator.

As a candidate for At-Large Member, Vermouth intends to focus on JEDI initiatives and empowering emerging professionals by creating stronger mentorship pathways and professional development resources. She views landscapes as living narratives and is dedicated to ensuring that the ASLA-NCC Executive Committee continues to lead with clarity, balance, and a profound commitment to environmental and social equity.

AT LARGE MEMBER CANDIDATE

ALEX LIU

Alex Liu earned his Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from UC Berkeley in 2018. While in school, he interned with several local firms such as CMG and TLS. With a previous background in urban planning, Alex has long been interested in the dynamic intersections of landscape architecture, architecture, environmental planning, and urban design.

Since graduating, he has spent the past seven years at HOK, where he has contributed to a range of interdisciplinary projects across California. Recently licensed as a landscape architect in the state, Alex is eager to take a more active role in advocating for the profession. He is passionate about supporting the landscape architecture community and is committed to contributing meaningfully to ASLA NCC's mission in California and beyond.

AT LARGE MEMBER CANDIDATE

KHADEEJIA MARCUM

Hello, my name is Keja, and I am seeking an At-Large position within ASLA because of the important role the organization has played in my professional growth and development.

When I began exploring landscape architecture, ASLA immediately stood out as a space for growth, connection, and professional development. I earned my BA in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. Today, I work as a landscape designer, where I am able to explore my design philosophy while contributing to spaces that are both sustainable and beautiful.

Since joining ASLA, I have attended award presentations, sketch crawls, fun social events, and professional development events. Through ASLA, I was also introduced to JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion), an extension of the organization dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion within the profession. My involvement with JEDI has strengthened my commitment to creating a more welcoming and representative future for landscape architecture.

I am seeking this position to expand my involvement within the ASLA community. I hope to inspire emerging designers to stay engaged, build meaningful connections, and discover how rewarding this profession can be.

I value sustainability, inclusive design, and the creation of healthy environments. I am excited to connect with professionals from all backgrounds, contribute new perspectives, and help foster a stronger, more supportive ASLA community.

AT LARGE MEMBER CANDIDATE
NITI TATARIA

Niti Tataria is a Senior Landscape Design Professional based in Northern California with experience across a wide range of project types including technology campuses, healthcare campuses, educational campuses, public parks, stadiums, master plans, and specific plans. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from Texas A&M University and is currently working toward professional licensure.

Her professional interests include sustainable design, ecosystem development, human-centered environments, interdisciplinary collaboration, and advancing the role of landscape architecture in creating healthier and more resilient communities. Niti is passionate about advocacy, mentorship, and supporting the next generation of landscape architecture professionals.

AT LARGE MEMBER CANDIDATE

PEIXUAN WU

Peixuan Wu is a landscape designer at Scape Landscape Architecture DPC, specializing in ecological design for public spaces. She designs and advocates for ecologically restorative and socially engaged landscapes, urban environments, and natural infrastructure. She graduated from University of California, Berkeley, with a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA). As a recipient of the Geraldine Knight Scott Fellowship and Thomas Church Memorial fellowship, she focuses on the intersection of co-habitat and climate change design. Her work integrates research and practice seamlessly to reveal the ecological and cultural profusion inherent in the built environment. At the same time, she has received multiple honors for her research, and her work was exhibited at the Seoul Biennale.

AT LARGE MEMBER CANDIDATE

HANTING XIE

Hanting Xie is a licensed landscape architect with a background in architecture, landscape architecture and urban spatial analytics. The multi-disciplinary background stimulated her research interests in embedding quantitative analysis into traditional urban studies. She is also interested in the practices of data-driven design in various urban contexts. In 2019, she joined AECOM and has participated in many high-profile landscape and urban design projects across the globe. She has collaborated closely with international teams to deliver complex design solutions. She is also interested in environmental studies and sustainable design.

AT LARGE MEMBER CANDIDATE

CHARLIE YUE

Charlie Yue is a landscape designer with five years of experience creating sustainable and aesthetic outdoor spaces. He currently works at Lutsko Associates, where he specializes in residential landscape projects. Charlie has a strong background in sustainable design practices and has contributed to several award-winning projects. He holds a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.