GROUNDLEVEL - Key Persons
Born in Memphis and raised in Atlanta, Alex's interest in sustainable design led him to pursue his bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. After College, he continued to work for a civil engineering firm as a Land Planner and obtained his Arborist licensure. In his free time, Alex can be found outdoors doing one of his many passions such as rock climbing or hiking.
Alisa moved here from Virginia after completing her Bachelor of Architecture at Virginia Tech. She has always been interested in designing spaces for people to enjoy the outdoors and improve their overall well-being. She loves to travel and experience each city's different design and culture to help her in her own work. In her free time, she likes to teach and take workout classes, find the newest restaurants, and enjoy San Diego's sunshine.
Growing up as the daughter of a florist and an engineer, Amanda developed a respect for two very different worlds, horticulture and technical design. At UC Davis, she was able to focus her interests into the discipline of Landscape Architecture. Amanda loves to explore the intersection between the natural and built worlds, crafting spaces that play on their relationship. Outside of work, Amanda values her time with family, travel and music.
Angelica is a native San Diegan and a graduate of San Diego State University. She is thrilled to work for a firm that is passionate about highlighting the natural beauty of her beloved home town. When she is not running the numbers she enjoys spending time with her family, estate sale shopping and playing soccer.
A Southern California native, and a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Landscape Architecture graduate, Annie is very familiar with the ecological treasure that is San Diego. With experience in Design-Build, Annie's comes to us with an acquired eye for detail and an understanding of the delicate balance that we have and must sustain with our natural world. When she is not hard at work, you can find Annie tearing up the soccer field or immersed with wildlife, whether that be at home with her two cats or as a member of our amazing San Diego Zoo.
With over 17 years of experience, Brad has a wealth of experience in leading complex projects from concept design through construction. Brad's core strength is his ability to develop creative, yet grounded design solutions centered on his client's goals. His creativity, technical knowledge and real-world experience allow him to develop solutions for projects of any size, scale, and level of complexity. His "off the field" interests include hiking, tennis, yoga and scuba diving.
Dan's interest in landscape architecture stems from the desire to explore different forms of creativity. He has always enjoyed learning new art forms and tools that help to communicate experience and emotion. While attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dan discovered his passion for ecology and native environments. Now, he is driven to bring ecological systems and nature back to the forefront of design. In his free time, Dan loves spending time with friends and family, traveling, and playing the guitar.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Emily has always had a passion for drawing, art and the living landscape. She earned her degree at Pennsylvania State University, which allowed her study opportunities in Germany and Barcelona. While living abroad she saw how every city has their own story and culture though the way people interact with the landscape. She is looking forward to designing spaces that become favorites of those who use them. On the weekends, she loves to explore the beauty of San Diego and Southern California. She hopes to be able to catch a wave soon to keep up with the California lifestyle.
Supporting the creative industry for over 15 years with a keen knack for establishing, organizing, and maintaining the details of a great work environment for both clients and fellow teammates, Evan has extensive experience in personal and executive assisting as well as office and studio managing. Originally from Montana, Evan moved to San Diego earning her degree in graphic design while developing her ever-growing love for music.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Landscape Architect
With over 20 years of experience as a Landscape Architect, Faye has applied her keen sense of design, eye for details, and extensive plant knowledge to luxury estates, multi-family developments, parks, and historic garden renovation from Miami to California, and China to the Seychelles. Faye draws inspiration from her passion for animals, gardening, outdoor activities, and adventures with her family.
Beginning as a draftsman and a great coffee maker in a residential estate design-build firm in Chicago, Ian learned then that the process of design always starts with one key element - a story. A story provides coherence to an idea and guidance to creating great places. And Ian does love to tell a great story. Through his 20+ years in design, Ian has been fortunate to craft great places, from estate gardens, to resorts, to multi-family housing and mixed-use developments.
Itzy provides administrative support at our residential studio in Rancho Santa Fe. With a life-long love for beautiful spaces and the outdoors, she is excited to bring her professional experience to support GroundLevel's mission. In her spare time, she likes to spend time exploring San Diego with her dog, Bruno, or taking on home improvement projects.
After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 1999, James made his way to San Diego to work on resort planning, high end residential communities, urban development and upscale retail. James has planned and designed many modern residential projects that respond to the needs of smart, savvy millennials. James spends his free time with his family, often on the hiking trail.
A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Jason has been creating timeless designs throughout the San Diego and western region since 1995. Licensed in California and Arizona, Jason brings a diverse and creative background to GroundLevel. His ability to manage and support the studio, provide innovative and thoughtful design solutions, and address client's needs, make him a valued team member. Jason enjoys spending his weekends on the pitch with his wife rooting on their twin daughters.
A graduate of the Environmental Design program at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO-Jeff looks at the world from synoptic and humanistic point-of-view. He does this by taking into consideration the cultural, environmental, political, and economic relationships connected to land, with an academic and career focus that has been in participatory and interdisciplinary design. Outside of Design, Jeff truly enjoys the company of his family while exploring the majestic world of San Diego.
Job Titles:
- Associate - Construction Director
After Jose earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the NewSchool, he went to work on the landscape contractor side to get first-hand field experience. Jose has a strong understanding of all facets of the construction process. Experience includes the San Diego Central Library, Campus Pointe and the SDSU Student Aztec Center. Jose enjoys spending time with his family, spoiling his dogs Scarlet & Bandit and getting lost in the desert.
Delight in nature and problem-solving led Julia to pursue an MLA at the University of Arizona. She has 8 years of experience designing and managing projects in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Julia brings a passion for planting design to GroundLevel that harmonizes built environments with ecological surroundings. She also leads the effort to advance procedural efficiency and office standards. In her free time, Julia plays tennis, holds board-game nights, and takes her goldendoodle on adventures.
With a background in landscape architecture and graphic design, Kelley's focus is keeping GroundLevel at the forefront of visual technology and pushing the boundaries of graphic communication. Kelley strives to capture the essence and soul of a project through vivid imagery that brings it to life. Originally from Colorado, Kelley is an active individual who, in his spare time, can usually be found playing in the ocean or exploring San Diego with his wife and Labrador Retriever.
Mao's interest in desert landscapes brought her to San Diego after attaining her Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. When approaching the design process, she likes to draw inspirations from her international travel experiences as well as her diverse culture growing up in metropolitan cities Beijing and Singapore. Mao hopes to create compelling landscapes that heal and nurture communities. Outside of work, she enjoys film photography, going to the beach and gardening.
Phill brings over 20 years of professional experience as a Landscape Architect and Planner. Phill's collaborations as a designer and leader are visible throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, Asia, and the Middle East. As a visionary, Phill believes that great ideas are a culmination of a passionate story and effortless collaboration. Phill strives to use these guiding principles in all aspects of design throughout his career. In his leisure time, Phill enjoys spending time with his family exploring new places.
Sarah returned to San Diego after graduating from UC Davis where she studied Landscape Architecture. During that time, she developed a love for design, knowledge of the living environment, and dedication toward a sustainable future. She took opportunities to explore her interests by obtaining a minor in studio art and studying bamboo architecture in Ecuador. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, hiking the San Diego trails, and camping.
After practicing in the Pacific Northwest for several years, Tommy settled in San Diego. He is passionate about the healing qualities of landscapes and the merging of ecology and urban environments to transform cities. With over 15 years of experience, he has had the opportunity to work on a large typology of projects such as parks, schools, urban residential, healthcare and corporate campuses. In his spare time, you will find him adventuring with his family and playing music.
A So-Cal native, Yoshi received his degree in Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona. He has unique experiences working in California and the Middle East, as well as living in Japan. He brings a different perspective to the team and is always striving to improve his design and technical skills. Yoshi enjoys spending his free time exploring the outdoors, sketching, being a foodie and doing some karaoke.