RKLA STUDIO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Architect, PLLC / Deborah Berke Partners / Eric Hilton LTD
Job Titles:
- Architect in New York State
Gareth Mahon is a licensed landscape architect in New York State and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He oversees institutional, multi-family, and private residential projects at RKLA Studio. Gareth's diverse background influences his approach to design and project management. Raised in rural Ireland, he has traveled extensively and received a Bachelor of Electronic Engineering from the University of Glasgow, Scotland and a Master of Urban Design from the City College of New York. Gareth joined RKLA Studio in 2004 after careers in technology and new-media in Ireland, Spain, and the US.
Gareth's energy and passion for his work extends beyond the office through involvement in related activities. He won a Design Merit Award from the New York Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for his collaborative work on the community-driven East River State Park Master Plan in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He has served on desigNYC's project selection committees and advised their Fort Greene SNAP project. In 2013 he was elected to the board of the New York Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and served as co-chair of the Programs Committee. Most recently, he joined the Program Leadership Council at the Van Alen Institute and has spoken on Playground Design at the Center for Architecture.
Job Titles:
- Architect
- James Dixon Architect PC
Jolie graduated with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where she received an ASLA Student Award of Merit for her capstone project. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Data Analytics & Visualization at Pratt Institute's School of Information to explore its applications in the field of landscape architecture beyond geo-spatial analysis.
Prior to joining RKLA, Jolie worked as a landscape designer in Connecticut with a focus on residential design in the northeast region. There she gained a comprehensive understanding of the design process from schematic design through construction. She was part of the team for a Coastal Contemporary Landscape in Westport, Connecticut, which won a Connecticut Chaper of ASLA Award of Honor in 2019. In addition to residential estate projects, she was involved in several civic and institutional projects, including the design and construction documents for the Frank Zullo Memorial Rose Garden and fountain in Norwalk, Connecticut. She also worked in collaboration with SWA San Francisco on developing the planting design and construction documents for the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial.
Michael's passion for landscape is rooted in his childhood experiences in the Hudson Valley, the gardens of his grandparents, and the inspiration provided by travel. A passionate gardener, he is a member of the Garden Conservancy and the Cultural Landscape Foundation, two organizations that promote the importance of designed landscapes in the lives of individuals and society.
Prior to joining RKLA Studio, Michael was a Senior Associate and the Director of Landscape Design at Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP. Leading a team of landscape architects and designers, he oversaw the design, documentation, and construction of a variety of project types including private and multi-family residences, cultural and academic institutions, resorts, corporate campuses, and large-scale master plans. His portfolio of work includes projects across the United States and abroad, most recently in China and Hong Kong.
Michael received his Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Binghamton University and his Master of Landscape Architecture degree from Cornell University. He is a registered landscape architect in New York and Pennsylvania and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. From 2008 to 2013 Michael was a studio instructor in the landscape design program at Columbia University.
Naomi is a Registered Landscape Architect in New York State and New Jersey and a Senior Associate at RKLA Studio. She joined RKLA Studio in June 2012 after earning her Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University. Since joining RKLA, she has contributed to the design, construction documentation, and construction administration of educational, residential, and institutional projects. She was an integral part of the project teams for Tavern on The Green and has served as project lead for several urban projects, including MGM Marin Boulevard. She recently completed Construction Administration for Meeting Street School's campus in Providence, Rhode Island.
Naomi served on the Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects New York Chapter and served as Chair of the Programs Committee from 2015-2017. In this role, Naomi led the chapter in organizing and executing programs that include continuing education lectures and conferences, construction tours, volunteer programs, and networking and social events. She continues to work with the ASLA-NY to choose topics and procure speakers that are of interest to the greater New York Landscape Architecture Community. She also works to bolster the Landscape Architect's relationship with the greater architecture, engineering, and planning communities through partnerships with various city organizations. In the Fall of 2018, Naomi expanded her service to the NYC community, becoming a Founding Member of the Urban Design Council at the Museum of the City of New York.
Originally from Northern Utah, Nell grew up surrounded by and loving the dramatic landscape of the Rocky Mountains. After moving to the East Coast for college and graduating in an unrelated field, Nell discovered landscape architecture through Olmstead's parks in New York City. Nell spent two years pursuing her interest in horticulture as a professional gardener in the city and taking classes at the New York Botanic Garden before enrolling in Cornell University's Landscape Architecture Master's program.
During graduate school, Nell worked as a teaching assistant and had several diverse internships across the field of landscape architecture, including with RKLA Studio in summer 2019. After graduating from Cornell in 2020 with a concentration in art and climate adaptive design, Nell worked on public projects in New York City with Nancy Owens Studio before returning to work at RKLA Studio full time in January 2022. In her free time, Nell enjoys walking, caring for houseplants, reading, and chasing after her playful cat, Dax.
Roxana received her Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University in 2012 and shortly thereafter began her career at Stantec, where she gained extensive experience on a number of multidisciplinary public projects. Since joining RKLA Studio in March of 2015, Roxana has worked on numerous residential, institutional, and commercial projects of significance, including Park Francis in Jersey City, Serviam Heights in the Bronx, and St. Patrick Cathedral's Memorial Fountain in Manhattan.
Prior to joining RKLA Studio, Roxana was a part of the Rutgers Praxis II design team which received an Award of Excellence for the "Parks for the People" Competition: a Student National Design Competition sponsored by the Van Alen Institute and The National Parks Service.
Roxana has a strong interest in sustainability and has earned a number of noteworthy certifications, including "Sustainable Building, Infrastructure Design and Management" as well as "Urban Green Infrastructure", both from Pratt University. Roxana is a certified LEED Green Associate by G.B.C.I. and an ENVISION Sustainability Professional by I.S.I.
Suko Presseau holds a Master's in Landscape Architecture from the Spitzer School of Architecture, City College (CUNY) where she graduated with the Professional Award in 2019. Before joining RKLA studio she was part of the team at Weintraub Diaz Landscape Architecture, where she focused on multi-family urban residential amenity spaces.Prior to studying landscape architecture, Suko spent seven years as an organic farmer, environmental educator, and regenerative farm consultant. Her interest in cultivating and developing the landscape is grounded in creating habitats for refuge and recreation for human and non-human biota.
She has been an adjunct lecturer and instructor at the Spitzer School of Architecture, City College where she's led workshops on GIS mapping software. As an artist, she has exhibited internationally in solo and group exhibitions and holds a Master's in Fine Art from Hunter College (CUNY). Her art practice explores landscape symbolism and mythology as place for ritual and pilgrimage and the performance of identity and archetypes.
At RKLA Studio, Suko participates in developing landscape plans, construction documents, and client presentations. She is particularly interested in the use of 3D modeling as a tool for design and visual communication.