Cathy Sears, CSLA, ASLA, Becomes President; Linda Irvine, CSLA, ASLA, Is President-elect of Canada's National Landscape Architecture Association

Cathy Sears, ASLA

Cathy Sears, ASLA, a vice president and leader for Stantec’s Planning & Landscape Architecture practice, was appointed president of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) during the organization’s annual general meeting held in March in Quebec City, Quebec. Linda Irvine, ASLA, was chosen for the position of president-elect, while Myke Hodgins, ASLA, transitioned to the role of past president of the 1,500-member national organization.

Sears has 23 years of professional experience in the public and private sector, as well as in her own successful consulting practice. Since joining Stantec in 1992, she has been a consistent force within the firm, promoting growth, collaboration, and professional development and furthering the application of sustainable design practices. Based in Calgary, Alberta, Sears oversees a planning and landscape architecture group of more than 300 professionals in offices throughout Canada and the United States. Stantec is an 8,500-person multidiscipline design firm with 125 offices throughout North America.

“It is an honor to represent this innovative and dedicated group of design professionals in CSLA,” said Sears. “The passion of the profession is all about environment and quality of place for people. As such, landscape architects have a major and growing impact on the sustainability, livability, cultural expression, and beauty of both our natural and urban environments. Our goal is to continue to elevate and promote the practice of landscape architecture as a profession at the national level.”

Sears has long been involved with CSLA, serving on the CSLA Board of Directors and as chair of the Governance Committee. She has served as director and is also a past president of the Alberta Association of Landscape Architects.

Irvine, manager of Parks and Open Space Development for the town of Markham, Ontario, since 1988, is responsible for overseeing, managing, and coordinating all new park development within the town as well as managing selected urban design projects for the municipality.

Prior to joining the town, she served as a faculty member in landscape architecture at the University of Toronto (1992–1997), the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1986–1990), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1984–86) and the University of Guelph (1982–1984). Irvine was president of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects between 2005 and 2007.