Milwaukee Recreation manager Stephanie Wilson moves into WI ASLA president role

Stephanie Wilson, design & development manager for Milwaukee Recreation, officially moved into the role as president of the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (WI ASLA) at the annual national conference in Washington D.C. earlier this month.

WI ASLA “strives to foster an environment for all the members to thrive in their profession… through advocacy, education, communication, and fellowship.” WI ASLA provides opportunities for professionals to discuss industry trends, participate in workshops, enhance professional skills, and advocate for the future of the landscape architecture within Wisconsin.

Wilson (second from the right in the photo above) attended the University of Minnesota, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental design and master’s degree in landscape architecture. After graduation, she worked for a small landscape architecture design firm conducting work on custom pools, outdoor spaces, subdivisions, and ecological restoration in Connecticut and New York. When Wilson returned to southeastern Wisconsin, she joined the City of Wauwatosa, working on parks, streets, and bicycle and pedestrian projects. She also became an active member of WI ASLA.

Throughout 2023, Wilson served as the president elect on the WI ASLA board. Previously, Wilson also held the following WI ASLA positions:

• Wisconsin Chapter - Secretary
• Wisconsin Chapter - Education Chair

“After attending a spring conference and getting to meet other landscape architects in the state, I decided that if I was going to become a member of the organization, I also wanted to be involved,” Wilson said. “I started by assisting with the spring conference planning, which is a two-day conference and trade show. Since then, my role has grown to include a wide range of chapter-related activities, such as [coordinating] advocacy days and organizing site tours for our members.”

Wilson joined Milwaukee Recreation in November 2023, working alongside the department’s design & development team to renovate Milwaukee Recreation’s citywide network of playfields.

WI ASLA is the primary provider for continuing education credits that are necessary to maintain licensure to practice in the state of Wisconsin. The chapter highlights the great work landscape architects are doing in all cities of Wisconsin, and provides opportunities to network with professionals in the state. “My primary goal as president is to build upon the current networking and education opportunities that the chapter offers to its members,” Wilson said. “There is also an opportunity to integrate the work that the national organization is working on, related to climate resilience and accessibility, into our events and education sessions.”