Australia’s peak professional body for landscape architects, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), has announced results of its recent election, with more women than men set to take the reins. This follows a strong interest from the members to represent their profession with fourteen candidates nominating for five positions.
The new Board is a diverse mix of respected landscapes architects practicing across private, public and academia. The board includes;
- Angus Bruce AILA, Head of Landscape Architecture, HASSELL
- Barbara Schaffer AILA, Principal Landscape Architect, Office of the NSW Government Architect
- Linda Corkery FAILA, Associate Professor – Landscape Architecture, Faculty Built Environment UNSW
- Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard AILA, Lecturer – Landscape Architecture, Faculty Built Environment UNSW
- Shaun Walsh AILA, Manager City Parklands, South Bank Parklands and Roma Street Parkland
The current Board remains in office until the new Board is endorsed at the Annual General Meeting during the International Festival of Landscape Architecture on 28 October 2016. At this meeting the President and Vice Presidents roles will be decided.
“I have been proud to lead the current Board, who have been committed and passionate in their dedication to the profession”, said Outgoing National President Daniel Bennett.
“I am delighted with the significant progress we have made in such a short period of time and I’m confident the new Board has the skills, experience and attitude to continue advocating for the profession and building upon the great list of achievements”.
AILA has had an explosion of growth over the last two years, including doubling membership from 1,200 to over 2,800, driving a strong agenda on advocacy and raising the profile of the profession. The interest in the election is a fantastic sign of the relevance of the profession for its members and its important role within industry and the community. This follows the announcement yesterday that the International Festival of Landscape Architecture: Not In My Backyard has sold out and will be the largest gathering of landscape architects ever in Australia.