Board & Staff

Michael is an award-winning landscape architect, multi-disciplinary practitioner and AECOM’s national Sector Lead for Social Infrastructure. In all aspects of his work, Michael leverages his multi-disciplinary education and 18 years of professional practice to deliver innovative solutions to complex problems in the fields of landscape architecture, urban development, community planning, green infrastructure, placemaking, and multimodal transportation.

Michael’s diverse portfolio of successful projects and leadership of teams in both private practice and the public sector is reflective of his commitment to creative design, innovation, technical excellence, and a passion for mentoring emerging professionals. At AECOM, Michael combines his vast portfolio of public realm planning + design projects with his skills in collaborating with multiple disciplines to tackle projects of increasing scale, complexity and profile.

Michael is also passionate about promoting and advancing the profession of landscape architecture, having served as Past-President of AALA, a Board Director of CSLA, and is the current President-Elect with CSLA.

As co-president and partner at CCxA since 2011, Sophie is a tenacious city-builder of transformative signature landscape projects. With over 30 years of professional experience, she directs major projects across Canada. A seasoned generalist, she is adept in dense urban settings with complex multidisciplinary teams, bringing strong delivery and time management skills to her projects. Her results-oriented leadership style has been characterized by the French expression “d’une main de fer dans un gant de velours”  (an iron hand in a velvet glove). Sophie’s reputation for exceptional design and project management is grounded in creative problem solving, deep knowledge of technical detailing and construction.

Her major projects as partner-in-charge include Dorchester Square & Place du Canada and The Ring in Montreal; The esplanade for the Canadian Museum of History and the competition-winning National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa, and the landscape plan at the heart of a new “city from scratch” in Vaughan. She is a veteran of several of the studio’s long-term multi-phase projects with significant heritage components, including Place d’Youville, Clock Tower Beach in Montreal and the new McGill campus, The New Vic, at old Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal.

Sophie joined CCxA (previously named Claude Cormier et Associés) in 2003 as one of founder Claude Cormier’s first employees, becoming a CCxA partner in 2011 and co-president 2022. She became a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architecture in 2020, graduating from the University of Montreal with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture in 1993. She contributes a strong civic voice in Montreal, as a frequent speaker, competition jury member and advocate for the role of landscape in positions such as VP of Montreal’s Jacques-Viger Expert Committee, the city's consultative body in matters of development, town planning, architecture, urban design and landscape architecture. 

Matthew Mills, MCIP, APALA, CSLA is a landscape architect and planner based in beautiful St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Upon graduating from the University of Guelph’s MLA program, Matthew worked briefly in Ottawa before, as many Newfoundlanders do, deciding to return home. Since then, he and his partner have built an award-winning firm, Mills & Wright Landscape Architecture, which specializes in working with municipal and private sector clients on a range of project scales including tourism plans, recreation amenities, trail systems, and municipal parks. 

Matthew has been an advocate for the profession in Atlantic Canada through his involvement with APALA, having recently served a 7-year term on the Board which included two years as President. During this time, Matthew established an ongoing partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Architects Association on a successful Lecture Series, which has welcomed Landscape Architects from all over North America and has been instrumental in increasing awareness of the profession. He also played a key role in advancing several important APALA Board initiatives including introducing the LARE path to membership, forming the Communications Committee, and launching the APALA Awards of Excellence program. 

Matthew is a firm believer that the collaborative nature, diverse skillset and expertise, commitment to the environment, and remarkable innovation of Canadian landscape architects will lead the way in addressing the complex challenges being faced by society today.

Jane Welsh, BLA University of Guelph 1984 and MSC in Planning University of Toronto 2000 has been Project Manager of the Environmental Planning unit of Toronto City Planning since 2005. Her education and experience as a Landscape Architect has been the foundation for her work in developing new innovative solutions to address environment/sustainability/ resilience issues and change the way we build and develop in Canada's largest city.

This work has included the award winning Toronto Green Standard and Green Roof Bylaw; the Bird Friendly Guidelines; the Biodiversity booklet series and the Enduring Wilderness: Toronto Natural Parklands book. She has also been responsible for developing the first Ravine Protection Bylaw for the amalgamated city, and the first Ravine Strategy and the first Biodiversity Strategy.

She previously developed Waterfront Plans for Metro Toronto, City of Mississauga and Halton Region Conservation Authority and worked as a landscape architect in the private sector, and has always made time to mentor staff and students.

Jane has volunteered with the OALA for many years: as founding member of the Honours Awards and Protocol Committee (since 1988): as Co-Chair of the CSLA conference in 1991; and on OALA Council from 2014 to 2023 including the role of President. She is currently co-chair of the CSLA Committee on Climate and Biodiversity and IFLA Special Envoy to the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH).

Since joining Niagara Parks in 2016 as Senior Director and member of the executive team Steve has been responsible for planning, environmental stewardship, culture interpretation across all Niagara Parks properties and historic sites. Steve oversees the development policy and planning strategy to delivery on Niagara Parks mandate of environmental and cultural stewardship for the Niagara River corridor. Some of the more recent initiatives include the establishment of coastal wetland sites along the upper Niagara River, a new public realm plan at the brink of the falls and the Heritage adaptive reuse of the 1905 Hydroelectric power station.

Prior to Niagara Parks Steve was with City of Hamilton responsible for Park Planning and implementation of open space capital projects and managing Forestry and Horticulture division. Steve has worked on a wide range of projects including master plans, Heritage restoration sites, coastal wetland rehabilitation, waterfront development, transportation, storm water management systems and visual impact assessments and provided expert witness testimony at the Environmental Review Tribunal. Steve is a  registered Landscape Architect with the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects since 2000 and currently serving on its governing council as the association’s past president. Steve graduated with a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph and with a Bachelor of Earth Science from the University of Waterloo. In 2016 Steve received the OALA Public Practice award.

Teri Cantin brings over 20 years of landscape architectural and project management experience to her role of Manager, Landscape Architecture + Urban Design, BC at WSP Canada. After completing her Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia with a Geography major, Teri completed her Master of Landscape Architecture at the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland. She is a Registered Landscape Architect in British Columbia and has her CPTED Professional Designation.

Since joining WSP Teri has worked collaboratively with the engineering team on a variety of infrastructure projects throughout the BC Interior adding value to the public realm related to the upgraded infrastructure. She has also had a major role in  post secondary work and has an extensive background in a variety of institutional projects including day cares, hospitals, schools and commercial campus planning. Additionally, Teri has also worked on a variety of housing projects including social and supportive housing, private development and design guidelines for single family development.

Prior to joining the WSP team, Teri worked on a variety of projects including day care facilities, parks, campus planning, and multi-family residential in her time as project landscape architect in offices in Canada and the US. Teri’s time in the theme park and attractions industry included the concept and detailed design of splash pads to full, multi-hectare waterpark planning as well as indoor and outdoor family entertainment centres complete with theming and back of house facilities.

Born and raised in Atlantic Canada, Cameron was introduced to the landscape industry at an early age by way of the landscape maintenance sector.  After completing a university degree in New Brunswick, he learned of the profession of landscape architecture from a friend and decided to pursue a BLA at the University of Guelph, graduating in 2005. He currently resides in Canada's far north in the City of Iqaluit.  There,he has held progressive roles in municipal and territorial government.  Cameron has been a NuALA board member and CSLA board director since 2011. He enjoys spending his time with family, travelling and being in the great outdoors.
 

Ms. Margaret Ferguson obtained a diploma in Landscape Architectural Technology from Ryerson in 1980 and a diploma in Restoration of Natural Systems from the University of Victoria in 2011. She was accepted as a member of the NWTALA and the CSLA in 1991 and the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP) in 1994.

Margaret was a founding member of the NWTALA and has served continuously on the board since its inception. She has taken an active role in many areas of the association including her participation in the drafting of key documents and promotion. She repesented the NWTALA on the CSLA Board of Directors, including representation on the President’s Council from 2012-present. Margaret was a board member and the CAHP National Membership Chair  from 2006-2009.

In 1984, Margaret moved to Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) and became the first resident landscape architect in the eastern arctic. She travelled extensively throughout the region as a project officer with the Government of the NWT focusing on advancing responsible site development practices while managing construction projects.

In 1991, she moved to Yellowknife where she was engaged by the territorial government and then opened a consultancy that specialized in park master planning, interpretive and heritage resource design, and, community land use planning studies. Since 2004, Margaret has been a partner with Gaea Consulting Ltd. while continuing studies in ecological and restoration principles and techniques.

Darcy Granove is a registered landscape architect based on Treaty One Territory in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She holds two Bachelor’s degrees and a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Manitoba, as well as a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Winnipeg.

Darcy brings over two decades of professional experience in landscape architecture, including work within multidisciplinary firms and ten years as the owner of a boutique landscape architecture practice before transitioning to public service. She currently works with the City of Winnipeg in Parks and Open Space, managing projects that support vibrant, resilient, and inclusive public landscapes.

An active leader in the profession, Darcy recently completed a two-year term as President of MALA and now serves as Past President. She continues to mentor emerging professionals and advance the profession through regional and national leadership. Her volunteer work includes participation on the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee, the EDI Committee, the Name Act Task Force, and serving as Chair of the Strategic Planning Task Force.

Throughout her career, Darcy has championed the role of landscape architecture in advancing climate resilience, playful recreational landscapes and trails and sustainable community design. She is also committed to supporting reconciliation through thoughtful, inclusive engagement guided by the principles of International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). Darcy is passionate about strengthening the profession and shaping sustainable communities through collaboration, leadership, and volunteer service.

Tracey Hesse holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts (1994) from Concordia University and a master’s degree in Design (Landscape Option) from the University of Montreal (2000). She acquired practical experience in both design and execution early in her career, working as a landscape contractor in her own company for eight years. Today, she has over 20 years experience in landscape architecture in the public and private sectors. She has worked for EDAW, an international landscaping firm based in the United-States, in Atlanta, GA and several larger landscape architecture firms in Montreal. From 2015 to 2022, she was an associate at HETA (Hodgins & Associates), a firm specializing in residential, commercial, and institutional projects.

In 2009 and 2010, she worked as an administrative assistant for the AAPQ. This opportunity allowed her to familiarize herself with the daily operations of the Association. Subsequently, she was part of the Admissions Committee until 2019. In addition to serving on her provincial board, Tracey is involved in other activities within the association, including the congress planning committee. 

Tracey is known for her excellent drawing skills and landscape designs. She is proficient in plant selection for residential and urban projects. In 2015, she was awarded 1st Ex-aequo Prize and the Prix Coup de cœur in the category of small garden spaces from the APPQ (Association des paysagistes professionnels du Québec) for her collaboration for Le filigree. More recently, in 2022, her collaboration with Cohlmeyer Architecture for the Montauk Sofa flagship store in Montreal received a Platinum certification in the 15^th edition of Les Grands Prix du Design as well as the Milan Havlin Award from the APPQ.

One of Tracey’s first jobs was working for a tropical plant wholesaler. This experience was put to good use, as in 2023, her collaboration with Affleck de la Riva architects for the restauration of the Westmount Conservatory was awarded a Platinum Certification as well as a Gold Certification for heritage enhancement in the 16^th edition of Les Grands Prix du Design. 

Tracey is currently working at KAP, a firm specializing in public and municipal projects based in Laval, Québec.

Andrea is a senior landscape architect, passionate about all-things design and committed to elevating the quality of our built environment, promoting pride of place, and improving community wellbeing.

She has nearly two decades of experience in private consulting practice, collaborating with diverse and inspiring teams on transformative projects – large and small, covering a wide range of landscape architecture and urban design project settings, typologies, and scales. From sidewalk patios to municipal plazas through to campus master plans, transportation corridors, community planning and resilience infrastructure, Andrea is a strong advocate for design excellence - from concept through to construction. In all her work, she promotes solutions that are site-sensitive, program-responsive, that build community and ecological resilience, and that ultimately bring long-term value to all. She is particularly passionate about collaborating on the big thinking that drives thoughtful and innovative design.

Andrea is also an active member of the professional design community, a SITES Accredited Professional and a LEED Green Associate, and enjoys being inspired and challenged by next generation designers through her involvement and support of post-secondary students and emerging professionals.