Assistant Professor Maria Counts has just been elected to Regional Director of Region 5 for the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA). Region 5 includes Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Counts has been appointed for a three-year term beginning in 2018. As Regional Director, she will provide service to the board through outreach, coordination with other universities in the Region, and will serve on an executive committee.
The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture's mission is to further education in landscape architecture as it relates to teaching, research/scholarly works, and service. Their work engages in scholarly activities between students, faculty and public/private practitioners, and prioritizes the development and management of curricula, the generation and diffusion of knowledge, and the promotion of public health, safety and welfare. CELA also publishes the bi-annual periodical "Landscape Journal," the preeminent scholarly journal in the field of Landscape Architecture.
Maria Counts holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Cornel University, and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design. She is Director of Research at Counts Studio, an international practice where her work includes variety of projects including installations, gardens, and parks. She is dedicated to expanding the accessibility, design, and awareness of experientially-rich spaces that improve the well-being of people through design and representation. The firm has been recognized with national and international awards, including an honor award from the American Society of Landscape Architects for their detailed analysis, planning, and visual communication of urban trees.