Profile

Ms. Rachel Rodgers, ASLA, President and founder of L.A. Design, P.A., graduated from the University of Georgia, School of Environmental Design, in 1979 with a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture.  She is a registered landscape architect in the State of Florida and holds registration with the Department of Business and Professional Regulations-State of Florida for the corporation’s license.  

She began her career working for the Department of Natural Resources where she was responsible for master planning and site development planning for state parks all over Florida such as participating in the design of Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island (rated as one of the top 20 beaches in the world) State Parks in Pinellas County.  She was then employed with a private contracting company and completed various commercial and residential projects.  In 1984 she moved to Tampa and was employed with Delta Engineering, where she was responsible for many development projects and gained experience in private subdivision development, recreational resort development, commercial development and governmental projects.  She was appointed as a member of the Board of Director’s with this 120 employee engineering firm in 1985.  In 1989 Delta Engineering was acquired by Boyle Engineering, Inc., which was designated as one of the top 100 Engineering firms in the nation by Engineering News Record.  She was Vice-President of Landscape Architecture and was responsible for projects in the Eastern region which included projects in the Washington D.C. and Dallas offices as well as the Florida offices of Tampa, Ft. Myers, Sarasota and Orlando.  

In 1994 she resigned from Boyle, to pursue management of her own company, L. A. Design, P.A., a landscape architecture and land planning consulting firm.   Since that time she has completed projects for such clients as: Tampa, West Palm Beach and Orlando International Airports, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, United States Post Office, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Atlantic University, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Institute, Pilot Bank, FedEx, Volvo International, Hillsborough County and the Cities of Tampa, Lakeland, Winter Haven and Temple Terrace.  Two unique projects were for MacDill Air Force Base where she worked directly with the commanding officer- a Four Star General,  and the landscape architectural element for the environmentally sensitive $80 million T. Mabry Carlton Water Reserve in Sarasota, Florida.  Other clients include developers, engineers, architects and contractors.  She is responsible for the complete management of the company and projects including the production of construction drawings.  She is the sole owner of the company and is responsible for all negotiations, contracting, design, administration, marketing and accounting matters for the corporation.

Rachel Rodgers involvement in community environmental issues includes a variety of causes. She was a member of the Hillsborough County ELAPP committee (Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program). She was also a founding member and President of the citizen’s activist group, “Keep Our River Beautiful”, which was formed to protect a pristine section of the Hillsborough River. Recently, she worked with the USF School of Architecture and Community Design on a unique project to reclaim several retention ponds to a natural state by using native aquatic vegetation while enhancing the ponds ability to uptake nutrients and improve wildlife habitat.

Rachel Rodgers has been active in the American Society of Landscape Architects and in 1985 received an award for Outstanding Service as a Member-at-Large for the State Chapter.  In 1993, she was recommended as a candidate for the gubernatorial appointment to the Board of Landscape Architects for the State of Florida.
         
REGISTRATION:
Registered Landscape Architect - Florida, #875 (since1982)

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Member, American Society of Landscape Architects, National, State, and Local Chapters
       
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Board of Directors 1986-1989, Delta Engineering, Inc.
Citizens Advisory Board, Temple Terrace, 1988.
Member of State-wide Executive Committee of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Outstanding Service Award, 1985.
City of Tampa, Mayor's Committee on Streetscape Design- Ybor Historic City District, 1986.
Board of Directors, Temple Terrace Preservation, Inc., 1989.
American Society of Landscape Architects Florida Chapter-Award-Legislative Initiative-1996.
American Society of Landscape Architects Florida Chapter-Award-Legislative Initiative-1997.
City of Temple Terrace STAR Committee and Redevelopment Task Force 2003-2005.
President International Baccalaureate Parent Connection King High School- Parent Organization 2001-2002, 2002-2003, Vice-President 2005-2006.
Founding Board Member Friends of Kiley Gardens 2005- Weekly Planet- Best of the Bay Award.
Franciscan Center, Board Member, 2003 to present.
Keep Our River Beautiful- Hillsborough River Environmental Group- Founding Member.