LA Guest Lecture: Kona Gray, Principal of EDSA, President of ASLA

University of Guelph - Landscape Architecture Guest Lecture Series presents:

Kona Gray, FASLA.  Principal of EDSA and President of the ASLA

With over 29 years of experience in 30+ countries, Kona A. Gray, FASLA, PLA has designed memorable places and unselfishly served the profession through volunteer efforts with care. Kona’s civic responsibility is evident in his years of commitment to the Landscape Architecture community. He envisions welcoming environments that promote community and vitality in diverse neighbourhoods. Kona’s ethos is influenced by travel, environmental empathy and exposure to many cultures while growing up in Liberia, West Africa and Decatur, Georgia. As a Landscape Architect, he is committed to enhancing awareness of the discipline through public and industry influence.

He’s enthusiastic about growing the profession and committed to DEI initiatives through mentorship, internships, and scholarships. Kona regularly gives back to academia via lectures, design reviews, program visits, keynote addresses, and LABash conferences. Kona was honoured to serve as the 2021 LSU Bickham Chair and deliver the 2021 UGA – SE+D Spring Commencement.

In private practice at EDSA, his portfolio ranges in multiple scales with emphasis on communities, parks, hospitality, urban public realms, mixed-use developments, healthcare, museums, aquariums, and campus spaces. Currently, Kona co-leads design and business development as a firm resource. He is a registered Landscape Architect in four States and holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia and a Commercial Real Estate Certificate from Cornell University. Kona’s award-winning projects are passionately inspired towards creative design solutions that solve environmental issues, improve quality of life, and celebrate humanity through Landscape Architecture. He is currently the American Society of Landscape Architects' (ASLA) president.

This lecture is supported by the OAC Vandergrift Memorial Fund.

Contacts:  Landscape Architecture Guest Lecture Coordinator:  Nadia Amoroso, Associate Professor.  For the Zoom link please contact the LA Speaker Series Student Assistant: Sana Al-Naseri