Joni L. Janecki, ASLA, PLA / President

Since founding her firm Joni L. Janecki & Associates in 1991, Joni has worked on projects ranging from large-scale land use and planning of community and campus landscapes to site-specific designs for public and private facilities. She prioritizes design as a collaborative, community-based process that maximizes place, program, and the potential for engagement with nature. Her goal is to create exterior spaces that invite participation and interaction. Joni is particularly skilled at successfully facilitating public workshops and presentations, coordinating multiple agencies, and meeting stringent environmental standards. Her talents also shine in her work with residential clients, for whom she produces elegant and sophisticated landscapes that respond to their unique needs and long-term plans while celebrating the beauty of native plants and sustainable design. Joni's insistence on gracefully advocating for the value of site and context in enduring design is a constant across her portfolio.

One of Joni's areas of expertise lies in the use of native, water conserving, low-maintenance plants found within ecological systems of the local and regional landscape. Her commitment to native and regionally-adapted plants preceded current popularity for sustainable design and she is a lifetime member of The California Native Plant Society. She has long complemented the careful selection of plant materials with innovative and applicable strategies for managing water storage and minimizing water use in the firm's projects. From reclaimed and recycled materials to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods and best management practices (BMPs) for roof and site run-off, Joni's work demonstrates an integrated and multi-tiered approach to sustainability. She has, moreover, extensive experience successfully meeting certification criteria for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Joni’s philosophy hinges on recognizing herself, her work, and her company as part of the larger whole. It is never just about her project, but rather about the community, plants, animals, and water systems that surround it, about the people who use and maintain it, about future generations who will one day pass through it. While her landscape designs are fluid and flexible, reading as “natural” and “relaxed,” Joni, herself, has stood firm over the course of her career.  The principles she believes in—integrity, giving to her community, nurturing the natural world—color all her years of practice and each project she has touched.

Georgia Leung, ASLA, PLA / Principal

Since joining JLJA in 2003, Georgia has cultivated a wide range of interests, from urban design to sustainable design and materials, which have contributed to her particularly discerning and inclusive view on the field of landscape architecture. She has applied this fresh perspective to a wide range of project sizes and types, from institutional and civic to private and residential. Georgia's project management responsibilities encompass conceptual design, presentation drawings, construction documents, and construction administration; she excels in completing projects on time and on budget. As Senior Associate, she supervises office-wide drawing production, coordinates work load, mentors newer staff members, and serves as an invaluable resource overall. Georgia received her Bachelors of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Davis with honors distinction. Highly valued for her strong graphic skills, technical knowledge, and problem-solving ability, Georgia brings a rigorous attention to detail and work ethic that reinforce JLJA’s high standards.

Alyssa Zacharia, ASLA, PLA / Principal

A graduate of the landscape architecture program at University of California, Davis, and a licensed landscape architect, Alyssa brings a polished set of design skills to JLJA. Her commitment to and pleasure in building collaborative relationships with clients, contractors, and design teams is fundamental to her success as a project manager. While particularly skilled with residential design, Alyssa's professional experience includes wetland mitigation and environmental restoration, as well as trail, streetscape, park, campus, master plan, and community outreach projects. Her love of plants – she grew up helping her parents install residential gardens in Santa Cruz – has made her an expert plantsperson. In addition to her impressive plant knowledge, Alyssa's valuable contributions to the JLJA fabric are her ability to develop effective design solutions and her unerring eye for design in the field.

Erica Drew, ASLA, PLA / Project Manager

Working in the landscape design profession since 2000, Erica brings a well-rounded and extensive wealth of professional experience, from large-scale urban works and campuses to parks and residential projects. She earned a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from UC Davis, where she received an American Society of Landscape Architects Merit Award for her student work, and spent time abroad studying landscape design in both Asia and Europe, winning first place at a landscape design competition held at Kyoto University. Her prior work with a design-build company strengthened her knowledge of construction and fine detailing, while JLJA's collaborative setting has expanded her creative range. Erica's current focus on high-end residential projects has refined her skills as a designer, enhanced her detailing talents via one-of-a-kind features, and built her confidence in shepherding projects through to completion. Erica is particularly prized for her unflappable response to unexpected situations and her ability to creatively resolve problems.

Miyuki Onnagawa, ASLA, LEED AP / Project Manager

Miyuki was raised in Japan and moved to the United States for her education. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Louisiana State University in 1999 and subsequently studied fine arts at California State University in Long Beach. A member of JLJA since 2008, Miyuki brings a vital technical expertise to the office.  She occupies an important role of mentor to new draftspeople and is a wealth of knowledge and patience in relation to AutoCAD and file management. Credentialed as a LEED® AP, Miyuki is much appreciated for her ability to compile and complete complex construction documents, thereby assuring that JLJA's high standards are maintained. She, along with her German Shepherd Asuka, are certified as a search-and-rescue team.

Olivia Waller, ASLA, PLA / Project Manager

Graduating with honors from the University of Oregon's Bachelors in Landscape Architecture program in 2013 and a member of JLJA since 2015, Olivia is particularly dedicated to sustainable urban design and design's potential to reveal a landscape's unique story. Her passion for drawing and painting informs her vision of landscape architecture as a tool with which to create aesthetically beautiful, livable, and functional spaces in our communities. A Santa Cruz native, Olivia combines her love for the Monterey Bay's diverse native habitats with her appreciation for landscapes experienced while travelling in Italy, Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Canada, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Japan. JLJA particularly prizes her attention to detail, her ability to craft accurate and concise drawings, and her enthusiasm for collaboration.

Paige Pedersen, ASLA, PLA / Project Manager

Paige graduated from the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Landscape Architecture program in 2015 and worked with several different firms before joining JLJA in 2017. Her curiosity and creativity, enthusiasm for innovative and sustainable design, and cheerful reliability have quickly made her a valued member of the JLJA crew. Paige has traveled extensively, including a study abroad program in Buenos Aires, a solo backpacking trip from Ecuador to Mexico and a design internship in Costa Rica; her appreciation for other cultures and new places informs her sensitive and perceptive design eye.

Joanne Hutson, ASLA / Designer, Project Manager

Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Joanne boasts an in-depth knowledge of Northern California plant communities, building materials, and design aesthetic. An avid surfer, she is uniquely intrigued by sustainable design's potential to create engaging outdoor spaces and connect people to nature, thereby promoting environmental awareness. Joanne earned her Associates Degree in Landscape Horticulture from Cabrillo College. A member of JLJA since 2012, she particularly enjoys participating in the collaborative process as projects develop from concept to construction. Joanne is highly valued for her drawing skills, attention to detail, and enthusiasm for seeing a project through to completion.

Natalie Dean, ASLA / Design Associate

Natalie earned a Bachelors degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems at UC Davis and a Landscape Design Skills Certificate from Cabrillo College. At the UC Davis Arboretum, she mentored student interns in growing a network of edible gardens that continue to teach, feed, and provide refuge to visitors. She has worked as a designer both in a landscape architecture office and independently with local homeowners before joining JLJA. Natalie is a self-professed “plant nerd” who likes to get outside in her free time, but she also likes to apply her design mind to crafting clothing, music, and tasty food. As a thoughtful and imaginative designer, her passion about the power of outdoor spaces is apparent in all of her work.

Natalie is a valued member of the design team, prized for her attention to detail, her ability to craft accurate and concise drawings, and her steady calmness under pressure.

Diane McClish, ASLA / Design Associate

A Santa Cruz County native, Diane graduated with honors and received her AS Degree in Landscape Design from Cabrillo College in 2007 and has continued her education through the UC Berkeley Extension Certificate Program in Landscape Architecture. Since joining JLJA in 2007, Diane has assisted the office with all stages of project development, from conceptual design to installation, cultivating particular expertise in on-site construction observation. She is uniquely qualified and knowledgeable in sourcing native plants, selecting specimen trees, discovering unique landscape products, and identifying the advantages of distinct varieties of rock and stone. Diane’s sustained love for learning makes her invaluable in the office, particularly when facing a challenge.  

Yilin Li, ASLA / Design Associate

Yilin is from Qingdao, a beautiful northern coastal city in China. She studied Landscape Gardening at Beijing Forestry University for her undergraduate degree and completed a Masters in Landscape Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley in 2022. Yilin has a strong interest in both small-scale detailing and large-scale planning: she studied flower border design, rockery design, and engineering during her undergraduate years and, in graduate school, focused on planning projects at the scale of bays and rivers. In fact, her work on San Rafael’s Canal District was one of only 55 out of 670 projects accepted by LAF’s Green New Deal Superstudio for permanent inclusion on their website and temporary physical exhibition at the National Building Museum in Washington DC in 2022.

Yilin has a passion for computer-aided design and received a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) from UC Berkeley. She loves to travel, explore new places, and make friends from different backgrounds, all of which contribute to a design aesthetic that embraces inclusivity and diversity. Yilin’s sophisticated design skills and cheerful attitude make her a much-appreciated member of the JLJA family.

Niko Workman, ASLA / Design Associate

A recent Landscape Architecture graduate from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Niko’s passion for nature and interest in digital graphics has flourished. He was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, where he cultivated an appreciation for the area's remarkably diverse ecosystem. Niko is interested in preserving landscapes through sustainable and restorative design and ensuring that natural environments are accessible to all. From playing video games in order to stay connected with friends and employing programs like Rhino, SketchUp, and Lumion in his design work at CalPoly SLO, he has become an advocate for the potential of 3D and digital graphics to express design work. Since he first interned with JLJA in 2021 and continued working part-time ever since, Niko's unruffled demeanor and enthusiasm for all aspects of work in the office have made him a real asset to the JLJA community. We are thrilled to welcome him as a permanent, full-time employee as of July 2023!

Melissa Rigoli / Design Associate

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Melissa is now firmly planted in Santa Cruz. Her life and work have taken her to many places around the world, from Zimbabwe to Syria to France, where she lived for seven years. A professional graphic designer turned landscape designer, Melissa is passionate about native plants, increasing and protecting biodiversity, and climate positive design. She earned her Landscape Design Skills Certificate from Cabrillo College, holds two certificates from the Permaculture Institute of North America, and graduated in 2000 from the University of Oregon with a BS in Music and Anthropology. She volunteers with the Amah Mutsun Land Trust’s native plant propagation project and is a member of the California Native Plant Society. Melissa’s plant knowledge, graphic design expertise, and overall commitment to nature-based solutions make her a valuable asset on the JLJA team.

Anne Marie Hallal / Office Administrator & Business Development Associate

Anne Marie grew up in Santa Monica, California, but has also lived in Philadelphia, Mexico, Paris, Barcelona, and the beautiful Finger Lakes of New York State. While completing Master’s degrees in Landscape Architecture and the History of Architecture and Urban Design at Cornell University, Anne Marie developed a deep commitment to the politics of sustainability and landscape design's potential to affect change, interests that she furthers in her work at JLJA. A member of the firm since 2008, she acts as liaison with new clients and other design professionals, prepares and reviews proposals, directs the firm's image, and coordinates day-to-day operations. Particularly appreciated for her editor's eye and writing abilities, Anne Marie's recent focus has been on photographing the firm's work in order to compellingly present each project's unique goals and achievements.

Ponce Abrahms / Finance Manager

A member of JLJA since 2000, Ponce has worked in bookkeeping and accounting for over 25 years. She manages the firm's billing and accounts receivables, plus all the human resources needs. Highly valued for her organizational skills, grace under fire, and steadfast cheerfulness, Ponce is the linchpin around which the office revolves.  

Gracie and Lily Janecki

These two rascals excel at snuggles, pouncing, and all-around trouble-making.  Gracie and Lily redefine "puppy love" on a daily basis and bring a unique form of canine therapy to the office.  

Asuka Onnagawa

Asuka, whose name means fragrance of tomorrow in Japanese, is a lovable bundle of energy who seeks out belly rubs at every opportunity.  Her silliness and antics at walk time belie her deep intelligence.  She and her person, Miyuki, underwent extensive training to be certified as a search-and-rescue team; the two of them are available to help locate missing people or those in trouble.

Nala Hutson

Nala, the most athletic of our canine clan, is an Aussiedor. She's super-smart and excels at chasing balls, riding skateboards down driveways, and being a good girl on surfboards and boats. She's also incredibly glamorous and knows how to use those beautiful eyes! Who could say no to her?