Our people

Growing up as the daughter of a florist and an engineer, Amanda developed a respect for two very different worlds, horticulture and technical design. At UC Davis, she was able to focus her interests into the discipline of Landscape Architecture. Amanda loves to explore the intersection between the natural and built worlds, crafting spaces that play on their relationship. Outside of work, Amanda values her time with family, travel and music.

Angelica is a native San Diegan and a graduate of San Diego State University. She is thrilled to work for a firm that is passionate about highlighting the natural beauty of her beloved home town. When she is not running the numbers she enjoys spending time with her family, estate sale shopping and playing soccer.

A Southern California native, and a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Landscape Architecture graduate, Annie is very familiar with the ecological treasure that is San Diego. With experience in Design-Build, Annie comes to us with an acquired eye for detail and an understanding of the importance of natural spaces for the health of people and nature alike. When she is not hard at work, you can find Annie tearing up the soccer field or enjoying the culinary delights that San Diego has to offer.

Azlynn was born and raised in San Diego and graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Azlynn has experience in resort design, retail development, master planning, residential landscape design, as well as a nursery management and landscape design/build background. Azlynn focuses on the development of spaces that create opportunity for community and also respond to and encourage growth and stewardship of the native habitat in her work. Outside of the office Azlynn can usually be found on a trail or travel adventure with family and friends.

A former east coast girl, Bailee joins us at GroundLevel from a small town in Pennsylvania after earning degrees in Landscape Architecture and Natural Sciences. During her time at Penn State and throughout her college summers, Bailee traveled as much as possible, getting the opportunity to live and work in places like Avalon, NJ and Bonn, Germany. Through her experiences in different cultures, she realized that regardless of where she was living, a well-designed space was able to bring people together. In her free time, Bailee enjoys being with friends and family and has quickly fallen in love with the beautiful beaches of San Diego.

Ben was born in Moscow, and grew up in New Jersey.  With his bachelor’s in landscape architecture from Rutgers University, Ben worked in NYC on a range of public open space projects that included urban plazas, boardwalks, and bicycle trails.  Since relocating to San Diego, he has worked on a large scale public park, as well as university campus and commercial projects.  Ben joined GroundLevel in early 2023 to manage the residential design team, bringing with him a desire to capture the feeling of wonder that nature and time outdoors provides.  In his free time, Ben loves to explore local beaches and hikes, go camping around California, or play ping pong at his favorite dive bar.

With over 2 decades of experience, Brad has a wealth of experience in leading complex projects from concept design through construction. Brad’s core strength is his ability to develop creative, yet grounded design solutions centered on his client’s goals. His creativity, technical knowledge and real-world experience allow him to develop solutions for projects of any size, scale, and level of complexity. His “off the field” interests include hiking, tennis, yoga and scuba diving.

Dan’s interest in landscape architecture stems from the desire to explore different forms of creativity. He has always enjoyed learning new art forms and tools that help to communicate experience and emotion. While attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dan discovered his passion for ecology and native environments. Now, he is driven to bring ecological systems and nature back to the forefront of design. In his free time, Dan loves spending time with friends and family, traveling, and playing the guitar.

Growing up in a small mountain town in the Sierra Nevada’s, Elissa was deeply immersed in nature at a young age. These experiences allowed her to develop a strong appreciation for outdoor spaces, sparking her passion to create harmony between the natural and built environment. Elissa’s time at Cal Poly, in addition to months spent traveling internationally, has deepened her admiration for the profession and expanded her awareness on its benefit to the planet and the people in it. As a growing professional, she is enthusiastic to use her skills and experience to brighten the world and lives of others. Aside from design, Elissa finds joy exploring the outdoors, experimenting with new recipes, and attending live music + arts events.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Emily has always had a passion for drawing, art and the living landscape. She earned her degree at Pennsylvania State University, which allowed her study opportunities in Germany and Barcelona. While living abroad she saw how every city has their own story and culture through the way people interact with the landscape. She is looking forward to designing spaces that become favorites of those who use them. On the weekends, she loves to explore the beauty of San Diego and Southern California. She hopes to be able to catch a wave soon to keep up with the California lifestyle.

Supporting the creative industry for over 20 years with a keen knack for establishing, organizing, and maintaining the details of a great work environment for both clients and fellow teammates, Evan has extensive experience in personal and executive assisting as well as office and studio managing. Originally from Montana, Evan moved to San Diego earning her degree in graphic design while developing her ever-growing love for music.

Beginning as a draftsman and a great coffee maker in a residential estate design-build firm in Chicago, Ian learned then that the process of design always starts with one key element – a story. A story provides coherence to an idea and guidance to creating great places. And Ian does love to tell a great story. Through his 20+ years in design, Ian has been fortunate to craft great places, from estate gardens, to resorts, to multi-family housing and mixed-use developments.