RICK is proud to share that Patricia Trauth, ASLA, PLA, AICP, LEED AP, has been elevated to the 2025 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Council of Fellows. This honor is among the highest distinctions in the profession, awarded to professionals who have made exceptional contributions to their field through leadership, knowledge, service, and design excellence.
Patricia’s nomination in the Leadership and Management category reflects more than three decades of service to the profession. She currently serves as Principal and Equity Partner at RICK, where she leads our landscape architecture division across multiple offices and continues to advocate for the visibility of landscape architecture in the AEC industry.
She has held numerous leadership roles within ASLA, including two terms as Trustee for the San Diego Chapter, Chapter President, Chapter Vice President (two terms), and also served as the newsletter editor. At the state level, Patricia was appointed to the California Landscape Architects Technical Committee (LATC) in 2015, the body that regulates the licensing of landscape architects. She served as Chair from 2017 to 2018 and now serves as Vice Chair. While on the LATC, she helped expand access to licensure by supporting an experience-only pathway and the inclusion of associate degrees.
“Leadership and Patricia are one in the same in the eyes of the San Diego Chapter. She has been an integral part of our Board of Directors for three decades, advancing the roles for women, safeguarding our licensure, and grooming future practitioners, not only in landscape architecture but in planning as well.
Patricia is a beacon for what is possible for landscape architects in the field and for what is possible when we are leaders amongst other professions, such as engineers and planners. Through her partnership role in multidisciplinary firms, she has elevated landscape architecture locally to be a critical component in the planning stages of transportation, complete streets, and economic development.
She brings with her future generations through encouragement and support during licensure, through her teaching and speaking at our colleges, through the countless invitations to serve on the board, and by leading as an example of what is possible, not only for women in the profession but for landscape architects in the capacity of design/engineering professions.” —Kathryn Kanaan, PLA, ASLA, San Diego Chapter President
In addition to her work with ASLA and LATC, Patricia serves on the City of Encinitas Mobility and Traffic Safety Commission. As Chair, she helped lead the passage of new safety ordinances, including lowered speed limits to improve walkability and community safety. At the San Diego International Airport, her landscape design leadership spans over a decade and includes the Terminal 2 Green Build and the ongoing Terminal 1 Redevelopment. At the airport, she led the shift toward low-water-use planting and worked to integrate public access features like pedestrian connections, view corridors, and bike facilities into the design process.
Patricia shared the following about the nomination:
“It’s the highest honor and a national award that elevates one percent of professional landscape architects throughout the country. It means so much to be recognized by my peers for the leadership, mentorship, and visibility that I’ve advocated for over the last 30 years. For my staff, I think it shows that they could achieve this recognition as well. It gives them something to work toward, and it’s also something the whole company can be proud of. It helps elevate the presence of landscape architecture within the firm and beyond. There are still too many local professionals who don’t know we provide landscape architecture services.” —Patricia Trauth, ASLA, PLA, AICP, LEED AP
RICK congratulates Patricia on this well-deserved honor and recognizes the significance of her leadership and contributions to the profession as she joins the ASLA Council of Fellows.