Local Landscape Architect Assumes Presidency of Florida Chapter of ASLA

provided to The Santiva Chronicle

Leigh A. Gevelinger, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP, a Sanibel-based landscape architect and founder of Coastal Vista Design, formally assumed the presidency of the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) during the 2025 ASLA National Conference in New Orleans.

As Chapter President, Gevelinger will represent more than 600 landscape architects across Florida—the second largest chapter nationally—guiding statewide initiatives in advocacy, education, and community engagement. Her leadership will focus on strengthening professional collaboration and highlighting landscape architecture’s critical role in addressing Florida’s climate, coastal, and ecological challenges.

Based on Sanibel Island, Gevelinger is known for her ability to bring clarity and coordination to complex coastal projects. Colleagues know Leigh as a dedicated leader who can steer a project through permitting and construction without losing sight of its artistry or environmental integrity.

“Landscape architecture in Florida sits at the intersection of climate, culture, and coast,” said Gevelinger. “Our work demands both imagination and endurance. I’m honored to represent a profession that shapes how people connect to the land—and to each other—every day.”

Under her direction, Coastal Vista Design has earned recognition at both state and regional levels, including a 2025 ASLA Florida Award of Merit for the BIG Arts Sanibel Campus.

Her firm’s work emphasizes coastal adaptation, buildability, and the integration of art and ecology—creating landscapes that balance beauty with durability.

Gevelinger’s presidency marks a significant milestone for Southwest Florida’s design community, bringing local expertise and perspective to statewide leadership at a time when Florida’s coasts and communities face unprecedented change.

Gevelinger earned her degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has more than 15 years of experience leading projects throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond.

About Coastal Vista Design
Coastal Vista Design is a coastal adaptive landscape architecture studio based in Sanibel, Florida. CVD works throughout southwest Florida and the Caribbean, especially on Sanibel and Captiva islands. Coastal Vista Design approaches projects with deep appreciation for South Florida ecosystems and a thorough knowledge of the unique challenges of coastal subtropical landscape design. Coastal Vista Design’s built work includes Paradise Coast Sports Complex, Aubrey Rogers High School, Big Arts Sanibel, and 100s of residential estates on Sanibel and Captiva. CVD is a Women Minority Owned Small Business making a big impact within the design community.