Pamela Conrad

Principal- CMG Landscape Architecture
Founder- Climate Positive Design

Pamela Conrad, ASLA, LEED AP, PLA is a Principal at CMG Landscape Architecture in San Francisco, California and Founder of Climate Positive Design. Conrad focuses on climate mitigation and resilient design in the public realm. Her work is informed by a background in Plant Science and a passion for the environment rooted in growing up on a farm. She is an ASLA Climate Action Committee member, 2018-2019 LAF Fellow for Innovation and Leadership and recipient of the 2019 San Francisco Business Times NCRE Women of Influence Award. She has published numerous works and presented internationally for developing the landscape carbon calculator Pathfinder app and Climate Positive Design Challenge.

Why women? Why climate change? Why Now?

Most climate scientists tell us the next ten years ahead of us are the most critical to the survival and wellbeing of the human race and the planet. In the IPCC 1.5 degree report, the causes, effects, and solutions are clear on what we must do to prevent these catastrophic events from happening. The good news is that most of the solutions are already here, and many are land-based which can be implemented through the work of landscape architects. It's time for us to rise-up to the challenge ahead, and I in particular, see many women stepping into the space - learning about climate science, modifying their practices, educating the next generation. Why? Well, I believe it's different for all of us, but imagine it's what will come about through the stories in this article.

What is the biggest challenge facing women leaders in male dominated field and how to overcome them?

I see that there are two types of people in the climate change/resilience space related to landscape architecture right now. The first are those that care deeply about the issues, the communities that they are affecting and creating positive, long-lasting equitable solutions. The second are those that are primarily seeing this as a financial gain opportunity to get more projects and build more cool stuff, without genuine care of people, the environment or making a difference. 

I believe that this is the biggest issue right now for women wanting to lead in this space and am frankly struggling myself with overcoming them. Deep down, I have hope that that tide will turn, and through connecting the co-benefits of human and ecosystem health to low-carbon resilient strategies it will become the priority for future city leaders. That through storytelling and compelling visuals we can communicate how these places can be good for people, highly performative, beautiful AND proudly part of climate change solutions.

What are the pressing issues you are contributing as a landscape architect for tackle climate change?

Addressing sea level rise in highly urbanized areas, maximizing carbon sequestration in hard, neglected and sterile built environments, and learning how to meaningfully engage with people whose lives will be directly impacted by climate change but face challenges of meeting their daily basic needs – many times in communities of color.

How you approach your business/ your research as a woman who lead?

Although still very much a work-in-progress, I’ve been approaching things in a bit of a non-traditional way over the past five years or so. Yes, I am a female Principal at a traditional landscape architecture firm, primarily focused on resilience work. However, I also started a research initiative that focuses on providing tools, guidance and resources to help elevate the global landscape architecture impact on the climate crisis. By reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon sequestration, our profession is now positioned to make a direct and significant contribution to slow, stop, and reverse climate change. This has been hard, time consuming, frustrating and required many personal sacrifices. At the same time, it is something I believe I am meant to do, and I have found a support group of other female leaders along the way. The sensibilities of our professional training serves us well to be leading the conversations around climate solutions, but sometimes it takes a little extra to get a seat at the table. We’re pulling up our chair now and I’m exciting to see how we’ll contribute.

What is the most frustrating moment/comment you’ve heard as a woman who leads in the profession?

Women demeaning other women so they can get make themselves look better. While this hasn't been my typical experience, I've been told by other female leaders to "be more passive", "don't be so proactive", and “don't be so concerned with making progress". I was shocked to hear this kind of feedback recently. How will we ever overcome gender bias if we aren't helping to raise each other up?

How your work contributes to other women?

I hope that the work that I am doing is an inspiration for other women, and not just those wanting to make a difference in climate change, but for those that have faced other challenges along the way. I am a first generation college graduate. I grew up and spent the first half of my life on a farm, working away my summers tending to animals and growing food for our family. Both of my parents worked, and my father also managed our farm outside of a full time job. I started working in landscapes, doing physical labor even before I could drive. And because of my determination I was working alongside and managing crews of grown men in the field. Being a woman didn’t stop me then (even when it was suggested that I might be more appropriate to work in the nursery), it hasn’t stopped me on my journey to becoming a landscape architect, and it won’t stop me in elevating our contribution to developing climate solutions as a profession. It’s kind of cheesy, but I grew up in a state whose motto was, “show me”, and I’m a firm believer that a lot of talk without action isn’t good for much. We need to show how we are contributing if we want to be taken seriously.

It is my intention that by leading by example and encouraging other women to join me and collaborate along the way is raising others up as well. Over the past five years, Martha Schwartz, Colleen Mercer-Clarke (most recent past IFLA Climate Change Working Group Chair), and Vaughn Rinner (most recent past ASLA Climate Action Committee Chair) have been catching up over coffee on the weekends, sharing our stories, efforts, and challenges as a sort of “ladies climate support group”. I brought the gals together originally as a way to support each other and unite as one global profession for the sake of climate action. Looking back years later, their friendships, mentorship and support have given me more than I could have ever imagined in return and I am eternally grateful. Our organizations are now collaborating more and we can look forward to more collective climate action as a global profession in the future. 

I am also always looking for ways to collaborate more with others and bring more women to the team. Whether it’s through team partnerships, co-presenting at events, mentoring women along their path or through research assistance and other initiatives. Eustacia Brossart, Wesley Cogan and Kate Lenahan at CMG, Kristen DiStefano at Atelier Ten, Guneet Anand at SITELAB, Lauren Peters from Salesforce, Antoinette Marty from Instacart and Deanna Lynn are just a few along the way that I know I couldn’t do what I do without them. There is so much opportunity for leadership and innovation in this space, I hope that all those interested feel welcome to join in the conversation.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female design leaders?

Give yourself the space and time to find out what you really love, what you’re most passionate about, what excites you to get out of bed in the morning – and then carve out your path to doing it. It may be something new, something different, something intimidating. But, if you don’t try, you’ll never know. So put yourself out there, allow yourself the chance to fail, and give it all you’ve got to make it happen!