IFLA ExCO
Bruno Marques
IFLA President
Bruno Marques is a registered landscape architect and educator. He completed his Landscape Architecture studies at the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and Berlin Technical University (Germany), followed by his PhD studies at the University of Otago (New Zealand).
Bruno has practiced in Germany, Estonia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, having an extensive portfolio of built projects.
During the past nine years at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, he has developed a comprehensive research agenda to embrace the formulation of frameworks on landscape rehabilitation, cultural landscapes, place-making, and Indigenous community health and wellbeing.
He is currently the Associate Dean for the Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation.
Marina Cervera
Interim IFLA Treasurer
Marina Cervera is a landscape architect and urban planner from Barcelona, Spain. She is the CEO of NABLABCN, Executive Director of the International Landscape Biennial of Barcelona and part part-time teacher at UPC-BarcelonaTech.
Marina holds comprehensive dual professional qualifications in both landscape architecture and urbanism. She completed a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and a Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture at UPC-BarcelonaTech, followed by a Master's in Landscape Architecture in 2003 and a Master's in Urbanism Research in 2014. This integrated training across disciplines informs her approach to territorial and urban design, bridging scales from site-specific interventions to metropolitan planning.
Before establishing her own practice, Marina worked at Ateliers Jean Nouvel in Paris and at the UPC Research & Landscape Projects Center under Rosa Barba. She founded NABLABCN in 2003, which has grown into a highly recognised practice with numerous competition wins and international awards. The practice's work on Barcelona's urban transformation has received significant recognition, most notably winning the New European Bauhaus Prize in the 2025 WINNER CHAMPIONS category for the Green Axes and Squares of Barcelona's Eixample project.
Marina has coordinated the Barcelona Landscape Biennial since its 4th edition and currently serves on both its Executive and Scientific Committees, playing a pivotal role in its evolution from a regional academic event to an internationally recognized professional platform. She teaches at UPC-BarcelonaTech and has been invited as guest lecturer, moderator, and jury member at universities and institutions worldwide. Her work has been recognized with prestigious fellowships and scholarships, including the Mies van der Rohe Foundation Fellowship, the Caixa d'Arquitectes Scholarship, the Villa LeNôtre Fellowship in 2016, and the Luigi Einaudi Chair at Cornell University in 2019. Marina's practice bridges professional innovation, academic research, and institutional leadership, contributing to the articulation and advancement of landscape architecture across scales and through international discourse.
Ruth Wanjiku Mwai
President IFLA Africa
Ruth is a Landscape Architect and Environmental Planner with over 16 years of experience shaping landscapes in the built environment. Her professional journey has taken her across the vibrant landscapes of Africa, where she's left her mark on numerous infrastructure and building projects through a wide range of roles. Her expertise encompasses master planning, landscape restoration, landscape planning, environmental impact assessments, participatory planning, contract administration, project management, and landscape construction.
Based in Nairobi Kenya, Ruth leads the team at Muzuri Spaces a landscape architectuural firm providing landscape planning & design services, environmenta impact assemment and, landscape construction services. Her team endevours in crafting designs that seamlessly blend strutures and landscapes.
Beyond her role at Muzuri, she has served as a tutor at the Department of Landscape Architecture of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (JKUAT) and at the Department of Architecture & Interior Design of Kenyatta University.
Before taking on the role of the International Federation of Landscape Architecture (IFLA Africa) President, Ruth served as the Professional Practice and Policy Commitee Chair from 2023-2025. At the National level, Ruth's is a dedicated member of the Architectural Association of Kenya(AAK), where she has served in various capacities, including a noteworthy tenure as Chairperson of the AAK Landscape Architects Chapter from 2021 to 2024, during which Kenya and Sweden jointly hosted the 69th IFLA World Congress. Currently, Ruth brings her expertise to the AAK’s Executive Committee as the Honorary Secretary.
Ruth holds a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology and a Master's in Planning (Urban & Regional Planning) from the University of Nairobi.
Rafael Dodera
President IFLA Americas
Rafael Dodera is a forest agronomy engineer, graduated from the Universidad de la República in Montevideo, Uruguay. He has served as the coordinator of the Landscape Disciplinary Group at the Facultad de Agronomía, UDELAR since 2017 and has coordinated the Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Design since 2013. Since 2012, he has been the professor responsible for courses such as Transversal Workshop, Landscape Interpretation, Bio-aesthetics and Landscape Perception, and Landscape Management. He has also held prominent roles at IFLA AR (International Federation of Landscape Architects – Americas region), serving as Chair of the Permanent Committee on Education and Academic Affairs since 2020, Secretary General from 2018 to 2020, and is currently the President of IFLA Americas.
Paul Chan
President IFLA Asia-Pacific
PAUL CHAN
Registered Landscape Architect, HKILA, HKIUD, HKICM, MArborA
Mr. Chan is a practicing landscape architect with academic backgrounds in architecture, project management, law, and landscape architecture. He was director of Earthasia Limited, later joined the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) as the founding head of landscape architecture. In 2018 he joined Otherland Limited as a co-founder and director. Mr. Chan has taken up leadership on a wide range of landmark projects in Hong Kong and nearby regions covering landscape planning and design of the public realm, institutional, infrastructural, residential, and commercial projects.
Mr. Chan serves a number of professional bodies, public consultative bodies, and NGOs. He is the current President of the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA) (2022 – 2026), member of the Northern Metropolis Advisory Committee (Sub-committee) on Planning, Land and Conservation, and a member of the WWF-HK Conservation Committee. Former public services included the Harbourfront Commission of Hong Kong, Appeal Board Panel (Town Planning), Executive Committee of Playright Children’s Play Association. Mr. Chan was the Chair of Climate Change and Biodiversity Working Group of IFLA APR during 2023 to 2025.
Indra Purs
President IFLA Europe
Work Experience and Elected Positions
2022 - present Riga City -Council City Development Department, City Architect’s Service https://arhitekts.riga.lv/ chief city landscape architect
2022 – present President of Latvian Association of Landscape Architects
2016 - 2022 Latvian Association of Landscape Architects board member, foreign relations, project management - http://www.laaab.lv/
2021 - present Ogre Technical College lecturer https://ovt.lv/
2021 - present Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia, Construction Council member https://www.em.gov.lv/lv/latvijas-buvniecibas-padome-0
2019 - present Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, National Architecture Council member https://www.km.gov.lv/lv/arhitekturas-padome
2019 - present Member of Network of European Landscape Architecture Archives - NELA
2018 - present Urban Institute, Board member https://www.facebook.com/Urban.Riga
2016 - present LAAA Delegate to IFLA Europe - European Region of the International Federation of Landscape Architects https://iflaeurope.eu/
Chair of the IFLA Europe New European Bauhaus Working Group and IFLA Europe representative to New European Bauhaus Collective
2016 - present LAAA Delegate to IFLA - International Federation of Landscape Architects https://www.iflaworld.com/
2017 - present BSRLA Baltic Sea Region Landscape Architects Group, alliance establisher, delegate, project leader
2002 - present Purs consulting Ltd. - owner, researcher, landscape architect, financial consultant
1997 - 2001 EY Latvia Ltd. senior auditor
Education
2009 - 2012 Candidate of Dr Arch in Landscape Architecture doctoral studies in Landscape Architecture
2003 - 2009 BLArch Professional Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture and Planning
1997 - 1999 MSocSc in Business Administration
1993 - 1997 BEcon in Financial Management MAJOR RECIENT PROJECT EXPERIENCE
2020 - present Law on Architecture, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia member of development working group
2020 - present Actualisation of occupational qualification structure of construction industry, ConstructionnIndustry Experts Council, member of working group
2020 - present Occupational standards “Landscape Architect”, “Landscape technologist”, “Environmental Designer”, moderator of development working group, expert
2020 - present National Acoustic Concert Hall project development group - researcher, member
2020-2021 Architectural strategy 2022-2027, Design strategy 2022-2027, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia; member of working group
2021 - present 1st Latvian Landscape Architecture Award – LAABA 2019, LAABA 2022 - member of curating team
2019-2021 Riga Architectural Award 2019, 2020, 2021 - researcher
2017 - 2021 EU COST Action “REthinking Sustainability TOwards a Regenerative Economy” Latvian delegate, circular construction subgroup leader
2015, 2016 EU University-Business Forums in Brussels, BE, Vilnius, LT, Helsinki, FI - delegate
2009 - present Author of several international scientific and professional publications, numerous reports in international, national scientific and professional conferences and seminars
Jala Makhzoumi
Interim President IFLA Middle East
Jala Makhzoumi is the 2021 laureate of the IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award for her outstanding contribution to education and practice in landscape architecture. She is adjunct professor of landscape architecture, American University of Beirut, Acting President, International Federation of Landscape Architects, the Middle East Region.
Teaching and practicing in a region where landscape architecture is still an emerging profession brought many challenges, but it freed Jala to engender a definition of landscape architecture that was responsive to the ecological, socio-cultural and political context of the region. She applies this contextual landscape approach to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to framing human rights and citizenship and in her approach to postwar recovery.
Her publications include Ecological Landscape Design and Planning: The Mediterranean context, co-author Pungetti, The Right to Landscape, contesting landscape and human rights, co-editors Egoz and Pungetti, and Horizon 101, a collection of paintings and prose, reflections on landscape and identity.
Jala is recipient of the Tamayouz Award for women in architecture (2013), was profiled by the Aga Khan Women Architects (2014), received the lifetime achievement award of the European Council of Landscape Architecture Schools (2019).
Kharbal Kaltho
Chair IFLA CER Committee
Kharbal James Kaltho is a Landscape Architect with a Master's in Landscape Architecture (MLA) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria a BSc. In Architecture and an MSc Architecture in view. He has experience in Regional Landuse Planning, Landscape Ecology, and Landscape Spatial Analysis and Design. He has conducted several studies and publications in the areas of water conservation, Land Management, Biomass regeneration, watershed restoration, river basin management, and degraded landscape regeneration in semi-arid tropics. His work is centered on Smart solution-based design, Community/civic engagement, green disaster planning, and sustainable livelihood. He is also involved in the design and implementation of other Landscape projects.
He is the co-founder and CEO of Design Infinity Studios Ltd Landscape Architecture Firm, the immediate past Publicity Secretary of the Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria (SLAN), a past Chair, IFLA Africa Communication and external relations committee (IFLA-Africa-CER), the past Secretary-General IFLA-Africa and Current Chair, IFLA Communication and external relations committee IFLA-CER.
He is also a Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) Specialist Group on Sustainable Use and Livelihoods (SULi) (IU-13625) February 2015 and a member of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (18257)21 June 2017.
Alessandro Martinelli
Chair IFLA EAA Committee
Previously involved in research projects and didactic activities at the Accademia di architettura in Mendrisio and the International Institute of Architecture in Lugano Vico Morcote, the Berlage Institute in Rotterdam, the Barcelona Institute of Architecture, the Canadian Centre of Architecture in Montreal, the Archivio Cattaneo in Cernobbio, the Shih Chien University and the Huafan University in Taipei, Alessandro Martinelli, Ph.D., is Associate professor at the Department of Landscape architecture, the Chinese Culture University, Taipei.
He is also the editorial director of ListLab Publisher (listlab.eu), Chair of the IFLA Education & Academic Affairs Committee, and immediate past chair of the IFLA Asia Pacific Region Education & Academic Affairs Committee.
Finally, he works with BIAS Architects & Associates (biasarchitects.com) on design and curating projects concerning public space today.
Pamela Pagana
Interim Chair IFLA PPP Committee
With over 11 years of practice, Landscape Architect Pamela Sarunya Pagana has made significant contributions to advancing landscape architecture in the Philippines through design, advocacy, and professional leadership. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of the Philippines Diliman, where she currently serves as a Teaching Associate while pursuing her Master of Tropical Landscape Architecture (MTLA). In 2020, she co-founded Reverte, a landscape design and build company dedicated to sustainable and inclusive environments.
Pamela's influence in the landscape architecture profession is significant. She has been an active member of the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects (PALA) since 2016, serving on its Board of Directors, leading the Professional Practice Committee, and holding office as National President in 2021. That same year, she chaired the Council for the Built and Natural Environment (CBNE). One of her key contributions is her pivotal role in developing the Philippine Landscape Design Standards, a significant milestone in the industry. She also played a key role in formalizing collaboration between landscape architects and contractors through a Memorandum of Understanding with Landscape Contractors and the Industry Specialist Association of the Philippines (LaCISAP). As a Certified BERDE Professional, she continues to champion sustainable design practices.
Her influence extends to policy and education. She is an appointed member of the Technical Panel for Landscape Architecture under the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Council in the Philippines. She also contributes to the Technical Working Group for the PRC–CLARB partnership, strengthening international professional alignment.
On a global scale, Pamela's influence in landscape architecture is felt through her role as chair of the IFLA Asia-Pacific Region Professional Practice and Policy Standing Committee. This position allows her to lead key events, including Talk and Share, the Professional Practice and Policy Forum, and the IFLA APR Landscape Architecture and Luminary Awards. She is also an active participant in key IFLA working groups, including the Standing Committee Revision Working Group (SCRWG) and Professional Standards Working Group (PSWG). Her leadership and advocacy have been recognized with the Woman Leadership Award at the 2019 Philippines Women Leaders Event, a testament to her global influence in landscape architecture.
Through her academic, professional, and international roles, Pamela continues to shape the discipline of landscape architecture, fostering collaboration, sustainability, and cultural integrity.