For immediate release: April 10, 2006

Asheville office of Design Workshop boosted with two new hires

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Design Workshop is pleased to announce the hiring of  landscape architect Jordan Parker and project assistant Megan Olsen to augment the staff in its 20-person Asheville office.

Parker graduated from the University of Arkansas in December 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture and a minor in general business. During his college career, Parker worked at a water park outside Fayetteville, Ark., where he maintained the sidewalks, gardens and parking lots. In the summer of 2005, he served as a landscape architect intern for the Winthrop Rockefeller Center, a non-profit educational conference complex that partners with the university. His first day at Design Workshop was March 21.

Olsen, who brings a strong educational background and a wealth of experience to her new role, received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Kent State University in 2002 before earning her master’s in urban planning from the University of Akron in 2004. She also participated in the summer program of the American University of Paris in 1999. Olsen's previous work experience includes serving as the community development coordinator for Summit County, Ohio, and serving as an associate planner for the Town of Indian Trail, N.C. Her first day at the firm was January 23.

Founded in 1969, Design Workshop practices sustainable design and planning on sites ranging from urban infill, parks and open-space projects to brownfield redevelopment and resorts. The firm, which has been honored with more than 120 awards for design and planning, has offices in Aspen, Denver, Santa Fe, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, South Lake Tahoe and Asheville, N.C.