Design Workshop Names Rebecca Leonard as Firm Partner

29 June 2010

Austin, TX – Design Workshop, an international landscape architecture, land planning, urban design and strategic services firm with six offices in the U.S. and work spanning the globe, is pleased to announce that Rebecca Leonard was recently named as the firm's newest partner. In this role, Leonard joins Design Workshop's eight other partners (shareholders) as part of the executive leadership team, and she will continue to oversee operations for the Austin office. Prior to being named partner, she was a Principal with the firm.

“Our newest shareholder has clearly demonstrated leadership skills, quality project plans and designs,” said Becky Zimmerman, President of Design Workshop. “She is strategic and tenacious in her business development pursuits, advances the firm in community and urban planning, has unending energy and enthusiasm, and her leadership is beneficial to the future of the firm.”

Leonard began her career at Design Workshop's Aspen office in 2005. In 2008, she moved to Austin to open a new office for the firm. Leonard's experience is in the areas of community planning, urban design, redevelopment, tourism planning, regional planning and site design. She is known for her strategic initiative and ability to integrate in-depth knowledge of an area's environment, community and economy with strong physical design and public spaces.

Leonard's award-winning approach to planning and design can be seen in such notable projects as Lewisville Old Town Plaza, Wimberley Blue Hole Regional Park, and Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Livable Centers. She is a frequent speaker at American Planning Association (APA) conferences and has led numerous projects to win awards from American Society of Landscape Architects, APA and National Association of Counties (NAC). She is a current member of APA, the Form Based Code Institute and the Congress for the New Urbanism. She is LEED®- accredited and certified in planning, facilitation and form-based code.

Leonard graduated from Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning where she received her bachelor's degree in Environmental Design in Architecture and her master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning. She and her husband, Steven Spears, live in Austin and are expecting their first child in September.

About Design Workshop
Founded in 1969, Design Workshop is an international landscape architecture, land planning, urban design and strategic services firm with six offices in the U.S. and work spanning the globe. The firm has been recognized with over 150 prestigious awards for its work in new communities, urban centers, resorts, public parks, golf courses and residences. The firm's philosophy challenges the project team to equally integrate and balance artistic vision, environmental sensitivity, community values and sound economics to create unique places that stand the test of time. It refers to this approach as DW Legacy Design®.