Team

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Amelia Capron
Partner | Principal
RLA, ASLA

As a San Diego native, Amelia is most inspired to work within the communities that shaped her vision for design and appreciation of the environment. During her time as a Project Manager with Spurlock Landscape Architects, her background and passion for public work has helped her knit the inherent relationship between people and their environment. Her work includes a range of place-making projects from City parks to major corporate campus design. Amelia has served on the San Diego American Society of Landscape Architecture Executive Board, and as a mentor for the ACE Mentor Program of America.

Amelia received her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.

Brad Lents
Brad Lents
Partner | Principal
RLA | AICP | LEED AP

With degrees in landscape architecture and urban planning, Brad’s problem solving approaches to site planning and design enable him to be an effective designer on a broad range of public and private sector projects. Of particular interest to Brad is managing a project from preliminary planning through site design and implementation. His focus is to create places that are pedestrian friendly, environmentally sensitive, and that fit into the larger neighborhood context.

Brad joined Spurlock in 2008 and became a Partner in 2016. Brad received his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State State University, and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Illinois Urbana.

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Erin Leugers
Partner | Principal
RLA, ASLA

Erin joined Spurlock Landscape Architects in 2018. She has worked as a landscape architect and lived in San Diego for over 17 years working on many of the region's K-12 facilities, public parks, and corporate campuses. Erin’s passion for landscape architecture grew from her affinity for the outdoors and appreciation for how the built environment contributes to the aesthetic, environmental, and socio-economic experience of our daily lives. She enjoys the complexity and variety of the projects she manages and her designs strive to reflect a larger social and environmental context.

Erin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Purdue University.

Leigh Kyle
Leigh Kyle
Partner | Principal
RLA, ASLA

Leigh is a Project Principal and Designer at Spurlock. She has broad expertise but has deep passion for designing parks and public gardens. A licensed landscape architect with an architecture background, Leigh brings over 25 years of professional expertise, technical rigor and sensitivity to the wide range of regional project conditions. Stimulated and inspired by collaboration and dialogue, Leigh’s communication and management skills and ability to embrace complexity in pursuit of creative and elegant solutions are integral to the success of her work.

Leigh joined Spurlock in 2004 and became a Partner in 2016.

Andy Spurlock
Andrew Spurlock
Founder
RLA | FASLA

Andy Spurlock established the firm in 1988 to provide an innovative, site-conditioned approach to planning and landscape architectural design. Noted for its contextual sensitivity and innovative materiality, Andy has worked with many highly regarded artists and architects throughout his career, and his work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. He brings a fresh vision to each project, examining the complexities – and possibilities – of the particular site and molding them into an original and responsive solution. His projects embrace scales ranging from private gardens to major planning studies. He enjoys the planning process through collaboration with communities and agencies to holistically integrate multiple projects for a successful vision.

Andy holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan. 

 

Adam Kutemeier
Adam Kutemeier
Staff
ASLA

Adam joins our team from the Hoosier state where he spent five years beginning his career working on a host of public sector projects. From public park activation, city and county-wide strategic plans, and even large-scale transportation projects, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. Adam is a Project Landscape Designer at Spurlock, providing graphic and technical project support on multiple projects.

Adam is a graduate of Ball State University Landscape Architecture program, where he earned his BLA in 2017.

Ania Armour
Ania Galka Armour
Senior Associate
RLA, ASLA, LEED Green Associate

Ania grew up in the Western Carpathian Mountains of Poland surrounded by pristine natural environment, mountain ranges, forests, creeks and wild life. Her love and respect of the natural environment motivated Ania to achieve Master Degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Horticulture.


Ania enjoys discovering the rich historical heritage of San Diego neighborhoods. She uses her wide knowledge of local climate, ecology, plant formations and ornamental plants specific to Southern California to produce detail-oriented and artful designs.
 

Chad Evans
Chad Evans
Associate
ASLA

Working at the intersection of humanity and the environment, Chad is fascinated by Landscape Architecture’s ability to alter people’s everyday lives through the spaces around them. Embedded in that practice, he believes that this profession can be used a catalyst of social change, in creating spaces in the urban environment that not only add ecological value but economic and community enrichment for its users.

Chad holds a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from California Polytechnic State University- San Luis Obispo.

Corianne Andrews
Corianne Andrews
Senior Staff
ASLA

With a background in interior architecture and landscape architecture, Corianne has developed a holistic approach and perspective towards design thinking and problem solving that seeks to sensitively merge the built environment with the natural world. She is most inspired by sociocultural landscape narratives and spatial experiences that encourage dialogue and expression.

Emily Dowgiallo
Emily Dowgiallo
Senior Associate | Marketing Manager
SMPS

Emily joined Spurlock in 2011 as a landscape designer and is now the firm’s Marketing Manager. She collaborates with the principals on the firm’s strategic initiatives and directs the business development and marketing efforts. With a master’s degree in landscape architecture from North Carolina State University, Emily’s experience in the profession and ability to think as a designer enables her to represent the firm’s strategic decisions with passion and efficiency.

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Jing Cao
Staff

Since joining Spurlock in July 2022, Jing has enjoyed being involved in a variety of projects and developing her professional skills through a rigorous design process. Jing holds a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture from University of Pennsylvania.

Jing Pan
Jing Pan
Senior Staff
ASLA

Jing graduated from Harvard University Graduate School of Design with an MLA in 2017. Prior to that, she received a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The phenomenological aspects of nature and interactive public installations inspire Jing's landscape architecture work. She is particularly interested in the interactive elements of landscape, and her interest in the interactive arts lends itself well to creating memorable landscape designs.

Manman Shao
Manman Shao
Staff

Manman joined Spurlock in May 2021. She is a project landscape designer with experience supporting conceptual design and construction documentation. Passionate about creating aesthetically pleasing and functional outdoor spaces, she participates in projects of varying types and scales, including design-build competitions, public parks, mixed-use developments, and commercial landscapes. Manman believes that landscape transfers visions into reality, creating dynamic environments that enhance the quality of life for communities and users alike.

Mark Stempniak
Mark Stempniak
Associate

Mark Joins Spurlock Landscape Architects with 25 years of experience in the landscape architecture industry as a project manager and irrigation specialist. He has skills in all areas of landscape design, from concept plan development to construction documents and construction administration.

Mark earned his BS in Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona in 2000. He then went on to receive his Masters in City Planning from San Diego State University in 2004.

Penny Carter
Penny Carter
Senior Staff | Administrative Assistant

Penny is the firm's Administrative Assistant. Trained as a commercial interior designer, she started even earlier as an architect’s assistant; holding the end of a measuring tape for her Dad who was an architect in New York City. She is the firm’s first face and she loves to acknowledge our clients with a friendly comment and a good laugh. She assists with billing, coordinates schedules, organizes travel and keeps the office well- supplied. She is involved with sustainability/recycling programs which fits right in with the whole purpose of a greener environment.

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Rylee Maas
Staff

Since joining Spurlock in July 2022, Rylee has experienced various design approaches including an art to balancing form and function, and transforming sites based on their cultural and physical contexts. Rylee received his Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture with a Certificate of Environmental Studies from University of Wisconsin.

Samantha Murray
Samantha Murray
Staff

Samantha is passionate about engaging people with nature to benefit the physical and mental health of communities. Growing up as a San Diego local, the native canyon terrain was her playground, connecting deeply with the landscape at a young age. She earned her bachelor’s degree in architecture from the NewSchool of Architecture & Design. Since joining the Spurlock team, her experience has ranged from as far off the grid as Anza Borrego State Park, to the expansive microclimates of the San Diego Botanic Garden. Regardless of the project type, the ethos to create an accessible environment where people can immerse themselves within nature remains. In her free time, you can find her exploring the San Diego Canyonland trails with her pup Rae, backpacking to remote destinations, or visiting a botanic garden practicing her photography.

Tori Talbott
Tori Talbott
Associate

Tori joined Spurlock in January 2020 and is an Associate and Project Manager.

Tori graduated from the University of Oregon with an MLA in 2019. Prior to that, she graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Spanish. Her interest in landscape architecture ignited during an AmeriCorps internship in Jackson, WY, where she worked with the US Forest Service landscape architect to develop a summer camp curriculum about nature for underserved youth.

She is an eternal student of design and applies new ways of thinking and creativity to produce original solutions to ubiquitous site challenges. She thinks about integrating art, nature, and ecology into designs whenever possible. When she is not at work, you will find her spending time at Dog Beach (with her dog), at any and all ski resorts, and increasingly at the golf course.

Yuanchi Zhao
Yuanchi Zhao
Associate
RLA, ASLA, LEED Green Associate

Yuanchi believes quality landscape design shall respect local ecology and cultural history, and enhance economic and recreational value for the communities we serve. He believes landscape architecture is a significant component of responsible site development and that the design process serves to increase the function and health of a site while creating unique experiences for the user.