2026 BSLA ExComm Elections
Are you eligible to vote?
ALL BSLA members, students and professionals, are eligible to vote.
All current members of BSLA — the “Boston” (Maine + Massachusetts) chapter of ASLA — were emailed a link to the ballot on October 5, 2026. If you did not receive it, email the chapteroffice@bslanow.org. 2026 elections are open through October 19.
If you’re not yet a member or need to renew, anyone who joins/renews by October 19 will be eligible to vote. Join/renew here.
This is a “special” election.
Since we’re out of sync with the traditional summer election period, and as we have two candidates for two seats, 2026 is a Special Election.
What’s this about? Per BSLA bylaws, there may be as many At-Large members elected to the Executive Committee as ExComm deems necessary. Recent tradition has three Members-At-Large officers at any given time. Since there is currently an extra vacancy in this role, BSLA ExComm has decided to use this election to fill two At-Large positions. The ballot invites write-in candidates, too.
Meet the 2026 ExComm Candidates
Position: Member-at-Large
Candidate: Kelsey Kern
Kelsey Kern is a Water Resources Engineer at Nitsch Engineering. A native Midwesterner, she relocated to Central Massachusetts in 2020. Kelsey brings a unique perspective to planning and design after navigating a non-traditional career journey. Representing both civil engineering and landscape architecture, her passion is creating memorable places while bringing stormwater management solutions to the surface –literally.
Kelsey’s six years at Nitsch have focused on sustainability and water quality for a wide range of sites throughout New England. Recent work includes developing Green Infrastructure Handbooks for the Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC), designing green infrastructure as part of the Safe Routes to School program, and assisting clients with compliance under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit.
Kelsey has been an active participant in BSLA, including her recent Lightning Talk presentation at Fieldday. As a Member-at-Large, she would like to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, specifically related to green infrastructure (GI). Her current passion project centers on the successful life cycle of GI as an industry. She aims to build a network of people and places to showcase the value of these multi-beneficial assets.
In 2024, Kelsey was awarded the Environmental Business Council of New England’s (EBC) Ascending Leader Award. She is an active member and presenter at the New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Kelsey spent five formative years at Kansas State University, culminating in a Master of Landscape Architecture degree in 2009. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Nebraska in 2020. She is a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) in Massachusetts. Fueled by creativity and competition, Kelsey is a three-time champion of the Nitsch Halloween Costume Contest. She also loves visiting new places, especially with her Australian Shepherd, Echo, along for the adventure!
Position: Member-at-Large
Candidate: Cortney Kirk
I’m Cortney Kirk, ASLA, and I’m honored to run for BSLA Member at Large. For nearly twenty years, I’ve worked across the public and private sectors, and I currently serve the City of Cambridge as Senior Landscape Architect. My work has focused on parks, public spaces, community engagement, planning, and policy, giving me a perspective that bridges design practice and the public processes that shape our communities. I see firsthand the opportunities and obstacles landscape architects face when engaging with government agencies, and I’m continually drawn to the dynamics and politics of public space.
I came to landscape architecture as a career change after moving to Boston in the early 2000s from my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. I fell in love with Boston’s walkability and its many significant public spaces, from the Boston Common and Public Garden to Long Wharf and Waterfront Park and the Emerald Necklace. I became fascinated by how these places came to be and who was responsible for shaping them. “Who makes these places?” ultimately led me to an exploratory design course at the Boston Architectural College, followed by the Master of Landscape Architecture program at the Rhode Island School of Design.
That path from a Midwestern hometown to a new city, a career in landscape architecture and public service has shaped how I think about our profession. Landscapes are places where communities come together, public decisions become tangible, and questions of access, stewardship, and belonging play out every day.
As a Member at Large, I would like to help break down barriers that keep landscape architects from having a seat at the table in local government. I hope to help BSLA members build stronger relationships with municipalities and become essential partners in shaping our cities and towns.
I also want to advocate for keeping the public in public space. As public lands face privatization and exclusion, and privately owned public spaces (POPS) play an increasingly important function, I believe landscape architects have an important role in ensuring these spaces truly serve the public good.
Please join us in saying THANK YOU to this year's candidates for stepping up to run, and thank you to all of our volunteer leaders!
A closer look at the Executive Committee positions: President-Elect, Member at Large, and Trustee.
SUMMARY OF DUTIES
-
The At-Large members shall: perform such other duties as are customary for the position of at-large member or as may be assigned or delegated by the Executive Committee of the Chapter.
Note: this is an intentionally flexible leadership position, with opportunity for the member-at-large to help define their area of focus during their term.
The Member at Large shall be a Full or Associate ASLA Member elected for a term of three (3) years.
-
The trustee shall: be informed on Chapter (BSLA) and Society (ASLA) goals and objectives, policies and procedures, programs and services, and activities and events; serve as an officer on the Executive Committee of the Chapter and serve as the Chapter representative on the Board of Trustees of the Society; facilitate the conduct of the business of the Society by bringing the Chapter perspective to the Board of Trustees and the national perspective to the Executive Committee and members of the Chapter; and perform such other duties as are customary for the office of chapter trustee or as may be assigned or delegated by the Board of Trustees of the Society and the Executive Committee of the Chapter.
The trustee shall be a Full BSLA Member elected for a term of three (3) years. The trustee shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive full terms.
-
The President-Elect/President/Immediate Past President shall be a Full ASLA Member elected for a commitment of four (4) years: one as President-Elect, two as President, and one as Past President.
As President-Elect, s/he is a voting member of the Executive Committee and involved in most leadership/chapter management decisions. The President-Elect also acts in the place of the President when asked or appointed by the Executive Committee. S/he prepares a slate of committee chairs and members to take effect when s/he becomes President. Preference is given to the current chairs.
As President, s/he presides over all chapter and Executive Committee meetings, represents the Chapter with other organizations, represents ASLA at the Chapter President Council meetings, sets the chapter agenda with the consent of the Executive Committee, and is the primary point of contact for the Chapter Executive Director on most issues.
As Immediate Past President, s/he supports the new President in his/her duties, provides counsel, advice, and direction as needed. S/he assumes the role of President when asked by the President or the Executive Committee and attends the ASLA Spring and Fall Meetings on behalf of the Chapter with other chapter leaders.
Throughout his/her term of office, s/he is also an ex-officio member of BSLA Fund, the Chapter's sister 501(c)(3) charitable foundation.
The President-Elect/President/Immediate Past President must be a Full ASLA member.
A note about BSLA chapter elections:
BSLA thrives thanks to the generosity, energy, and actions of dozens of volunteers: committee chairs and co-chairs, section leaders, student leaders, and all of you who participate as speakers, donors, members, authors, awards jurors, event attendees, and in many, many other ways, big and small. Thank you.
BSLA is governed by our "ExComm," or Executive Committee. These ExComm positions are defined by our bylaws and elected in an annual process, similar to every other ASLA chapter across the country.
As we enter this year's election cycle, BSLA is pleased to remind you that in 2022, our Executive Committee amended our chapter bylaws so that EVERY member of our chapter has a vote in our annual elections.
That is, in our chapter -- Massachusetts and Maine -- student members and affiliate members are allowed to vote alongside associate and regular full members. "A member is a member is a member." (Historically, only full and associate members were allowed to vote.)