Annual Report 2025
Joel Kurokawa
President, 2024-25
Matt Miller
Chief Executive Officer
Shaping a stronger future
As we reflect on another transformative year, we are energized by the progress we've made together and excited about the path forward. Our commitment to supporting emerging professionals on their licensure journey has never been stronger. We've worked to provide the resources, guidance and encouragement candidates need to successfully navigate the path to licensure, ensuring the next generation of landscape architects is well-prepared to serve their communities.
Behind the scenes, we've been transforming our technology systems to serve you better. These improvements are designed to make your interactions with CLARB more efficient and responsive to your needs.
We've also focused on strengthening partnerships across the landscape architecture community, building a more unified voice for professional licensure and expanding our collective impact.
None of this progress would be possible without our dedicated volunteers, whose expertise, passion and countless hours of service drive everything we do. As you review this annual report, we invite you to consider how you can join us in promoting and defending professional licensure. Together, we are shaping a stronger future for landscape architecture and the communities that depend on our profession's expertise.
Engaging our community
We are committed to providing value to both the regulatory and practitioner communities in landscape architecture by actively engaging with our diverse stakeholder groups: members, CLARB Record Holders and aspiring landscape architects.
The wide range of events, programs and initiatives we offered throughout the last year support our efforts to foster inclusivity in landscape architecture regulation and
strengthen the profession as a whole.
Engaging our COMMUNITY
Empowering emerging professionals
Throughout the year we host informational, interactive webinars for future landscape architects to help them understand CLARB, the L.A.R.E. and the licensure process.
Member Boards
Your Path to Licensure
Member Boards
Summer Exam Basics and Q&A
Engaging our COMMUNITY
Professional development
CLARB offers valuable professional growth opportunities to serve landscape architects and regulators throughout their career — preparing them to serve as a future volunteer leader for CLARB or any other organization.
Member Boards
Peaceful Workplace Essentials
Member Boards
Best Practices in Nonprofit Governance
Engaging our COMMUNITY
Continuing education
We offer exclusive continuing education designed to advance your commitment to protecting public health, safety and well-being (HSW). As the organization dedicated to designing and promoting landscape architectural standards that safeguard the public, we deliver the most relevant, rigorous and forward-thinking HSW education available.
Bourbon Distillation:
Protecting the Environment through Responsible Site Design
Designing for Impact:
Climate Change Mitigation in Landscape Architecture
Water Features for the Future:
Technology, Sustainability & HSW Best Practices
Former CLARB president John Carman led attendees on a walking tour of Lexington's newest public space, Gatton Park on the Town Branch. They learned about the park’s innovative approach to climate resilience, hydrology and inclusive community design.
Over 150 attendees gathered in Lexington for three days of professional development and engagement around landscape architecture licensure.
Volunteers from the Leadership Advisory Council (LAC) and CLARB Board of Directors presented insightful plenary sessions, introduced speakers and played a big role in the success of this year's event. Thank you, volunteers!
Rebecca Moden honored with Presidential Recognition Award
Each year, the CLARB president presents the Presidential Recognition Award to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to our organization and to the regulation of landscape architecture. On September 19 during the CLARB Annual Meeting 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky, outgoing president Joel Kurokawa presented the Presidential Recognition Award to Rebecca Moden, chief executive officer of the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ).
Engaging our community
Adding value through strategic partnerships
Building on the success of our 2024 efforts, we continued to strengthen our relationships with industry partners and firms. Support from our sponsors contributes to the advancement of landscape architecture licensure, helping to protect public health, safety and the environment.
CLARB Supporting Partners
With more opportunities to engage with industry-leading organizations, learn about valuable products and services, and stay informed about the latest trends shaping landscape architecture, backing from Supporting Partners empowers CLARB to support your career growth and help you better serve your clients and communities.
Special thanks to our first Supporting Partners, Pland Collaborative.
Annual meeting sponsors
Programs & services
CLARB designs and delivers programs and services that support licensure, professional mobility and public protection. From administering the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) to providing verified records, certification and model policies, CLARB works with licensure boards and professionals to ensure landscape architects are qualified, competent and equipped to practice responsibly.
programs & services
CLARB Certification
CLARB Certification is a professional credential that indicates that you meet or exceed the CLARB Uniform Licensure Standard for Landscape Architecture. It carries CLARB’s recommendation for licensure, giving regulatory boards confidence in your qualifications. With CLARB Certification, your credentials are verified, making it easier to obtain licensure — saving you time and simplifying the process.
“You will never know when an opportunity will present itself in a different jurisdiction. Being able to quickly apply for a reciprocal license may help you land a new project.”
Brandon Doss, PLA
CLARB Certified since 2019
“CLARB Certification expedites my licensure process and pushes me to get licensed in other jurisdictions because the process is less stressful. I love the reminders regarding expiration dates which help me stay on top of my license.”
Diane Jones Allen, PLA, FASLA, FCELA
CLARB Certified since 1998
programs & services
Licensure defense and advocacy
CLARB actively defends landscape architectural licensure and supports jurisdictions facing regulatory challenges. We monitor and respond to reform efforts, offer advocacy resources and collaborate with national partners to preserve strong, fair and defensible licensure standards.
Through expert guidance and strategic partnerships, we ensure the voice of landscape architecture is represented in policy discussions that impact the future of the profession.
Member Boards
Year-end highlights: Legislative and advocacy efforts
Member Boards
Emerging trends in licensing for 2025
Key initiatives
Guided by our CLARB 2.0 strategic framework, our key initiatives provide a glimpse into the many ways we're leading licensure and regulation of the landscape architecture profession into a future that is adaptive, accessible and dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of our communities and environments.
Key initiatives
Rethink Regulation
Balancing rigor with access
CLARB continuously works to align licensure requirements, simplify processes, and reduce unnecessary barriers while maintaining defensible, high standards. Through the CLARB Uniform Licensure Standard, we collaborate with licensure boards to streamline requirements across jurisdictions, promoting clarity and mobility. The CLARB Record serves as a common application for licensure, eliminating redundant documentation and accelerating initial and reciprocal licensure. Additionally, we are working with member boards to reduce licensure processing time, ensuring a more efficient and accessible pathway for qualified candidates.
Key initiatives
Reframing Landscape Architecture
Strengthening public understanding of the profession
To enhance recognition of the profession, CLARB is leading Reframing Landscape Architecture, a collaborative effort to increase public and policymaker awareness of the role and impact of landscape architects. By addressing misconceptions and improving communication, this initiative seeks to highlight the profession’s critical contributions to communities, public spaces and environmental resilience.
Key initiatives
Elevating the Profession Around the World
Expanding global recognition
CLARB is working to enhance international access, mobility and professional recognition for landscape architecture. We are exploring international equivalency models, conducting global research on professional practice, and collaborating with the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) to establish a framework for mutual recognition of qualifications. These efforts help ensure consistent licensure standards across jurisdictions and increase opportunities for landscape architects worldwide.
Key initiatives
Practice Overlap
Clarifying boundaries between design professions
As landscape architecture intersects with architecture, engineering, interior design and surveying, CLARB is actively addressing practice overlap through its work with the Interorganizational Council on Regulation (ICOR) alongside NCARB, NCEES and CIDQ. This initiative seeks to develop clear definitions and guidelines to help licensing boards regulate interdisciplinary collaboration while ensuring each design profession practices within its area of expertise.
Key initiatives
Evolving the L.A.R.E.
Keeping licensure relevant and accessible
To ensure the L.A.R.E. remains legally defensible and aligned with current practice, CLARB conducts a Job Task Analysis every 5-7 years to validate exam content. We also strive to continually enhance the candidate experience to increase accessibility and flexibility. Recent improvements that better support testing preferences include online proctoring to expand exam access, provisional feedback on exam performance, new practice exams to help candidates assess their readiness for the L.A.R.E., accommodations for ESL candidates, and updated policies for whiteboard and calculator use during the exam.
Operations and governance
With dedication and collaboration at our core, our team of staff and volunteers continued to strengthen our organizational foundation throughout the year. The following section highlights the extraordinary contributions of our volunteer leaders, acknowledges our talented professional team and includes updates on policy that will guide our future work.
Operations and governance
Our vibrant volunteer community
From seasoned professionals to emerging leaders, each member of our volunteer community plays a vital role in shaping our work.
Thank you to our volunteers for generously sharing your time and talent with CLARB throughout 2024-25.
Operations and governance
CLARB staff team
Behind every successful initiative at CLARB is a small but dedicated team committed to advancing licensure and protecting the public. We bring a wide range of expertise and a shared passion for supporting landscape architecture and regulatory excellence.
Help make it happen
You can support our mission to design and promote landscape architectural standards across the United States, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands and Canada. We offer many ways to support CLARB, including year-round engagement, annual meeting sponsorship, digital advertising, webinar sponsorships and meaningful volunteer opportunities.
