Allyson Mendenhall, FASLA, PLA, is director of strategic initiatives of Sasaki’s Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering and Ecology practice. With over two decades of experience leading large‐scale, complex, multidisciplinary design and planning efforts, she leads research and evidence‐based design initiatives and the development of standards and best practices in support of design excellence. Mendenhall is recognized for bridging design practice and academia through research partnerships, publications, and speaking engagements. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Harvard College.