EDG Celebrates Alex and Shannon Becoming Licensed Landscape Architects

EDG Celebrates Alex and Shannon Becoming Licensed Landscape Architects.

Ecological Design Group (EDG) is proud to celebrate a major professional milestone for two members of our team. After successfully completing the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (LARE), Alex Brown, PLA and Shannon Norman, PLA are now officially licensed Landscape Architects.

Earning a landscape architecture license is a significant achievement that reflects years of education, professional experience, and dedication to the profession. The multi-part LARE evaluates a candidate's knowledge in planning, design, construction documentation, grading and drainage, and project management, ensuring licensed professionals are prepared to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public through thoughtful design.

For Alex, licensure marks another step in a career driven by a passion for design and the natural world. Originally from Waco, Texas, Alex has called Northwest Arkansas home for the past four years after attending the University of Arkansas. His work is inspired by the belief that the built environment has a profound influence on quality of life and that thoughtful design can make communities healthier, more resilient, and more enjoyable places to live.

Alex is particularly interested in urban design, housing, and natural systems, and values EDG's mission-first approach to every project. One of his favorite projects has been Thaden Elementary in Bentonville, where the team designed a natural playground that celebrates stormwater, native plants, and existing shade trees while incorporating salvaged tornado-damaged tree trunks as imaginative play elements. Prior to joining EDG, Alex also contributed to the design of the public plazas and gathering spaces surrounding Q2 Stadium in Austin, creating spaces that serve both Austin FC fans and the broader community. Outside the office, you'll likely find him exploring the Ozarks by bike, on foot, or from the water.

Shannon's journey with EDG spans nearly two decades. She first joined the firm as an intern in 2007 and has experienced its evolution from a three-person studio into the multidisciplinary practice it is today. Throughout that time, she has contributed to every stage of project development, with particular expertise in master planning, presentation graphics, and residential design.

Originally from Hot Springs, Arkansas, Shannon has lived in Northwest Arkansas since 2003 and is passionate about restoring native landscapes and reshaping how people experience beauty in the landscape. Her work seeks to reconnect communities with natural systems while embracing the changing character of the seasons. She values EDG's commitment to designing places that balance human needs with ecological stewardship.

Among Shannon's favorite projects are Underwood Park, where a cohesive design language carried from concept through the smallest details; Art Court in downtown Fayetteville, which transformed a familiar community space into a vibrant destination combining public art, recreation, and native planting; and Leverett Elementary, a project made especially meaningful because it improved the school attended by her own children while creating a safer, more resilient outdoor environment. Outside of work, Shannon enjoys aerial dance, sketching, painting, and spending time floating Northwest Arkansas's rivers.

Alex and Shannon each bring a unique perspective to EDG, but they share a commitment to thoughtful, meaningful design that reflects EDG's mission.  We're incredibly proud of the dedication they've shown in earning their licenses and look forward to the impact they'll continue to make for our clients, communities, and the profession.

Please join us in congratulating Alex and Shannon on this well-earned accomplishment and exciting new chapter in their careers.