About Us
our team

Principal
Carisa McMullen

Carisa McMullen loves to make things happen. Armed with creativity and purpose—and a natural affinity for developing true relationships—she addresses project challenges with a “just say yes” attitude. Then, she finds the smartest and most efficient way to achieve the clients’ goals. Competitive and empathetic, she is relentless in finding the best solution. But her greatest gift is how thoroughly she becomes invested in a client’s success. When Carisa is on your side, you feel it every day.

Carisa founded Landworks Studio in 2000 with a vision for creating a place where clients could benefit from a sophisticated design approach delivered with intensely personal attention. She leads her team in developing landscape architecture that is imaginative and pragmatic, vibrant yet achievable. Clients appreciate her commitment to collaboration, her diversity of experience, and her skill for making big ideas buildable.

Favorite Movie: Rather than one, she has a top ten list

Senior Landscape Architect
Erica Flad

Erica has 15 years of experience having worked for one of the largest multi-discipline firms in the KC area and one of the most well-respected municipalities in Kansas City.  Her experience is valued, as is her genuine smile and positive personality. She is highly skilled at managing projects, including design and production.  Erica is passionate about being a landscape architect because it allows her to explore a variety of projects and use her experience to help cities through complicated implementation processes.

Favorite Movie: Zodiac (2007)

Senior Landscape Architect
Brian Sturm

A graduate of the University of Georgia, Brian has practiced landscape architecture for nearly 16 years and has completed projects in eight states. Prior to his career in landscape architecture, Brian completed a bachelor's degree in history at the University of North Carolina and worked as an environmental educator in one of our National Parks.

Brian seeks out the stories being told by our landscapes and develops designs, which bring them boldly forward for the public to enjoy. With extensive professional experience, his work includes: parks and trail design; master planning for residential, senior living and mixed-use communities; monument design; and planting plans to meet city ordinances to gain necessary permits. While his final designs ultimately specify materials, such as pavement, pipes, and plants; it's people that are his favorite element in the landscape and inspire his work. 

Favorite Movie: Life is Beautiful (1997)

Urban Planner
Jenna Fernandez

Graduating from the University of Missouri - Kansas City with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning and Design, Jenna adds a valuable point-of-view to our design team. Jenna is a native of Kansas City, Missouri and has spent a lot of time with local community leaders, building her passion for inclusive public engagement and equitable planning + design.   

Before joining Landworks Studio, Jenna worked at a local graphic design firm and spent the summer of 2018 in Portland, Oregon studying sustainable design solutions for stormwater management. Her unique perspective and collaborative nature make her an asset to our team.

Favorite Movie: Contact (1997)

Landscape Designer
Jordan Hanna

A graduate of South Dakota State University, Jordan brings a passion for design to every project. He enjoys creating spaces that are beneficial to communities and the environment. Hardworking and thoughtful, he pursued a dual major in history and landscape architecture, while competing on his college’s cross-country/track and field team.

Jordan’s experiences and studies influence his design perspective. He uses history to gain a sense of place, and his love of the outdoors is reflected in his work. In addition, he worked part-time as a landscape construction laborer while attending college. This has given him a hands-on understanding of how materials and structures are installed, an asset to any project.

Favorite Movie: Christmas Vacation

Communications Manager
Cait Bieker

If there is one thing that Cait loves, it’s connectivity. Being on a first-name basis with your favorite barista, regularly seeing that fox on your evening walk, a familiar mascot on a t-shirt in a foreign city – those small nuggets of familiarity that stitch together and create a colorful and comfortable quilt of interconnected lives.

This love of connection is what drew her to pursue a career that has centered around helping people communicate. Much of her early career focused on strategic communications within a higher education environment, but her expertise has since expanded into digital marketing, allowing her the privilege of working across multiple industries including salon and spas, arboriculture, and supply chain. An advocate of life-long learning, Cait believes that there is something of value to be learned from everyone and everything. Paired with her inquisitive nature, these attributes make her particularly empathetic and dedicated in helping her teams tell deeply honest and textured stories.

Favorite movie: Just Friends (2005)