LeBleu Celebrates Legacy of Service to ASLA, CELA
After four years as a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects’ (ASLA) Fellows Jury, the last of which she has spent as chair, Auburn University Landscape Architecture Professor Charlene LeBleu will soon close out her jury service.
After four years as a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects’ (ASLA) Fellows Jury, the last of which she has spent as chair, Auburn University Landscape Architecture Professor Charlene LeBleu will soon close out her jury service.
The duty of the Fellows Jury is to determine those members of the organization who will be elevated to Fellow status. Fellowship is among the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members and recognizes the contributions of these individuals to their profession and society at large based on their work, leadership, management, knowledge and service.
Few have exhibited all of the qualities above to the degree LeBleu has over many years of involvement with the ASLA as well as the other major professional organization in her field, the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA).
A Fellow of both organizations as well as a past president of CELA, LeBleu is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Over her 20-plus years of ASLA activity, she has held positions ranging from two terms and 18 years acting as faculty advisor to Auburn’s student chapter to service on multiple committees, project and paper review teams and award competition juries. She has also made or participated in numerous presentations at ASLA-sponsored events.
LeBleu’s involvement with CELA has been equally notable. She is currently the 2024 Chair of the organization’s Academy of Fellows, after serving as Chair-Elect the previous year. She has been recognized with both CELA’s President’s and Excellence in Service Learning Awards and has also served on multiple occasions as editor or co-editor of several of the Association’s publications.
In addition, she has had 35 abstracts peer-reviewed and accepted for oral, poster and panel presentations and has reviewed 127 CELA conference abstracts and 43 full papers over her 20-year academic career. During that period, many of her students have also had their work recognized by CELA as well.
LeBleu is quick to note that her long involvement with both organizations has been an enriching and worthwhile experience, beneficial to not only herself, but also the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA) and the university.
“CELA and ASLA have been critical to my long and vibrant career and have helped me grow both personally and professionally,” she said. “I have built and expanded an outstanding global network of academics and professionals with similar strong commitments and values to encourage, support and further landscape architecture education and practice.
“My engagement with both organizations has led to my peers selecting me for leadership opportunities and public service,” she concluded. “That has boosted my visibility as well as the visibility of APLA and Auburn University.”
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Charlene LeBleu