‘Aja is an Environmental Steward and Energy Worker, dedicated to fostering a deeper connection with the Earth and its inhabitants’

This statement reflects the essence of my work and life’s path… As a Landscape Designer, Consultant, and Project Manager, I specialize in large-scale landscape installations. Beyond that, I guide clients through my Sacred Mentorship program, lead occasional retreats, and offer Land Readings and Ceremonies to help others cultivate a more profound relationship with the earth.

A lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley, I was born in Kingston, NY in 1978. My lineage has farmed along the 209 corridor for over 300 years. I was raised with my hands in the soil, and that connection to the land has shaped every aspect of my life and work. I have spent most of my professional career focused on ecological restoration and resilience. In 2001, I founded Earth Designs, an environmentally conscious landscape design and build firm. Thirteen years later, I transitioned the company into a worker-owned cooperative, now known as Earth Designs Cooperative. For seven years, I served as the Executive Director, Lead Designer, and Board President, playing an integral role in shaping the co-op’s mission and growth. Then in 2020, I stepped away to allow the cooperative to deepen into shared leadership and to create space for new ways of working. Today, EDC continues to thrive, supporting the well-being of over 30 employees.

  My Philosophy & Approach

My relationship with the Earth has always been both physical and energetic. Since childhood, I have felt a deep connection to the soil, plants, and trees, and over time, I came to understand the alchemical processes necessary to sustain a thriving ecosystem. A healthy landscape requires the right balance of elements, and this includes us—our presence, our energy, and our relationship with the land. We don’t have to own land to be in this relationship; it is available to all of us simply through our awareness and reciprocity with the Earth itself.

Through my work, I have seen how land responds to the energy of its stewards. Those who approach their gardens with wonder and reverence often see them flourish, while those who lead with fear or doubt tend to experience struggle, especially when starting plants from seed. This dynamic reflects a fundamental truth: the energy of our surroundings is in constant exchange with our own. The Earth, trees, and flowers do not communicate in spoken words, but through an energetic language that we, too, are a part of. When we align with this truth, we step into a deeper understanding of both ourselves and the world around us.

A Bit More About Me

I find daily inspiration in my daughter and granddaughter. I am a practicing herbalist and believe that food is a form of medicine. I am a cancer survivor and a lifelong runner. For the past 15 years, I have studied various traditional shamanic cosmologies, more recently integrating these teachings with psychotherapeutic tools, therapies, and coaching. I served two terms on the Wild Earth Board of Directors and completed a year-long fellowship with the Good Work Institute. My formal studies include Landscape Design and AutoCAD at the NY School of Horticulture.

I weave a golden thread throughout my life and work—exploring the dynamic interplay between people, place, and the unseen energies that shape our experience.