Jim Verdone - FASLA - Founding Principal

Jim has over 30 years of design and planning experience in Jackson Hole and the surrounding region. As the Founding Principal, Jim has guided the firm's design philosophy and under his direction the firm's projects have received numerous awards and recognition. In addition, Jim oversees the firms operations and client services. He has served as president of the Wyoming State Board of Architects and Landscape Architects and as president of the National Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards. At the local level he has served as president of the Jackson Main Street and Friends of Pathways organizations. He is licensed to practice landscape architecture in Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Colorado and Utah and holds a Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards certificate. He is a active member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and was inducted into the Council of Fellows for his body of work.

Brannon Bleggi - Principal, Vice-President

Brannon Bleggi over 20+ years of experience in landscape architecture, land planning, visual resource planning, and surveying. He earned a BLA (Bachelors of Landscape Architecture) in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning from University of Idaho and is a Registered Landscape Architect in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana. Brannon Bleggi began his career at VLA in 1998.  He joined Jim as a Partner in 2012. Brannon has worked with private clients, municipalities, school districts and colleges in Wyoming and Teton County Parks and Recreation preparing master plans and improvement projects for recreational sites. Brannon has worked on various natural resource and habitat enhancement projects, successfully negotiating regulatory constraints by working in concert with Wyoming Game and Fish and US Army Corps of Engineers. Brannon also has extensive site and landscape construction experience. Brannon was raised in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and enjoys all local recreational opportunities.

Marisa Santacruz - Designer

Marisa Santacruz brings multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-disciplinary skills to the VLA team. Formally trained as an Architect and Landscape Architect, Marisa has work experience in Mexico, Japan, and the United States. She has a B.A. in Architecture from the University of Chihuahua and a Master in Landscape Architecture from Utah State University. Marisa has extensive experience in conceptual design and has exceptional graphic skills. Her renderings include two and three dimensional drawings that enable the client to easily visualize proposed concepts. She has a variety of design experiences ranging from public projects, urban design, subdivisions, and residences. Marisa has participated in public charettes for the preservation of rural character in Wayne County, Utah and for the development of multi-use pathways in Worland, Wyoming.

Harriet McClelland - Landscape Architect Intern

Harriet McClelland has a degree in Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University. She has extensive knowledge of native plants and has created planting plans for numerous residential, institutional and public projects. She also has extensive experience with producing construction specification documents.

Jessica Barlow - Landscape Architect Intern

Jessica Barlow provides CAD drawing and document production support for the firm. She has extensive experience with irrigation design and layout. Her interest in art and environmentally-sustainable design led Jessica to pursue a degree in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning from Utah State University.

Jesse Osborne - Landscape Architect Intern

Jesse grew up in Buena Vista, CO and went on to receive her Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Colorado State University. Throughout her education, Jesse developed a passion for design that focuses on function as much as it does aesthetics. She brings to VLA an understanding of the value the natural world has to offer and is encouraged to help others acquire meaningful experiences in the landscape. Jesse strives to be a life-long student of the people and environments around her, whether that be in the office, on a trail, or floating the river.

Trissta Lyman - Landscape Architect 

Trissta studied Landscape Architecture at Utah State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture. Then in 2014 at the University of Oregon obtained a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. During her studies she focused on residential design, rural land planning, and the history of human and landscape interactions, such as homesteading. Trissta has worked as a Landscape Designer in conjunction with many general and landscape contractors, overseeing steps in the construction process from initial design work through to completion. In addition to designing and building, Trissta also has a great love for gardening and planting design; she is a self-professed ‘Garden Nerd’.

Charlotte Craft - Landscape Architect Intern

Charlotte was raised on a family ranch in the Texas Panhandle which gave her a deep appreciate for the natural environment. This took her to Oklahoma State University where she graduated in 2023 with a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture. With a natural love for design she looks forward to crafting the outdoor experience with creative strategy.

Working in an area of great natural beauty has instilled in us a responsibility to be stewards of the landscape. Our design philosophy is based on enhancing this natural beauty with designs that are both simple and aesthetic. All VLA designs draw upon colors, textures, materials, and forms that are indigenous to the region and lend themselves to seamless integration of built elements and the natural environment.

Verdone Landscape Architects (VLA, PC) was established in 1980 to provide expertise in the area of land use planning, site planning, and landscape design. Starting in Jackson Hole, we have since expanded our service area to include projects throughout the Intermountain West. Over the 40+ years we have been in business, VLA, PC has developed a reputation for providing quality professional services and cost-effective designs for both private and public clients. The firm operates out of a 3,000 square foot office and historic cabin in Jackson.