Carol Whipple
Carol A. Whipple, RLA, FASLA, has a passion for art and nature that can be traced to her early years when she accompanied her engineer father on field projects where he conveyed the importance of laying out roads in an environmentally and aesthetically sensitive manner. This inspired her to pursue landscape architecture. She earned a B.L.A. from the University of Washington, with honors, receiving an Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
Following private-sector work in the American Southwest, Ms. Whipple went on to a 31-year career with the National Park Service. Her award-winning projects encompassed historic preservation and restorations and included new visitor facilities and memorials. As the project landscape architect for the White House under several Presidential administrations, she completed more than 50 planning, design, and construction projects. Ms. Whipple received the Presidential Design Award for successfully managing the design and construction of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in the nation’s capital.
Elected a Fellow of the ASLA in 2002, she has always strongly advocated for the landscape architecture profession and has served on numerous national committees of the ASLA and allied organizations, including service as the co-chair of the former’s annual meeting and as a member of design juries. Now retired, Ms. Whipple advocates for landscape architecture through involvement on local park advisory boards and as a lecturer to civic groups. In her free time, she restores antique vehicles to preserve history and travels as an elite athlete on Team USA to World Duathlon Championships.
Statement: Cornelia Hahn Oberlander was an early, inspirational influence on me as a young landscape architect entering the profession. Having met her at an ASLA event, I remember how approachable and willing she was to share wisdom. Now, more than 35 years later, as I reflect back, I find that the Oberlander Prize resonates with me in that it will globally serve to inspire and influence the next generation of landscape architects. I think back to the work of my father, who felt it was an honorable profession to serve in the public realm, and how I was able to continue his legacy. Thank you to The Cultural Landscape Foundation, as it is an honor to stand with these 99 other women, many of whom I’ve been inspired by as we’ve crossed paths during my career.