Kendra Hyson is an Associate Planner and Urban Designer with SmithGroup in the firm’s Washington, DC office. Kendra’s work merges her background in landscape architecture with her diverse experiences in non-profit and government sectors to achieve holistic design outcomes. Her work champions community-based planning and design for social equity. As Co-Founder of The Urban Studio, Kendra advocates for inclusivity and equity, particularly for aspiring designers of color. She's an emeritus member of the Landscape Architecture Foundation Board of Directors and is the cohort mentor for the LAF Ignite program, contributing significantly to its development. Kendra serves on several American Society of Landscape Architects National committees and is a member of CAPLA’s Futures Council. She holds a master’s in landscape architecture from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Spelman College.