1. L I E S L Z A P P L E R
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E X P E R I E N C E
Landscape Coordinator 6/11- 6/16
Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA
Responsible for all areas of landscape management with oversight at three Swedish campuses. Transitioned to organic landscape
maintenance, wrote the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy and served as the IPM Coordinator. Duties included the following:
monitoring the budget, overseeing staff and contractors, design and installation of landscape renovations. Also assisted in organizing
events, as well as improving the recycling and food waste collection programs.
Received King County’s 5-Star EnviroStar awards for the First Hill, Cherry Hill and Issaquah campuses.
Received the WA Association of Landscape Professionals (WALP) Environmental Landscape Grand Award for the Issaquah campus.
Head Groundskeeper 11/06- 3/10
Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kirkland, WA
Responsible for all areas of landscape management including the following: monitoring the budget, hiring and supervising 1-15
seasonal employees, bidding contracts, project planning, landscape design and installation, arboriculture, pest management and
working with landscape architects on capital projects.
Established the campus IPM Committee, developed the IPM Policy and served as the IPM Coordinator.
Collaborated with the Horticulture Department and organized educational workshops.
Received a 5-star EnviroStar award for the Grounds Department.
Served as a recycling coordinator and established a commingled recycling program, as well as food waste collection.
Performed educational outreach for recycling including signage, event organizing and presentations.
Gardener 11/02 – 11/06
Seattle School District, Seattle, Washington
Responsible for the landscape maintenance of 8-16 schools including design and installation, arboriculture, pest management, lawn
and athletic field maintenance, monitoring irrigation systems and overseeing seasonal staffing.
Developed and served on the District’s IPM Committee and helped to write their IPM Policy.
Coordinated trainings on sustainable gardening practices, procured landscape donations and developed children’s gardens.
Landscaper 5/01 – 6/02
Port of Seattle, Seaport Division, Seattle, Washington
Responsible for the landscape maintenance of several pesticide-free parks, marinas and terminals.
Projects included landscape design and installation with a strong emphasis on native plants and habitat restoration.
Duties included all aspects of landscape maintenance such as arboriculture, pest management and lawn care.
Assisted in planning an Earth Day event in Elliot Bay Park.
Gardener II 8/94 – 5/01
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Responsible for landscape maintenance of campus areas along the Montlake Cut, behind the University of Washington hospital.
Duties included landscape design and installation, arboriculture, pest management and the use of compost tea.
Organized trainings and made presentations on IPM practices.
E D U C A T I O N A N D C E R T I F I C A T I O N S
Dynascape landscape design software, SSCC 2014
Natural Resources classes:
Stream and Wetland Ecology, Wildlife Habitat Management,
Natural Resource Measurements; Green River CC 2011
Certificate of Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching, WSU Extension 2008
IPM Certificate, WSU 2004
Certified Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture 2002
Certified Organic Gardener, Seattle Tilth 2001
WSDA Pesticide Operators License 2001
BFA in Photography, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY 1989

2. A W A R D S
Certificate of Merit, Allied Arts Gallery, Richland, WA 2015
King County Green Globe award for Sustainable Landscaping Practices 2013
Employee of the Year, Lake WA Institute of Technology 2007
Blue Ribbon for Chocolate Chip Cookies, WA State Fair 2000
B O A R D S A N D P A N E L S
South Seattle Community College Horticulture Advisory Board 2/10 to present
WA Tilth Producers Policy Committee 1/10-12/10
Public Member on the WA Pesticide Incident Reporting and Tracking (PIRT) Panel 4/08- 4/10
Seattle Tilth Board of Directors 2002-2004
P R E S E N T A T I O N S
Topics include IPM techniques, pesticide reduction, landscape design and transitioning institutions to sustainable landscaping
practices.
City of Issaquah- IPM training workshops for Parks and
Public Works Departments 12/15
WA State Society for Health Care Engineering (WSSHE) 10/15
Tacoma-Pierce County Homeowner workshops 3/11, 5/11, 9/12, 6/13, 4/15
Tacoma -Pierce County IPM for Professionals workshops 2/11, 2/13
Horticulture classes at Edmonds CC & SSCC 2011- 2014
King County Green Gardening workshops 1998-2001, 2003-2004, 2007- 2009, 2012-2014
Liability, Costs and Assets for Medical Centers, Seattle 6/12
Cambodian Green Gardening workshop/ SPU 3/11
Plant Amnesty’s Festival of Trees 5/09
WAMOA’s Sustaining Our Environment Conference 6/07
King County Environmental Health in Schools workshops 4/06, 4/08
M E D I A
Directed and produced “The Road to Healthy Public Spaces”- a training film about sustainable landscaping practices. The film covers
numerous topics including plant selection, weed management, alternatives to pesticides, fertilizers, athletic field care and proper
pruning.
The film was funded by numerous entities including Kitsap County Public Works, Thurston County Public Health Department,
Seattle Public Utilities, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, the North American Hazardous Materials
Management Association, Seattle Tilth, the Washington Toxics Coalition, Snohomish County Surface Water Management and the
EPA. 2007
Guest on Ciscoe Morris’ “Gardening with Ciscoe”, KIRO Radio. 4/04
C O N S U L T I N G
City of Issaquah- working with City and Parks staff on IPM training, community outreach and writing the IPM Policy 2015-2016
Sound Transit- completed an assessment of landscape design at existing Sound Transit stations, reviewed the IPM policy and plant
list. Assisted in staff trainings and landscape evaluations. 2011- 2013
Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle- landscape assessment. 2012
Longview School District, WA- landscape assessment for numerous school sites and IPM policy review. 2007
V O L U N T E E R & O U T R E A C H P R O J E C T S
Implementation and coordination of the recycling program for the Darrington Bluegrass Festival 7/10 to present
Founder and organizer of the Wedges of Wedgwood gardening group 2009 to present
Live Artist at Gallery One event in Ellensburg, WA 9/13
Composting Queen at Plant Amnesty’s annual fundraiser 7/12
Provided education on backyard composting for a compost bin/ rain barrel event in Kent, WA 3/11
Worked with the Bellevue School District, City Parks staff and parents on an IPM program 2008-2010
Volunteer and attendee at the annual WA State Recycling Association Conference 2008-2010