2022 Class of Fellows, Claire Latan???(C), Southern California Chapter

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California
by Staff

Southern California Chapter Category: Knowledge

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Southern California Chapter Category: Knowledge

Claire Latan???(C) is a proven advocate for the profession of landscape architecture, a thoughtful and effective communicator on the benefits of healthy learning environments, and a leader in applying that knowledge to schools. For over a decade, Claire has helped school communities imagine and realize healthier, greener schoolyards and has advanced understanding of the impact of school environments on public health, equity, and climate resilience. Her journalism background has helped her to translate decades of design knowledge and scientific research into lessons that are accessible to designers, decision-makers, and the public. In 2020, Claire co-led the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative's outdoor infrastructure working group and founded its Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers program. That work led to Claire establishing the Collaborative for Healthy and Inclusive Learning Environments, pulling together experts in health, planning, and community-based design across the county. Her recent book, Schools That Heal: Design with Mental Health in Mind, has quickly become a critical resource for organizations, designers, and school districts as they rethink school environments and how school design can support mental health.