2026 Class of Fellows: Celine Armstrong, PLA FASLA, Prairie Gateway Chapter

Armstrong Collaborative; Shawnee, Kansas
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Category: Leadership/Management, Page 44

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Category: Leadership/Management, Page 44

Celine Armstrong, PLA, ASLA, acts as a visionary bridge between design excellence and the complex realities of large-scale project management. Across her twenty-year career, she has redefined the landscape architect's role, demonstrating that design-trained professionals are uniquely equipped to lead as strategic advisors and owner's representatives for high-stakes civic investments. Armstrong is most widely recognized for her leadership as the Executive Project Manager for Little Island in New York City. On this $250 million park floating over the Hudson River, she safeguarded the project's ambitious design intent while navigating immense technical and regulatory hurdles. Her performance was so distinguished that she was featured on the Smithsonian Channel's How Did They Build That?, bringing national visibility to the rigor required to build iconic landscapes. Later, as Chief Development Officer for the Fifth Avenue Association, she spearheaded a transformative vision for one of the world's most famous streets, proving that pedestrian-centered design is a powerful catalyst for economic vitality. Returning to her native Kansas City, Armstrong has immediately applied her national expertise to local landmarks. She currently serves as the owner's representative for Roy Blunt Luminary Park-a massive $300 million project to cap a downtown highway-and is advising on the future of the historic Country Club Plaza. Her leadership extends deeply into professional service, having served as President of both the New York and Prairie Gateway ASLA chapters. By aligning environmental performance with measurable economic returns, Celine Armstrong hasn't just built parks; she has expanded the authority of landscape architects to lead at the highest levels of urban policy and infrastructure.

As seen in LASN magazine, August 2026.