Jeff Woods, FASLA
Parks and Recreation Department (retired), Aspen, CO
Throughout his 40-year career, Jeff Woods's exemplary leadership and management and his commitment to native landscapes, as well as his astute design sense, have been responsible for the growth of city and regional open space systems in Colorado and beyond. Very early in his career, he was involved in designing one of the nation's first tallgrass prairie parks where native ecosystems were restored and used to clean stormwater. At the Design Service Center of the National Park Service (NPS) in Denver, Jeff headed interdisciplinary design teams on large-scale projects, including the Zion Transportation System in which he pioneered first-ever partnerships among national, state, and local agencies and a gateway town. As Director of Projects for the City of Denver Parks, Jeff led a team to implement a large number of projects, successfully garnering public and political support for major efforts such as the restoration of the South Platte River and the design of Commons Park. When he joined the City of Aspen as Manager of Parks and Recreation, Jeff transformed the department, developing robust in-house design and construction capabilities, and taking collaboration and public engagement to unprecedented levels, realizing projects such as the John Denver Sanctuary, Aspen Community Campus, and major open space acquisitions. Jeff's formative leadership, clarity of purpose, and visionary talents have enriched the landscapes and communities of every organization with which he has engaged.
