Katerina Gkoltsiou Elected as New IFLA Vice President
The International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) has announced the election of Dr Katerina Gkoltsiou as its new Vice President, starting from December 2024. Gkoltsiou, a renowned landscape architect from Greece and current president of the European Region of IFLA, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role.
Dr Aikaterini Gkoltsiou is assistant professor at the Laboratory of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Department of Crop Science, at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA). Gkoltsiou holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Aegean, a Master's in Landscape Architecture from the University of Edinburgh, and a diploma in Agriculture from the Agricultural University of Athens. She has been actively involved in landscape architecture for many years, serving as the current President of IFLA Europe and the Panhellenic Association of Landscape Architects (PHALA).
In addition to her leadership roles, Gkoltsiou has founded her landscape architecture practice in Athens, specialising in a wide range of design, construction, and research projects. She is also a partner at AGRODESIGN, a company promoting rural tourism and innovative landscape design for agritourism farms.
Gkoltsiou’s extensive experience and contributions to the field of landscape architecture make her an ideal candidate for the position of IFLA Vice President. IFLA President Dr Bruno Marques expressed his enthusiasm for Gkoltsiou’s appointment, stating, "We are confident that Katerina’s leadership and expertise will be invaluable to IFLA as we continue to address the global challenges facing our profession."
Gkoltsiou takes over the role from Dr Jala Makhzoumi, who served as IFLA Vice President for one year. Makhzoumi made significant strides in promoting sustainable design and highlighting the importance of landscape architecture in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss while keeping the important task of expanding and consolidating the reach of our Middle East Region of IFLA. IFLA extends its gratitude to Makhzoumi for her dedicated service and valuable contributions to the organisation during her tenure.