Elizabeth J. Kennedy founded EKLA PLLC in 1994.  Kennedy is a registered landscape architect and she is an expert in green infrastructure, landscape restoration, designing for resilience and cultural sites development and management. 

Under her direction, EKLA PLLC has received awards for excellence in design, preservation and sustainable site design from the Public Design Commission, New York Landmarks Conservancy, Preservation League of New York State, US EPA and the Mayor's Office of Sustainability, the National Organization of Minority Architects, NY AIA, and Long Island AIA. She has received notable awards for her contribution to landscape architecture and professional development from the Association of Minority Entrepreneurs of New York, the NAACP’s New York Chapter and NYC’s Department of Small Business Services. 

Kennedy’s construction knowledge stems from hands-on experience. Between 1993 and 1994, she profitably managed the development of 77 new affordable housing units under NYC Partnership’s Housing Program, for which she implemented cost tracking and estimating procedures, prepared bids and supervised trade labor performing sitework. Before working in housing development, she managed several landscape construction crews and supervised large tree installations and specimen materials transplanting. She has since written specifications for the protection and restoration of heritage trees and living landmarks listed on the National Register of Historic Places.