Happy 5th Birthday, Copeland Design Collective

Poured by: Kayla Copeland, PLA

I can’t believe Copeland Design Collective is already five years old. When I look back, I see a long trail of moments that led here...starting from sixth‑grade career research projects, home gardening with my Dad, studio crits, professional LA mentors who saw something in me, and all my past employers and experiences. So many teachers, colleagues, and friends helped shape this dream long before it had a name.

More than anything, I’m grateful for every person and community that has trusted us to design life outside their walls and help beautify their cities. I believe God put this passion in my heart—to reimagine outdoor spaces and really dig into how people build relationships, make memories, and grow in parks, public spaces, and on the everyday streets where life happens. That calling is what keeps me moving forward as the owner of Copeland Design Collective and inspires me to keep creating places that matter for far beyond these first five years.

Gratitude for the People Behind CDC

I am so deeply thankful for the support of my family, friends, coworkers, and an honestly endless list of people who have cheered us on. I’m incredibly blessed by each of you.

My husband, Chris Copeland, deserves a huge shout‑out. He not only supports me personally but also serves as our business manager. He sacrifices evenings after his own workday and spends Fridays in the office with me to help make sure we have a clear financial vision and stay on top of the everyday admin tasks that keep this firm running. Copeland Design Collective would not be what it is without him.

I also want to brag on my golden unicorn, my number one—my very first intern turned first employee, Evelyn Huff. Evelyn is an absolute rockstar contributor! She is all‑in on the vision, helps me shape our culture, and shows up as a consistently excellent asset to CDC. I am so thankful for her steady support, encouragement, and the joy she brings into our studio. Day to day, she makes work fun, and we’ve built not only a strong coworker relationship but also a friendship I will always cherish.

To all of our interns who have touched projects here and there, you’ve each left your mark on this firm:

• Anna Allen, our second intern in 2023

• Tyler Anderson, our first long-term intern in 2024

• Nohelia Hernandez, our most recent intern in 2025

Each of you helped CDC grow in different ways and taught us how to be a better firm and better people—how to teach, listen, and care for each other along the way.

A special shout‑out as well to Kennedy Humphrey. He worked with us part‑time and is now faithfully serving our country as a pilot in the Air Force Reserve. Kennedy helped support our growth during his time at CDC, and I’m so thankful for his contributions and his service.

And lastly, a special shout‑out to our newest employee, Alea McKinley. She is not only my sister‑in‑law, but also one of my best friends. Alea joined the team in 2026 as our Brand & Marketing Coordinator, crafting the narrative and outreach for Copeland Design Collective. We are also blessed to have Bruce McKinley, my six‑month‑old nephew and her little sidekick, as our unofficial junior admin when his superwoman momma is working in the office.

Mentors, Colleagues, and the Bigger Profession

I could never fully list all the mentors who have poured into me as a landscape architect. From ASLA colleagues and professors to fellow designers, engineers, and firm principals in Oklahoma and beyond...I am endlessly grateful. Your guidance, encouragement, and open doors helped me grow into the professional I am today.

I look forward to continuing those relationships and mentorships as Copeland Design Collective grows. My hope is that we, as a firm, will pay that investment forward to the next generation of landscape architects and designers coming up behind us.

Designing as Servant Leaders

From day one, I’ve wanted CDC to lead with a servant’s heart. That shows up in how we work and in the kinds of projects we’re drawn to. We serve our communities by partnering with architects and engineers in a support role, and we also lead projects directly, especially when it comes to public work and design.

When we’re the prime, our projects are often about the everyday places people actually use: parks, trails, streetscapes, schools, and public spaces where neighbors gather and memories are made. Those are the projects that are the heartbeat who we are as a firm.

One project I’m especially proud of is the master plan for Andrews Park in Norman. That project allowed us to lean fully into our passion for park design and step into a leadership role as experts. We worked with the City of Norman to create a clear vision and realistic budget for implementation, and we’ve continued to nurture that relationship as Andrews Park evolves.

More recently, the MAPS 4 Beautification Package – Phase 2 has been such a joy to work on. We just received approval from Oklahoma City Council on our full report last week, and we’re celebrating the chance to move into construction documents for several key projects, including:

• The Bessie Coleman Garden at the Oklahoma City Will Rogers International Airport

• Approach improvements at the OKC airport

• A median improvement project off Reno near the Boathouse District and Lincoln, including a pedestrian path we’ll be enhancing with lighting and playful panels tying into the Horizon District

This work represents one of our largest touches so far in our home city of Oklahoma City, and it’s been an honor to contribute to the beauty and identity of the place we live and work.

Five Years In: Culture, Storytelling, and LATTE

As we’ve grown over the last five years, we’ve spent a lot of time talking as a team about who we are and what kind of culture we want to build. Out of those conversations—and this five‑year milestone—came the idea to start sharing more of our story through a blog.

I’m excited to use our fifth birthday not just as a moment to celebrate, but as the official kickoff for LATTE: Landscape Architect’s Thoughts, Tales & Experiences.

Think of it as a quick coffee break with our studio...a small window into how we see the world and how that perspective shapes the places we design.

Through LATTE, I want to invite you behind the scenes so you can see, even just a little bit, through the eyes of a landscape architect. Yes, we’ll talk about projects, plans, and the day‑to‑day work. But we’ll also let more of our personality and culture shine through.

You can expect stories that range from:

• How landscape architecture weaves into everyday life...family walks, kids’ ballfields, airport layovers, and city streets

• The books we’re reading that connect back to placemaking, community, and design

• Our travels—what we notice in other cities, parks, plazas, and trails, and how those experiences influence our work back home

• Building a firm as a working mom / multi‑hyphenate human (honest rhythms, boundaries, grace)

• Homestead to streetscape: what chickens and gardening have taught us about public planting, maintenance, and sustainability

• AND MORE!!

My hope is that LATTE becomes a space where we can reflect, share what we’re learning, and document where this journey takes us in the next five years.

Thank You, and What’s Next

To everyone who has supported Copeland Design Collective so far: thank you. I truly cannot believe we’re already five years in. Your trust, encouragement, and partnership mean more than I can say.

I’m excited to celebrate this birthday, launch LATTE, and keep designing spaces that help people connect, breathe, and belong. I hope you’ll follow along as we continue to grow, learn, and look at the world through the lens of landscape architecture.

Talk to you soon, and here’s to the next five years of Copeland Design Collective! For more day‑to‑day snapshots of projects, travel, and studio life, you can find us on Instagram at @copelanddesigncollective or Facebook.

Thanks for sharing this LATTE break with me.