Erin F. Stevens
President / PLA, LEED AP / Adjunct Professor
Erin, a native of the South Carolina barrier islands, credits her initial ecological fascination to a childhood rich with exploration of the ephemeral coastal landscape. As an adult, Erin’s studies led her from this temperate coastal environment to the frigid urban ecology of New England where she acquired a Bachelors Degree in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University and a first-hand understanding of the power of varying environmental factors in shaping the human experience. To further explore this phenomenon, she moved to Manhattan to pursue urban studies at Columbia University. After a series of internships—the Skyscraper Museum in New York, the World Health Organization Office for Investment for Health and Development in Venice, Italy and the regional planning agency for the Charleston Metropolitan area (BCDCOG)—she completed her Masters in Landscape Architecture at the University of Georgia.
In her professional career, Erin has worked on a variety of planning and design projects including a federally-funded transit study for the Charleston region, the redevelopment of an environmentally sensitive low-impact residential neighborhood within a highly contaminated watershed, and development guidelines and public space design for multiple mixed-use and infill developments in the Charleston region.
In 2016, Erin founded Surculus, a Charleston-based landscape architecture and urban design firm focused on increasing resilience and effectively integrating ecologically sensitive systems into urbanized and other human-affected contexts. In addition to her practice, she currently teaches a design studio within Clemson University’s Master of Resilient Urban Design Program and serves on the City of Charleston Design Review Board.
Robert K. Maerlender
Studio Director / ASLA, CLARB
Originally from Rochester New York, Robert earned his Bachelors of Landscape Architecture with Honors from the State University of New York at Syracuse. He studied abroad in Paris, London, and Milan. Following graduation, he was introduced to the heat and humidity of South Carolina where he began his professional career. Through this experience, he developed a love of the Lowcountry and a deep appreciation for South Carolina’s rich cultural traditions, history, and coastal landscapes.
With over 20 years of professional experience, Bob has worked extensively in sensitive coastal environments from Rhode Island to coastal Georgia and internationally in Costa Rica, Ireland, and the Bahamas. Bob brings a strong background in design and construction to the team, focusing on the relationship between our cultural landscapes and the built environment. Bob has designed and managed projects ranging from large-scale master planning to the intimate scale of the single-family home. His work with previous firms includes: the Renovation of Colonial Lake; multiple projects on Kiawah Island including West Beach Village, Freshfields, The Sanctuary Hotel, Cassique Golf Club; as well as The Briars Creek Golf Club, The Myrtle Beach Air Base Redevelopment, Ashley Hall School Campus, and some of the Lowcountry’s finest private homes.
Bob’s work is grounded in a love for art and science. This passion—combined with a fundamental understanding of the environment, a compassion for people, and an unrelenting drive to create truly memorable places—informs Bob’s work which has received multiple awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Lauren Stubbs
Landscape Architect / PLA
Raised in Atlanta, GA Lauren received her Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from UGA in 2000. Studying the historic gardens and urban design of Eastern Europe left Lauren with a deep appreciation for history, art, nature, and the outdoor spaces they inspire.
Lauren’s early experiences include working closely with landowners to create extensive nature trails, wildlife viewing areas, and plantings to benefit wildlife. In 2001, Lauren joined a nationally-recognized Landscape Architecture firm and relocated to Charleston. In Charleston, Lauren worked on an array of projects including private residences, park design, campus planning, resort planning, and large-scale master planning. Through these early and formative years in her career, Lauren gained a deep respect for the Lowcountry’s coastal landscape and ecology. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Lauren brings a wide range of knowledge to each project. Her work continues to be grounded in her deep appreciation of the natural world.
Lauren currently maintains a small design build landscape studio in Athens, Georgia. She enjoys working closely with clients, artisans, craftsmen and the plant industry to design and install bespoke gardens and habitats. She received her Master Naturalist certificate from the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and served as an educational assistant for the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Lauren currently serves as a member of the Athens Community Tree Council and enjoys spending time outside and with her pets and family.
Becky Trefethen
Designer
Becky was born and raised in Rhode Island and grew up playing in, studying, and appreciating the ocean. She went on to earn her undergraduate degree in Architecture at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI with a desire to address natural disasters through the built environment. Following graduation, she packed up and moved to Charleston, SC to continue her studies with a Masters degree in Resilient Urban Design through Clemson. She easily fell in love with Charleston’s history, culture, and passionate design scene.
Professionally, Becky has worked in private firms and public planning departments. Her background includes conducting community engagement for Newport, RI’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Mobility Study, designing master plans for communities in Tennessee and Alabama, and studying current and historic development impacts on the Charleston peninsula. She strives to connect the ecological, social, and physical aspects of each project to create a thoughtful design response.
Aubrey Miller
Designer
After spending most of her life in North Carolina, Aubrey decided to study up north at Pennsylvania State University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture. During her four years, she conducted research with Penn State’s Center for Pollinator Research, the Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences, and the College of Agricultural Sciences. Aubrey has published three native plant field guides. In the last semester of her education, Aubrey studied in Germany and Spain and learned about the different resilient urban designs.
Professionally, Aubrey worked with the California Native Garden Foundation in San Jose and spent the summer helping design public school gardens and native residential sites throughout the Santa Clara Valley. Aubrey also worked with the organization’s “Build 25x25 Initiative” which aimed to build 25 environmental hubs that incorporate regenerative organic agriculture farming and climate change education throughout Silicon Valley by 2025. She hopes to continue her native plant advocacy throughout her design experience in Charleston and the surrounding area.
Aubrey spent her childhood summers by the coast in Thailand and has fond memories of playing in the warm ocean and tropical landscape. She cherishes her time by the ocean and enjoys biking, kayaking, and gardening.