Jeff Holzer Named to Parks & Recreation Magazine’s 2024 30 Under 30 List

Jeff Holzer, PLA, CPSI, ASLA, was recognized as one of Parks & Recreation magazine’s 30 Under 30 in 2024. Parks & Recreation, the official publication of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), annually recognizes 30 young professionals who have made remarkable industry contributions. NRPA’s 30 Under 30 began in 2021, and Jeff is the first landscape architect to receive this award. 

Jeff has been a landscape architect at Kimley-Horn since his graduation from Penn State University in 2016. Since then, he has become a Certified Playground Safety Inspector and advised more than 100 park and playground designs across 21 states. Jeff is passionate about creating memorable and lasting destinations while emphasizing safety, sustainability, and inclusion within playground design.  

His passion carries into his free time, where he volunteers for the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and the NRPA’s REC TALK. Jeff is part of ASLA’s Landscape Architecture Registration Exam (LARE) Prep Committee, where he supports candidates pursuing landscape architecture licensure by leading virtual workshop sessions about the process and teaching a class during the annual ASLA conference. As a member of NRPA’s REC TALK, he hosts monthly virtual meetings for young professionals to network and discuss topics within the parks and recreation field. 

In 2020, Jeff’s dedication to creating inclusive playgrounds was particularly recognized through his participation in ASLA’s napkin sketch design competition, sponsored by Anova Furnishings. The contest required participants to quickly communicate their ideas through words and visuals, and Jeff’s sketch and essay, titled “Inclusive Playgrounds for All,” won the competition. Jeff continues to apply the insights he expressed in his award-winning design throughout his work today, honing community spaces and neighborhood amenities that people of all abilities can enjoy.