Mike Abbaté is a nationally recognized expert in environmentally sustainable planning and design. Abbaté’s career spans over 20 years with projects ranging from urban plazas to National Parks. He is a founding principal of GreenWorks, an award-winning landscape architecture design firm, with specialized expertise in “green” development strategies. Currently the Planning Director for the City of Gresham, OR, he is applying the principles of sustainability at a community scale.

In addition to being a registered Landscape Architect in four states, he is certified nationally through the Council of Landscape Architects Registration Board, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. This national certification by the United States Green Building Council, recognizes an individual’s understanding of the ways in which the built environment can be designed to minimize its impact on the natural systems and resources. He is also a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and served for six years on an Advisory Board for the University of Oregon.

Abbaté graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Landscape Architecture, magna cum laude. In 2007, he was recognized by the University as the Distinguished Alumnus from the College of Environmental Design. He also has a certificate in Business Administration from Portland State University.

His work has been featured in national magazines such as Metropolis and Landscape Architecture, as well as many local newspapers and trade publications. He is a frequent speaker on the subject of sustainable design, appearing at national conferences, conventions and as an invited speaker at universities and community forums.

Mike's first book Gardening Eden: Should People of Faith Protect the Planet will be released by Waterbook Publishers in the Spring of 2009.