Our People: Griffin Murtha

Can you share your journey and what motivated you to become a landscape designer? Tell me a bit about your experience in school.

I didn’t know that this is what I wanted to do until the end of my freshman year of college. I went to West Virginia University. During my freshman year, I took a class called the History of Landscape Architecture and it seemed exactly what I wanted to do, and it aligned with my goals. Once I picked this major, I had a lot of long nights in school working on lots of different projects. But I think it was perfect for everything I’m doing here at FPA. It prepared me well.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to work at FPA?

I got in touch with someone who was already working for FPA at the time, who also graduated from West Virginia University. He put in a referral for me, and I got an interview with Mike [FPA Manager of Landscape Architecture], and it worked out from there.

What does your role at FPA look like? What does a typical day at FPA look like for you?

My role here is Landscape Designer. For me, a typical day looks like going through different projects doing plant schedules and planting designs. Some days I’ll also go out in the field, either to take measurements, photos, or to delineate wetlands. I’m certified to do wetland delineation, which basically means when a project is starting and there’s a possibility that it’s in or around a wetland, I’ll go out there and delineate it. If we do find a wetland, it has a pretty big impact on the project. There are also times when I’ll go out into the field to do construction observation.

What types of projects are your favorite to work on?

I’ve really been liking working on parks. Specifically, Cottrell Farm Park and Mannino Park which are both in Old Bridge and have recently been finished.

Have you had any influential mentors or role models in your journey as a landscape designer? If so, how have they impacted your career?

Definitely Mike [FPA Manager of Landscape Architecture] and Sarah [FPA Senior Landscape Architect and Planner]. They really took me in and showed me the way they like things.

What are some of your goals and aspirations for your career?

I’d like to become a Licensed Landscape Architect and down the line, a Project Manager.

What has been your best experience working as a landscape designer so far?

Working on a variety of different types of projects and having the opportunity to see them develop from concept stage to construction has been a great experience. Improving parks is also pretty wholesome which makes working on them fulfilling.

What do you enjoy most about working at FPA?

The people here. They’ve been nothing but helpful since day 1 and I’m grateful to have landed in such a place.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of FPA?

It’s exciting that we’re expanding and that we have a lot of new projects coming in.

Can you share a fun fact about yourself that your colleagues might not know?

I’ve been an avid Lynyrd Skynyrd & Grateful Dead fan for as long as I can remember, and I’ve luckily had the chance to see some of the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert.