Proposed by: a member of The Village Garden Club of Sewickley, Zone V

Inspired by Olmsted’s vision that large public landscapes in urban areas must be accessible and welcoming to all people, Susan Rademacher has dedicated her life to protecting and preserving historic and cultural landscapes. In 1991, as president of Louisville’s Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Susan spearheaded development of a master plan to revitalize the 1,900 acres of parks, a plan that combined community-driven initiatives with environmental design, educational purposes, and historic renovation, and raised the funds to implement the plan. Her process for creating this master plan has become a model for park conservancies across the country. In 2007, Susan became parks curator for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and oversaw master planning, design, and fund-raising for the restoration of Mellon Park in downtown Pittsburgh. A GCA Honorary Member and a gifted author and scholar, Susan Rademacher has shared her passion for preserving urban parks for the benefit of GCA clubs, Olmsted 200, and conservancies across the country.