Jen Jessup

Jen Jessup joined NBW in 2015 and brings over 18 years of professional experience in landscape architecture, with a focus on comprehensive landscape planning and cultural landscape stewardship. She earned her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Virginia Tech in 2004 and has since worked on a diverse range of projects at varying scales, leading multi-disciplinary teams to develop thoughtful and impactful designs.

Before joining NBW, Jen worked as a landscape designer and project manager in Charleston, SC, contributing to a diverse range of public and private projects. She also served as a lead designer and student mentor for the Community Design Assistance Center in Blacksburg, VA, an outreach center through the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design at Virginia Tech, where she provided planning and design assistance to communities throughout the Appalachian region of Virginia and Kentucky.

At NBW, Jen has played a key role in the design and construction of significant cultural landscapes. Notable projects include managing the design and implementation of landscapes at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, award-winning Machicomoco State Park — where she worked closely with the Virginia Algonquian Community to develop meaningful cultural and ecological interpretation — and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation’s Campus Plan, a collaborative initiative focused on youth engagement and community health in East St. Louis.

Her current work includes leading the design and implementation of a range of projects, including the 44-acre Angel Oak Preserve, the comprehensive landscape plan for Middleton Place, and the gardens of the Miles Brewton House in Charleston, SC. She is also managing Monticello’s Mountaintop Project and leading an on-call consultancy for the Garden Club of Virginia, overseeing 50 historic and culturally significant public gardens along with the Walter Reed Healing Garden, and the National Memorial to the Underground Railroad Landscape Plan in Chester County, PA.