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“To Educate and To Separate”. The focus of ELLI is to advance landscape lighting design and to be the leading educational resource for lighting designers of this discipline. ELLI will act as an authority for this purpose.
To serve the landscape lighting design profession by providing them with meaningful, educational offerings, tools, and measures that will ensure advancement.
Landscape lighting is a visual form of art—it should be treated as such. The value of ELLI is that it offers a path to successful awareness in this practice. ELLI provides the opportunity to advance faster and farther than any other landscape lighting design program. The reason for this advancement is because it includes the effects of light and nature, psychologically and physiologically upon humans. ELLI also studies human perspective, emotion, and well-being. Each of these aspects are not normally covered by other programs.
The ELLI educational offering is different, unique, and assertive in how one can truly get ahead in this craft. This program is for those who want to make an investment in their personal growth, as well as their business.
In our current leadership structure, Mark Carlson is our primary educator. ELLI works with highly seasoned landscape lighting professionals that are engaged as educators, advisors, and mentors.
ELLI’s vision is established to be ever evolving, so that its leadership will change with the upcoming generations. Our next 5-10 years will be spent on developing programs and solidifying concepts that will act as a solid foundation for landscape lighting design advancement.
ELLI instructors, mentors, and advisors are sought out by using the following parameters:
Mark directs and manages all educational operations, acting as Administrator. He is the primary visionary of this endeavor and oversees all training operations, as he is both a content creator and instructor. His ability to develop course programs is essential to our expansion goals. Mark will select key individuals to teach or mentor ELLI participants, as well as find suitable replacements who will continue in our mission.
Mark’s personality profile allows him the ability to focus on both the logical and creative needs within this entity. He has served the Green industry since 1985, performing within the landscape architectural and construction communities. Additionally, he has management and leadership experience within the U.S. Army, and the window fashion and food service industries. Mark is also an active, professional drummer that performs in the Sacramento market.
ELLI was created to provide a solution to one of our profession’s biggest problems—a lacking educational effort to advance ‘Design’. To date, only a handful of professionals have contributed to this advancement (Frank Nightingale, Bill Locklin, John Watson, Janet Moyer, and Nate Mullen). Of these people, Frank B. Nightingale should receive the greatest recognition because he was the founder of this specialty discipline (father of garden lighting). Nightingale established this art form in 1933. It is Mark’s hope and desire that he, too, can be added to this distinguished listing of providers in landscape lighting design.
Because of Mark’s work, our trade professions can now take advantage of identifying a career path that leads to a destination. Prior to ELLI’s inception, no organization, group, or individual has provided a mapping solution to direct individuals in reaching their career goals. The only way we can advance is by understanding where we need to go.
Chris was the first person to recognize the great values that ELLI had to offer. He also is the first person to join the ELLI leadership team. He is a long-time friend and colleague since 2006, and acts to advise, mentor, and instruct our participants through his professional training.
Of the outstanding attributes that Chris brings to the ELLI organization, there are two that stand out—his ability to effectively communicate and his ability to connect with people and build personal relationships. Not only does he have the ability to get to the ‘root’ of issues, but he is a master at questioning and analyzing everything. This is a huge benefit to ELLI and its future developments.
Chris has over 20+ years direct experience within the landscape lighting profession, as a landscape lighting designer, salesman, and business operator. He also has over 4 years of health care experience, which is another benefit to our endeavor. ELLI has a plan to implement human health considerations into our educational training, so Chris’ experience will complement that. We believe there is a positive psychological and physiological benefit provided to humans when utilizing ‘good’ lighting design and nature as a tool for well-being.
Leonard coordinates and manages much of our marketing efforts, as well as our video productions. He brings an “outsider’s perspective” to the ELLI vision and goals, as he offers both a worldly view and a creative view to what we are doing. Again, this is a huge asset to the ELLI team. Leonard is the counter-balance to Chris, as it applies to creativity and logic. With that said, Mark, Chris and Leonard make up a well-rounded team that can effectively function.
Leonard has a wide span of professional experience in multiple industries, to include performing at an advertising & marketing agency for several years. He is a producer and developer within the film & television industry, providing 18 major motion pictures, 10 independent films, and 6 reality network TV shows. In addition, he is a performing, professional bassist—he and Mark first became friends by performing in the same band in the Sacramento market. Leonard had many years of touring professionally, as well.
Although Leonard is new to the ELLI team, he became very interested in this effort when he began working with Mark on some video productions. He too, saw the vision, and felt it was very much in-line with what he did to promote and build another very successful project—“Titans of CNC”. Leonard believes we are on the cusp of taking off just like it and they are a multi-million dollar success story. With that said, this is the type of encouragement, leadership, and attitude we desire on this team.
There are three things that the ELLI initiative is dedicated to; 1) in honor of Frank B. Nightingale, the “father of garden lighting (founder of this discipline—1885-1965), 2) the future generation of landscape lighting designers, and 3) the advancement of human health, as associated with Light and Nature.
www.frankbnightingale.com
ELLI intends to function as an independent entity without favoritism to any organization or individual. Therefore, one’s ‘return-on-investment’ is associated to the belief in this cause, as it relates to the betterment of this profession and artform, and in human health.
ELLI will gratefully accept all financial contributions from those that wish to support the advancement of landscape lighting. ELLI encourages corporations and manufacturers who value this form of buy-in, so that they may “give back” to the community and future of this industry. ELLI would like its partners to consider this effort much like religion—something you honestly believe in. This act of giving will allow you to be part of the “solution.” ELLI will recognize all donators and promote them for this partnership and/or sponsorship.