Founder + Principal Landscape Architect

WY License #LA-0196B

ID License #LA-16935

Hans is a landscape architect with experience in residential, commercial, and public projects. His lifelong passion for conservation, outdoor recreation, and the arts are what brought him to the field. They are core values to his design philosophy. He leads the firm’s design direction with a collaborative approach. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Colorado – Denver and is licensed in both Wyoming and Idaho.

Hans’s strengths include public engagement, restoration, plantings design, site planning, concept development, residential design, land use strategies, resort design, sustainable development, trail design, native plants, grading, permitting, stormwater management, streetscape, parks design, bicycle planning and infrastructure, project management and construction administration.

Hans has worked on a wide variety of projects for clients that include the National Park Service, Grand Teton National Park, Forest City Development, Fox Creek Quarry, Kaikoa LLC, international resort developers and residential clients.

When not at work, Hans can be found enjoying the mountains of Northwest Wyoming on foot, on skis, in waders, or in a camper with his family.

2013 - ASLA Award of Honor

2018 – Appointed to Town of Jackson Design Review Committee by Town Council and Mayor

2020 – Appointed to Teton County Northern South Park Steering Committee by County Commissioners

Associate Landscape Architect

WY License #LA-200C

UT License #14201984-5301

With over a decade of experience in the field, Rachael brings a diverse background and strong design skillset to the Cairn team. Her passion for the environment, love of art and design, and proclivity for problem-solving led her to the profession and she graduated with a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture from Pennsylvania State University. In the earlier years of her career, she focused on urban design and large-scale planning projects on the East Coast before making the leap to Wyoming, where she has largely focused on high-end residential design and a variety of public projects.

Rachael's strengths include project and team management, detailed design development, site grading, and brevity. She is passionate about minimally impactful design, responding to the native landscape, and tackling unique design challenges.

In the warmer months, you likely won't see much of Rachael, as she spends most of her out-of-office time trail running, hiking, and road biking. The other nine months of the year, you can find her snowboarding, cross-country skiing, or baking cakes.

Project Coordinator

An experienced organic farmer and garden curator, Caitlin Benson is a Landscape Designer who helps in all phases of a project, from site analysis and schematic design to construction document creation and construction administration. She especially enjoys planting design and install. With a background in horticulture, Caitlin nurtures a passion for her surrounding environment.

Caitlin has worked on organic community supported agriculture (CSA) farms in Iowa and Colorado. She helped to maintain and curate botanical gardens in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has assisted in research to improve survivability and quality of native plants grown in nurseries. Before joining Cairn, she ran a landscape maintenance business off the back of her bike and delved into tall grass prairie habitat restoration.

Caitlin fosters a passion for community and sustainability. When she’s not up to her elbows in potting soil, Caitlin can be found meandering slot canyons, summiting peaks, and exploring the snow. She loves her public lands!

Landscape Designer

Miriam is a Landscape Designer with a strong working knowledge and valuable experience in forestry, ecology, and conservation. She is an integral part of her projects from concept development to construction documentation. Her passion for habitat management and creating spaces for both humans and wildlife began early in her educational career. After years of direct, hands-on experience working in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon as a forestry technician, sawyer, irrigation technician, and research assistant, she sought to have a greater influence on our ecosystems by obtaining her Master's in Landscape Architecture from the University of Colorado - Denver. Her skills include research and technical writing, trail building and design, grading, residential landscape and irrigation design, design and planning for rural areas, permitting, renderings, 3D modeling, construction documents, and a wide variety of software.

An Idaho native, Miriam is intimately familiar with the unique design challenges that can be found on all projects in the Intermountain West. Miriam brings her intimate knowledge of the west to every project with a creative, client-centric approach that encourages collaboration and develops unique solutions.

Miriam and her partner are avid mountain bikers, snowboarders, and roamers. On any given weekend they can be found road tripping and adventuring across the West.

2022 - ASLA Student Community Service Honor Award

Landscape Designer

Before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Utah State University, Survier attended Utah Valley University, where he studied fine art, graphic design, photography, and sculpting. During his summers, Survier also gained practical experience by working in construction in Star Valley, Wyoming. With his background in the arts, Survier brings a strong graphic perspective to both the visualization process and the design of projects. He is always ready to jump in and is eager to contribute to any stage of a project, and his curious disposition assures that it is done right.

Survier's professional experience includes city planning and design, where he has helped developed general plans for towns across Utah and designed community parks and public spaces. His passion lies in creating spaces that foster human interaction while connecting with nature.

Outside of work, Survier enjoys visiting cafes, exploring plant nurseries, and participating in community events such as farmers markets and artist walks.

Landscape Designer

David is a versatile Landscape Designer with a keen eye for detail and a strong technical skill set. His deep respect for the environment and conservation, paired with his love for problem-solving, guided him to earn a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture from Pennsylvania State University. Throughout his studies, David developed a foundation in integrating design with geography, climatology, and arboriculture - a knowledge base he continues to expand and implement in his professional career.

Prior to joining Cairn, David worked as a Ranger Trainer in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico. This experience helped him deepen his understanding of the natural world, particularly how people engage with landscapes and the intimate experiences they encounter.

An avid adventurer and outdoor enthusiast, David is frequently found hiking, climbing, skiing, and caving across our network of public lands. As a volunteer speleologist, he is drawn to surveying and documenting the mysteries of abnormal karst formations and the deepest caves across North America.

Landscape Designer

Anderson is a passionate landscape designer with extensive experience in high-end residential projects across the United States. His design philosophy centers on creating seamless transitions between interior architecture and outdoor spaces, ensuring that every project is both functional and artistically inspired. Anderson earned his Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia’s College of Environment and Design, a foundation that supports his commitment to innovative, site-responsive design.

In addition to his design work, Anderson teaches at Emory University’s Adult Education program, where he is dedicated to broadening access to landscape architecture and inspiring the next generation of designers. When he’s not at the drawing board, Anderson is exploring America’s public lands on his bicycle or hiking with his wife and two dogs, drawing creative inspiration from every new trail and landscape he encounters.