Meet Our Expert Team of Visionaries
Powering Innovation and Success
At MPFP, we attribute our success to the brilliance and expertise of our exceptional team. Composed of industry-leading professionals, our team brings over 90 years of combined principal experience to each project. Guided by a spirit of innovation, we remain at the forefront of industry trends, leveraging the latest technologies and design methodologies. Together, we develop and implement transformative, context-sensitive design solutions that enrich communities worldwide.
Our Team
Principals
Mr. Parisi is the Principal-in-Charge of MPFP in addition to an award winning Landscape Architect with over 28 years of experience in the design of parks, plazas, waterfronts, educational, health and recreational facilities. Holding a successful track record of project design and management in the United States and abroad, he served as the Principal-In-Charge of the startup of the New Delhi office, and until 1999 served as the Quality Control Principal of M. Paul Friedberg & Partners.
Mr. Parisi has managed the New York Wheel, Battery Park City World Financial Center, USTA, Fordham University, Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, the Southeast Federal Center in Washington, DC, Harborview in Baltimore, and Randall's/Ward's Island for over 15 years.
Most recently, Mr. Parisi has led MPFP’s design of the National Medal of Honor Museum, the Willets Point Development alongside an expansive NYCFC Stadium, Fordham Landing North/South, and the Culinary Institute of America.
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Mr. Barnicle is an award winning Landscape Architect, working with MPFP since 2000. His expertise is tailored to comprehensive, large-scale project management, detailing and construction administration. In the office, Mr. Barnicle is the Senior Associate in charge of Project Management and Business Development, and functioned as the Technical Manager of the New York, Wheel, The Yards Park project, and St. Vincent’s Park. Mr. Barnicle was also responsible for the day to day team management of the $400 million Randall’s Island field development project of which MPFP was the prime.
Senior Associates
Ms. Grinbaum has been with MPFP since 1999 and originally managed Studio Landscape Architecture, the Israeli office of MPFP prior to her relocation to the New York office. In her role as Senior Associate she has directly assisted the principals, Mr. Friedberg and Mr. Parisi, in the implementation of major design and planning projects throughout the United States and abroad. Ms. Grinbaum was the design associate on The Yards Park and Hallets Point, and is currently working with Mr. Parisi on Robinson Terminal South in Alexandria, VA. Ms. Grinbaum provides the MPFP Team with a long and successful track record of public approvals and waterfront developments.
Mr. Fournier Le Ray is a decorated Landscape Designer with over 16 years of experience, bringing hundreds of projects from their conceptual phases into design. His training and experience designing in France, Israel and India provide our design capabilities with a global perspective. With his knowledge of sustainability measures and native plantings, our designs are equipped with seasonal intrigue and low-impact development approaches.
Ms. Baldassare is an award winning Landscape Designer, working with MPFP since 2005. Her design experience is broad, bringing knowledge of the design of parks, plazas, waterfronts, educational, health and recreational facilities to each of her projects. Ms. Baldassare specializes in public plazas, amenity terraces and public approvals. Her design and management experience extends beyond the United States, into India and Israel.
Mr. Osterlof has been with the firm since 2011 and brings a myriad of experience in the design of master plans, waterfront parks, urban plazas, and amenity roof decks. During his tenure at MPFP, he has closely assisted Mr. Parisi on complex large-scale development projects throughout the United States. His resume reflects an intimate knowledge of design in the public realm and its associated approvals process. A graduate of Purdue University, he has been the Project Designer responsible for the successful management of numerous projects from Concept Design through Construction Administration.
Associates
Ms. Nadel has supported MPFP illustration and rendering since 2008. Proficient in the Adobe Suite, Rhino and Lumion, Ms. Nadel specializes in the illustrative 3D representation of parks, plazas, waterfronts, educational, health and recreational
With the background in civil engineering, hydraulic engineering, and landscape architecture, Mr. Lai provides the team with his knowledge of engineering and design skills. He has a special interest in waterfront and sustainable design, and his portfolio ranges from small scale construction detail design to large scale planning design. Mr. Lai is proficient in AutoCad, SketchUp, Rhino, the Adobe Suite, and some coding programs such as Matlab.
Staff
Giulia received her Master’s in Landscape Architecture from UC Berkeley in 2021 where she pursued her passions for construction and environmental design. Throughout her career as a designer, Giulia has worked on a variety of projects at different scales in both the private and public sectors and continues to expand her knowledge of creating functional and sustainable spaces.
Lainey Bessette is a project architect at MPFP whose passion for design brings a fresh perspective to her work. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture and a minor in horticulture from Virginia Tech, Lainey has been dedicated to learning about and contributing meaningfully to the world of landscape architecture. Her focus revolves around the thoughtful design of public plazas, urban amenity terraces, and interior landscapes, reflecting her commitment to creating spaces that are both functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing. Lainey particularly enjoys collaborating with team members to bring MPFP’s designs to fruition, utilizing hands-on experience, computer-assisted drafting programs, and digital modeling/rendering programs. Dedicated to excellence within the field of landscape architecture, she strives to use her skills to create beautiful landscapes in urban settings.
Shaoli Gan contributes to myriad MPFP projects with his expertise in 3D modelling and rendering. His experience ranges from the design of parks, plazas, waterfronts, educational, health and recreational facilities and is proficient in AutoCAD, Rhino, Sketchup, 3D Max, LandFX, and the Adobe Suite.
Ms. Malapit brings her background in architecture and landscape design, graphic representation, construction documentation, and project management to the team. With professional experience in the UK, US, and China, her portfolio ranges from residential green roofs, public plazas, to large-scale corporate, and mixed-use urban landscapes. Consistent in her work is a special interest in brownfield remediation, and LEED accredited projects. With proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, and Sketchup, she also shares her skills in Rhino, Revit, and Vectorworks with the team.
Jila is a City College Graduate with undergraduate background in Urban Design and Environmental Sciences. Her design experience is primarily based within the dense urban environment; specifically on sustainable design with a large consideration for waterfront adaptation and redevelopment. Jila’s technical proficiencies include AutoCAD, Sketchup, ArcMap and the Adobe Suite.
Ms. Ortiz joined the team in July 2017, bringing her multi-disciplinary background in architecture, landscape design analysis, construction detailing, environmental planning and management processes. With design experience in Europe and the Caribbean, Ms.Ortiz is detail oriented and committed to sustainable design strategies across all scales.Ms.Ortiz earned a Master of Landscape Architecture with recognition from the Universitat Politèctica of Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, and is proficient in Autocad, ArcGIS, Vector Works, and the Adobe Suite.
Andre is a graduate from the University of Vermont with a degree in Studio Art. With his knowledge of the Adobe Suite, he assists Ms. Nadel in the creation of graphics for the studio, including the illustrative 3D representations of parks and plazas.
Maki Uchida joined the team in 2019, offering a solid educational foundation and professional experience from a diverse range of locations. With a unique blend of coastal influences and urban dynamics, Maki is proficient in navigating the intricacies of plant-centric design and construction. An alumnus of Cornell University for both undergrad and graduate studies, Maki has honed her expertise through roles at SWA Group in Laguna Beach, Oasis Design Team, and Hord Coplan Macht in Baltimore.
Lu received her Master of Landscape Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design in 2017. As a landscape designer, Lu has worked on a range of projects of multiple scales, both locally and internationally. Inspired by landscape urbanism, she is particularly interested in unique yet effective design and implementation within the public realm. She is proficient in AutoCad, Rhino, SketchUp, LandFX, ArcGIS, and the Adobe Suite.