by Andrew Pelkey
September 2026

My time as President of the New Hampshire Landscape Association has come to an end. After joining the board in 2021, I found myself stepping into the President’s seat about a year later. It was an interesting time to take on the role, with a good deal of change happening within the Association and a clear need to revitalize our processes, strengthen our operations, and create a solid foundation for NHLA to move forward and grow.

Looking back, I’m incredibly proud of what the board members have accomplished together. We transitioned to a new administrator, rebuilt the website, established full accounting functionality, added Safety Day and Field Day to our annual event calendar, and developed SOPs for board, administrative, and support roles. Those are just a few examples of the work that has taken place behind the scenes. Much of it may not always be visible to our members, but it has helped build a stronger, more organized Association that is positioned for continued success.

As proud as I am of what we’ve accomplished, I’m even more excited about what comes next. Transitioning to a new President and stepping into the Past President role is a sign of a healthy organization. NHLA is ready to cycle new members into leadership, welcome fresh ideas and perspectives, and continue functioning as a cohesive team. Associations like ours thrive on “new blood.” It creates new energy, challenges us to think differently, and ensures that the organization continues to evolve alongside our industry.

I’m pleased to introduce our incoming President, Lisa Mitrano. Lisa brings more than 30 years of experience in the horticulture and landscape industry, with an extensive background in nursery operations, landscape construction, sales, account management, and business operations.

She spent 16 years in the nursery industry, gaining experience in sales and account management, field and container growing, purchasing, and pesticide management. Lisa then spent 10 years in landscape construction, where her responsibilities included managing construction operations, sales, local and national accounts, estimating, purchasing, pesticide operations, and landscape design. She has also been actively involved in snow and ice operations for both local and national accounts.

Lisa is the owner of Mitrano Horticulture LLC and has been an active leader within New Hampshire’s Green Industry. She has served as President of the New Hampshire Arborists Association, is a Certified Landscape Professional, and holds pesticide licenses in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

With decades of hands-on and leadership experience across multiple areas of the industry, Lisa brings a broad perspective and a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing landscape and horticulture professionals.

It has been a privilege to serve as President, and I’m grateful to everyone who has contributed their time, ideas, and support along the way. I look forward to continuing to serve on the board as Past President, supporting Lisa through the transition, and watching the next chapter of NHLA take shape. There is a lot to be proud of, and even more to look forward to.