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Professional Staff Directory (Certifications & Degrees)
Certified Landscape Professionals (CLP): Certified Landscape Technicians (CLT): Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA) : Degrees and Certificates: National Landscape Certifications Landscape Certifications
PLANET administers two types of competency tests for landscape industry professionals. The Certified Landscape Professional (CLP) test is designed for managers and executives. This is the landscape industry equivalent to professional certification in other fields, such as association or property manager accreditation. A landscape professional with a CLP designation has passed a five-part exam administered by PLANET. The purpose of this test, as with other professional exams, is to raise the standards of the profession.
The Certified Landscape Technician (CLT) test was established to create a benchmark of skills development of field practitioners, usually crew leaders and technicians. Applicants for the CLT are tested in three major categories; landscape installation, maintenance, or irrigation. There are eleven test elements common to each of these categories. Each category than has its specific elements which are tested. For example, there are 23 separate test segments for a maintenance applicant.
Licensing DeSantis is fully licensed as follows:
Landscape Contractors License
Landscape Contractors License plus Backflow
Commercial Pesticide Operators License
Commercial Pesticide Applicators License
Oregon Construction Contractors Board The Construction Contractors Board protects the public’s interest relating to improvements
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Profiles Dean DeSantis,
CLP – President
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Ken DeSantis, CLT/CLP – Vice-President
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Ted Mucken, CLT – Installation Division Manager
After years in the field and working his way up in the company, Ted became a certified landscape technician of construction in August of 1996. The following summer, he also became certified as a landscape technician of irrigation. After nearly three decades of experience at DeSantis Landscapes, Ted is still growing in his knowledge and love for landscaping. He recently received his state landscape license in May of 2007. Ted is one of the lucky few who truly enjoys his occupation. He intends to continue his incredible leadership, share his invaluable qualities, and continue a legacy of excellence at DeSantis Landscapes for many years to come. Outside of work, Ted also carries his love for the outdoors while hunting, bird watching, and spending time with his wife, four sons, and nine grandchildren!
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Walker Leiser – Maintenance Division Manager
“It is such a pleasure to be in a small company culture that has big positive impacts on its sphere of influence. The people here realize that “sustainability” isn’t about saying the word, but it’s about the actions we take. From the land to the clients to the employees to the business practices, this is right livelihood I’ve been looking for.”
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Brent Stevenson - Irrigation
Division Manager
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In 2001 she began working toward her Master of Landscape Architecture degree at the University of Oregon. While there she was immersed in a program of landscape history, architecture, and ecology. She earned her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture in June of 2003. In September of 2004 she was awarded a grant through U of O’s Urban Ecology Exchange to travel to Cartagena, Spain. At the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, she worked on a project investigating solutions for the revegetation of toxic mining tailings. Her master’s project identified seven factors essential to creating sacred gardens, evaluated (as a case study) seven temple grounds for these factors and then applied these factors to a new temple garden design. She graduated with her MLA degree in winter of 2005.
Now as a part of DeSantis Landscapes, Melissa is eager to create places of beauty.
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Ben Snowden, CLT - Installation Project
Manager
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Sixto Lezama - Maintenance
Account Manager
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Andy Brenneman, CLT - Senior
Foreman
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Growing up in the family business Dean has always had DLI in his blood. He graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Oregon and spent the next six years living abroad teaching English, a two year stint in the Peace Corps, and working at a Tibetan Buddhist nunnery in India . When he returned to the States he went to graduate school where he earned an M.A. in Intercultural Relations and then pursued a career in education and training. After his boy/girl twins were born in April 2000 though, he decided the travel of his job was keeping him away from home too much and wanted to get back to his roots. Dean particularly enjoys working with employees in training, business development, and building a sustainable future for the business. Outside of work Dean is a beekeeper and enjoys playing with his kids, Jalen and Ella, and his wife Jill. 
Born and raised in Oregon Ken worked summers while growing up for his uncle’s landscape company, DeSantis Landscapes. His Dad had made a career at DeSantis Landscapes and after nearly 10 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserves he realized that he wanted to follow in his Dad’s footsteps. Ken has spent most of his time in the maintenance department in various roles from crew leader, supervisor, sales manager, and division manager. During these years Ken has earned his Certified Landscape Technician in maintenance in 1995, and his Certified Landscape Professional in 2004. Ken has not only been involved with the landscape industry at DeSantis Landscapes, but also as a member and Chair of the Certified Landscape Technician committee for the Oregon Landscape Contractor’s Association (OLCA) and is currently on the Board of Directors for OLCA. Contributing to enhancing the professionalism for the entire landscape industry has been an important motivator for Ken over the years. Today Ken is Vice President of DeSantis Landscapes and very proud to be a part of a very forward thinking team, leading the industry in sustainable landscape practices. In Ken’s off time he enjoys golf, brewing beer, and spending time with his wife Yvonne and two dogs. 
A true Oregonian, Ted Mucken was born and raised in the wet and beautiful mid-Willamette valley. Graduating from Kennedy high school in Mt. Angel, Oregon in 1974, Ted began to build a strong love for the landscape and magnificence that is Oregon. Joining the DeSantis Landscapes crew in May of 1979, Ted was molded by one of Oregon’s most notable landscapers and founder of DeSantis Landscapes, Tony DeSantis.
Walker Leiser spent his youth in the wild, hiking around the Oregon forests, or in the gym as a gymnast. After studying and teaching in Japan for two years, he traveled around the globe searching for new culinary tastes and visual feasts. While his background as a business owner, litigation management consultant and cheerleading coach has been varied and exciting; with two beautiful girls and a blushing bride of seven years, being well grounded is what he wants now. As a certified permaculture designer and a candidate for University of Oregon’s Leadership in Sustainability Certificate, Walker brings a passion for pushing the “green” envelope.
Originally from San Diego CA, Brent Stevenson graduated High School in Walla Walla Wa. In 1984 after receiving an AA degree in Irrigation Technology Brent began his 20 + year career in the irrigation/water industry. In 1989 Brent relocated and went to work for Stettler supply Co. a pump, irrigation and engineering firm located in Salem, Oregon. While employed as a technician at Stettler Supply Brent worked on many of the Willamette valley’s water and irrigation systems. In 1996 Brent left Salem to manage Walla Walla River Irrigation District, a small municipality in Milton-Freewater OR. While managing WWRID Brent was successful in completing over 4 million dollars worth of improvements and negotiating a Civil Penalty Settlement Agreement with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service one of the first of its kind in the nation.
The daughter of a landscaper and a florist, Tina grew up in Forest Grove, Oregon, with dirt in her veins and a passion for gardening. In 1988 she started her landscape maintenance and installation business in Seaside, Oregon. In 1995, Tina had the extraordinary opportunity to study landscape design under the master John Brookes, in West Sussex, England. Since that time, Tina has exclusively practiced landscape design, with many of her gardens published in local newspapers such as
The Oregonian and the Daily Astorian and Sunset, Coastal Living and
Country Living magazines. Based on the belief that all people benefit from a garden, Tina enjoys creating outdoor spaces as small as a patio garden to large estate landscapes. Tina is especially pleased to be working for DeSantis Landscapes, where she looks forward to being of service through her design work.
Brenda Knobloch brings over 25 years of landscape design and installation experience to DeSantis Landscapes as their new Designer and Estimator. Brenda holds an A.A.degree in Horticulture and is also a Certified Landscape Technician and Certified Nursery Professional. Brenda says, "I am excited to represent a company that shares my values and vision for creating environments of lasting beauty. I am grateful for an employer that shares my passion for creating and installing healing and therapeutic gardens."
Raised amidst the pines, oaks and manzanita of northern California and southern Oregon, Melissa Putzke grew up with great appreciation of the landscapes around her. She moved from Ashland, Oregon to Corvallis to pursue a degree in agriculture. At Oregon State University, she received her BS in General Agriculture with a minor in International Agricultural Development and a minor in French. She then went on to work at OSU’s Seed Laboratory in Germination, where she decided she needed a job that could use her artistic abilities as well as her scientific interests.
Since joining DLI in 1995 Ben has become a leader in our Landscape Installation Division and throughout the company. Ben earned his Certified Landscape Technician status in Installation in 2000 as well as a Certificate from the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. Ben takes great pride in fulfilling the first goal of the DLI mission, to create an environment of lasting beauty. Born in Sumter, OR in the eastern part of the state Ben likes to hunt, fish and go 4-wheelin’. 
In December 1995 Sixto joined the DLI Landscape Installation team and became one of our most outstanding rock wall installers. More recently he has moved to our Maintenance Division as an Account Manager overseeing client’s properties and the crews that maintain them. He enjoys working with his hands and has proven to be an outstanding and respected leader within our Hispanic workforce. He is a native of Veracruz, Mexico. Sixto has a great sense of humor and outside of work enjoys spending time with his family and friends. 
Andy has been with DLI since 1993 working in all aspects of landscape installation. He joined our team with 3 years of irrigation experience as well as a Basic Plumbing Certification and a Basic Electrical Certification. Andy is one of our most versatile installation foremen and gets real satisfaction from a job well done. Andy worked and studied very hard and in 2004 passed his Certified Landscape Technician exam in Installation which is the apex of achievement in the landscape industry. In his spare time he also likes to fish and work fixing up his home. 