Donna Maloney Swansen is a retired landscape designer, consultant, owner and operator of Donna Swansen Design in Ambler, Pennsylvania. Serving the surrounding areas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just north of Philadelphia, for more than 25 years, she established her business in 1983, concluding her very successful career in 2008. She formerly served as a partner at Swansen & Borie in Ambler between 1977 and 1982 and Corson, Borie & Swansen in Ambler in 1976. Prior to entering the field, Ms. Swansen was a bridal consultant and an assistant buyer for the retail field.
During her career, Ms. Swansen has lent her expertise on numerous committees at her alma mater, Temple University, including the search committee for the chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture. She co-founded the Friends of the Rising Sun in Ambler, was the first president of Plant Ambler and judged several competitions, including the Association of Professional Landscape Designers competition and the Bucks County Beautiful Flower Show, among other roles.
Furthermore, Ms. Swansen served as the editor of the International Directory of Landscape Designers in 1993. A charter member of Sigma Lambda Alpha, she is also a longtime member, co-founder, former board of directors member and former first president of the Landscape Design Network of Philadelphia for the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. During her years with the organization, she received a Distinction Award in 1996 and served as a judge for their International Design Competition in 2002, 2003 and 2006.
Locally, Ms. Swansen was the vice president of the Energy Islands International Inc. in East Troy, Wisconsin, between 1963 and 1994. She was the recipient of the Key to the Borough by the Borough of Ambler in 1972, the winner of the Urban Beautification Project by the Roadside Council of America in 1975, the recipient of an Athena Award from the Wissahickon Valley Chamber of Commerce in 1996, the recipient of an Honor Award from Temple University in 2006, and was named to the Alumni Gallery of Success at Ambler College and Temple University in 2004.
Ms. Swansen has held an Associate of Science in integrated liberal studies from the University of Wisconsin since 1956 and an Associate of Science in landscape design from Temple University since 1982. She has further been highlighted in more than 20 editions of Who’s Who in America.