Meet Our Team
Sean Pearl - Owner and CEO
Sean and his wife Meredith "Dish" Pearl started Sustainable Landscape Solutions (SLS) in 2016 with a 4-door Saturn Ion and a passion for sustainable landscaping practices. Sean and Dish met at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. He received his BA in Business from Coe College and his M.B.A from the University of Dubuque. Sean has over 15 years in the landscaping industry, operating on a daily basis as the CEO of SLS, inspiring vision and process in every facet of the business. He loves being able to connect people with nature. You can hear him often saying, "Most people want to do the right thing for the environment, but they aren't sure how to do it. We help them do right by nature and their environment with our work". Sean grew up in Coralville, and has always enjoyed being a part of the local Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area community. He regularly volunteers and gives back as a member of local non-profit boards and committees. Sean and Meredith have 2 daughters, Amelia and Lucy and 3 furry labradors, Pepper, Nyla and Rocky. They enjoy getting out into nature with their kids, canoeing, hiking, and taking long runs together.
Bob Geniusz - Director of Operations
Bob started with SLS in May 2020 after "boomeranging" back to Iowa, having spent the previous 17 years in Chicago. Bob believes in the therapeutic power of native plants and trees, for people as well as our planet. He is passionate about animal welfare, environmental sustainability, hiking, and is an avid sports fan. Bob holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Iowa and currently lives in Iowa City.
Amanda Welch - Office Manager
Amanda came to SLS in March of 2019. She handles all things office related. She loves to create our High Five Fridays where we take time out to celebrate the staff that help our projects come to life. Amanda and her husband Jake live in Tiffin with their daughters. In her free time (which isn't often), you can find her listening to Christian music, having coffee with friends or watching silly reality TV.
Kirk Shaunfield - Project Manager
After 3 years of field work, Kirk took on the role of Scheduling & Logistics Manager at SLS in 2021 and Project Manager in 2023. He enjoys the daily challenge of meeting with clients, doing design work, while managing crews in the effective implementation of a diverse range of projects. He also enjoys seeing the beauty and functionality of outdoor living spaces and landscapes enhanced in our community. Kirk is a great lover of trees and plants. In his free time he enjoys the outdoors by trail running, cycling, hiking, kayaking, gardening, foraging and mushroom hunting. He also loves cooking elaborate and delicious meals, reading and playing with his 6 and 12 year old children.
Virginia Hayes - Project Manager, ISA Certified Arborist
Virginia started with SLS in the fall of 2022. She has ten years of experience in tree work and has been a certified arborist since 2017. In 2017 she also completed a graduate certificate in Urban Forestry and Sustainability. She finds great satisfaction in finding appropriate places to plant unusual tree species, and converting turf grass into native landscaping. She enjoys hiking with her kids and backpacking in her free time.
Sandy Steil - Project Manager
Sandy started on the field crew with SLS in the summer of 2023. She received a BFA in 3D Design from the University of Iowa and is an Air Force veteran.
After 16 years working in the civil engineering/land development/landscape architecture arena, Sandy felt it was time she actually learned how to build the practices she had been working with for years as a way to build her confidence and knowledge base. A former Master Gardener and Bur Oak Land Trust Board member, she is passionate about nature and providing people the spaces and opportunities to connect. She is very involved in the community, has served on various non-profit boards and is well known for her vision and her ability to connect with people to make epic things happen.
Sandy was selected as one of the top 25 Most Influential Leaders in the Corridor in 2022, was selected as Women of Influence in 2023 and has spoken at several events including being the Keynote speaker for the Women of Achievement and National Association of Women in Construction. Sandy wholeheartedly believes you have to put good energy into the community. For her, it is not about the “I”, it’s about the “we”.
Bridget Cabrera - Nursery Manager
Bridget has been with SLS since 2021, and has over 10 years of experience tending to and cultivating many different species of plants. In her free time she enjoys nature hikes, succulent propagation, foraging wild edibles, rearing butterflies, and tending to her garden and freshwater aquariums.