Welcome to the Board Kathy Bruch

Friends of the Chicago River is pleased to welcome Kathy Bruch to its Board of Directors. Bruch is the founder and president of Atrium Landscaping, a WBE-certified woman-owned business specializing in landscape construction, management, and restoration. Since 1990, Atrium has earned a strong reputation for thoughtful design, expert project delivery, and a deep commitment to native landscapes. Bruch has been a committed supporter of Friends as an Otter Society member since 2017 and has been an enthusiastic participant in events and programs. 

Bruch brings more than 30 years of professional expertise in landscape architecture and environmental science, along with a long record of civic leadership. She has served for more than a decade on the board of Friends of the Forest Preserves, where she has worked to advance conservation, public access, and ecological restoration across the region. She is also a volunteer restoration steward in the Palos Forest Preserves. Her experience navigating nonprofit governance, local government relationships, and corporate partnerships will be a tremendous asset to Friends.

A resident of Western Springs and a business leader based in Lemont, along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Bruch understands firsthand the vital connection between healthy waterways, thriving forest preserves, and resilient communities. She holds Master’s degrees in Horticulture and Ecology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

“I’ve spent my career restoring landscapes and working to strengthen the connection between people and nature,” said Bruch. “The Chicago-Calumet River system is one of our region’s greatest resources. I’m honored to join the board of Friends of the Chicago River and look forward to helping advance a vision of a healthy, biodiverse river system that supports people, water, and wildlife.”