Beautiful landscapes, healthy plants and innovative designs since 2004.

Chris di Stefano

President

Chris di Stefano was raised in Cabot, Vermont on a large Christmas tree farm and nursery surrounded by streams, forests, meadows, and ledged hillsides that were home to countless wildlife sanctuaries and secret gardens. As a kid, Chris spent hours exploring this place and honing a deep appreciation and understanding of the natural landscape and the elements that make it so inviting. From the time he could walk he helped out at his family’s ornamental tree nursery and landscaping business, planting, watering, digging, and learning even more.

Today, Chris shares the lessons from the wild classrooms and family apprenticeships of his childhood with clients and staff to create and enhance beautiful natural spaces. He continues to build on this ingrained knowledge by keeping abreast of industry trends in design, horticulture, and stone masonry, and works hard to promote professionalism in these trades.

David Burton

Landscape Design/Sales

My interest in the field of Horticulture and Landscape Design grew from the many hours spent working with my grandmother in her extensive gardens designed by my great grandfather. This family love of gardening and design led me to Virginia Tech where I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Horticulture and a focus in Landscape Construction and Residential Design.

While at Virginia Tech, I explored many gardens up and down the East Coast, expanding my concept of how outdoor space can be both functional and beautiful. After two trips to Europe, visiting some of the most renowned gardens on earth, I settled into my career with a broader view of landscape design.

My plant knowledge, design technique and hardscape expertise are grounded in over 15 years working in the landscape industry. These experiences give me the tools necessary to provide a comprehensive design unique to each client’s site challenges, desires and goals.

Erin Walsh

Accounting Manager

I grew up splitting my time between the east & west coasts, and quickly realized that Vermont was my home. Knowing that I loved working with numbers but didn’t necessarily want to be a CPA, I earned my accounting degree at Champlain College and spent the past 17 years working in a wide variety of industries. It has been such a pleasure working with and getting to know the di Stefano team.

When I’m not crunching numbers at the office, you’ll find me outside enjoying all the amazing things VT has to offer. Snowboarding in the winter, camping/hiking with my dogs or paddle boarding in the summer are always at the top of my list.

Maiah Homer

Administrative Assistant

Growing up in South Florida, I always found myself outdoors enjoying the sunshine, beaches, and volunteering at local animal sanctuaries. Knowing my love for the seasons and always wishing I lived in a place that gets more than just one, I traded in the sand for the snow and made the move up to Vermont, after graduating from Florida Gulf Coast University. As someone who loves to have a wide range and variety of tasks, my role as the administrative assistant here at di Stefano is a perfect fit. When I’m not at work you can find me exploring all that the Green Mountain Sate has to offer!

Matt Blair

Project Manager

Matt is a born and raised Vermonter who grew up in Williston. He first started working in construction management with a company around the Mount Mansfield when he was nineteen, building and retrofitting single and multifamily homes. After a short 2 year skiing, hiking, and rafting trip in Utah after college, he returned to Burlington where he worked for a property management company as a college housing Maintenance director for 7 years. When he isn’t working, he is playing drums or percussion with any of the many talented musicians in Burlington, at a concert or festival, or hanging out by the river or on top of a mountain with his dog, Sequoia.

Hunter Grace

Project Manager

As I grew up in the rugged hills of Vermont and was driven to work hard from a young age, I gained an appreciation for the value in hard work and the reward that comes with it. For 4 years through both high school and into college, I worked for a municipality in the historical town of Hanover, NH. Here, I was given the opportunity to enhance the image of the small Dartmouth College town by simply reforming the landscape in small but impactful areas. This is where I developed the passion to work in the industry and also the understanding that quality in both design and craftsmanship is what makes a landscape successful.

Having always been drawn to the outdoors and the natural beauty of how plants can enhance our environment, I went to Vermont Technical College to pursue my associate’s degree in Landscape Design and Sustainable Horticulture where I learned how plants and hardscapes can be used to create both practical and enjoyable outdoor spaces. I also became familiar with how plants react and behave within their surrounding environment. Here at di Stefano Landscaping I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue learning and also contribute to what we accomplish as a team.

Jerry Elliot

Maintenance Production Manager

Jerry grew up in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Since a young child Jerry grew up working outdoors with his father, he taught him a lot of life lessons including having a hard work ethic. Jerry began working at a local golf course mowing grass and performed miscellaneous landscape tasks, that is where his love for the green industry began.

Jerry attended Rutgers University in New Jersey for Professional Turfgrass Management where he learned a lot of industry knowledge from plant and turfgrass science to professionalism and leadership. During a summer internship at Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey, he was promoted to Fertilizer and Pesticide Specialist and had a huge role in the preparation for the 2016 PGA Championship. With his experience in the golf course industry, attention to details and love for the outdoors this journey has led him to Vermont and ultimately di Stefano Landscaping.

Nathan Waite

Maintenance Account Manager

Nathan was born and raised in Jericho, Vermont where his joy for being outdoors grew with every changing season. He went on to get his associates degree in business management at Champlain College. After graduating, he started with a landscape company where he learned the trade and realized he could have a career and be outside at the same time. Over the course of seven years his knowledge and experience grew tremendously until he was ready to try it on his own.

He started his own Landscape and Mowing company which grew from a single client to more than two hundred clients over the course of thirteen years. He honed his managerial and customer service skills and gained a wealth of knowledge while growing a successful business. He was finally at a point where he wanted to wear less hats and focus more of his attention on customer interactions and beautifying properties. At di Stefano he can now get back to his passion and enhance an already winning team. When he is not working he enjoys skiing and hiking the beautiful mountains of Bolton with his wife and two children.

Drew Saunders

Maintenance Account Manager

I grew up in Northern New Jersey and made my way to Vermont to attend Saint Michael’s College. I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Business and a concentration in marketing with a management minor. I was first introduced to landscaping at a young age tagging along to work with my brother in law who owns a landscaping company. My first day on the job I was handed a 5 gallon bucket and told to go weed one of his biggest accounts. As the summers passed, I progressed to the construction team and this is where the foundation of his career in landscaping began. 

Shortly after graduation I moved back to Vermont and began working at a landscaping company here in Vermont where I spent several years as a foreman further developing my landscaping skills in both construction and maintenance. I joined the di Stefano team in fall of 2020. When I’m not working I can be found fishing on Lake Champlain, snowboarding in the Green Mountains and golfing.

Ben Henry

Shop/Fleet Manager

Ben is new to the di Stefano team, joining at the start of 2021. Ben is a native Vermonter and grew up in Essex and Jericho. He attended UVM where he studied geology. Ben has always had a great love for nature and the outdoors and enjoying working hard and getting his hands dirty. After 20 years working in the wedding & events industry Ben was ready for a change. In joining the di Stefano team Ben brings a strong work ethic, leadership skills and a desire to work with an energetic and collaborative team. Ben lives in Westford with his wife and their 3 young boys where he enjoys tending to his own gardens and small flock of chickens.

Chris Blais

Mow Lead

Chris grew up loving to be outside whether it was playing sports or helping around his grandparents’ at home with the flower and vegetable gardens. He accepted a few jobs where he was required to work inside but the outdoors continued to call, and he started doing yard work on the side for family and friends. Eventually he connected with di Stefano Landscaping and found he could turn his passion into a career and continue to learn and improve with them. He enjoys being outside in Vermont where the seasons always challenge and excite him to keep his creative energy charged to approach his next project.

Matt Brien

Mow Lead

I was born and raised in the town of Colchester, Vermont. My hobbies are snowboarding, traveling, playing soccer, Flyboarding, camping and hanging out with friends. I graduated from Colchester High School and then attended Vermont Technical College where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management. After graduating college in 2018 I started my own small business Vermont Water Sports and worked construction. My construction job is how I found di Stefano Landscaping. I started at di Stefano on the construction crew, then quickly found my place on the maintenance team.

Parker Day

Lead Hand

I grew up in a small town in southern Vermont. I began work at a young age and shortly thereafter grew an appreciation for hard work and the value it has. I’ve always been a very detailed individual and fascinated in how a natural space or landscape could have order. The separation or lack thereof that hard and soft edges have within a landscape are most fascinating and satisfying to create.

I went to Vermont Technical College for an associates degree in Landscape Design and Sustainable Horticulture. I held an internship during and after college in southern New Hampshire and worked on Lake Sunapee and Winnipesaukee.

During my free time I enjoy woodworking, traveling, and kayaking.

Erik Deslauriers

Construction Foreman

I am an ICPI certified​ ​stone mason and a construction foreman at di Stefano.​ ​My work ethic was instilled early in life by both of my parents when I learned construction skills helping my father do home renovations as a child. I never stop learning and particularly enjoy mastering new styles and techniques. One of my favorite aspects of my job is seeing our clients’ reactions to the finished project when it all comes together. I take extreme pride in everything I do at di Stefano.

In my free time, I work on my house in Saint Albans and love to take care of the plants acquired from many di​ ​Stefano landscape deconstructions. I also enjoy spending as much time as possible with my lovely wife Heather and beautiful, intelligent, and athletic daughter Ava. My favorite plant is a Ninebark!

Will Heath

Enhancement Lead Hand

Gabe Paradiso

Construction Foreman

I grew up outside of Baltimore MD and moved to Vermont in 2012. I worked for a few different places in Vermont before I found di Stefano and right away I realized they had a solid group of good people. Once I started, I enjoyed being outside everyday and I’ve always preferred physical labor over office work. I’ve been with them for over 6 years now and have done both maintenance and construction. I started with maintenance but seeked more of a challenge and wanted to learn something new, so i switched to the construction side. Outside of work I still enjoy being outside whether its shooting hoops, going to Leddy to play hockey, or skiing in the winter. I also like to cook, especially getting the grill going or doing an all day smoke on the smoker.

Sam Paradiso

Lead Hand

Samir Pasic

Construction Foreman

I came to Vermont in 1995 as a refugee with my mother, younger sister and younger brother. I graduated from Burlington high in 2000 and got into trades shortly after that. In 2003 I joined a small masonry company where I learned just about everything I know about masonry. I took that knowledge and started my own masonry company but stayed close and continued to work with my old boss throughout the next 16 years. I came to di Stefano to continue my passion with the freedom to be more present in my 4 daughters’ lives. I’ve always loved doing stone work but di Stefano, along with their up to date equipment has given me a chance to enjoy it more than I did for 16 years on my own.

Janet Peryea

Garden Lead

Janet is a long time gardener who enjoys being outdoors and working with her hands. She has a strong knowledge of plants and loves the capabilities and appeal they can bring to a clients property and gardens.

Adam Powers

Garden Lead

Adam grew up in Jericho, Vermont. He joined the di Stefano maintenance team in 2019. He discovered his enjoyment for working outside years ago when he spent a few summers landscaping and gardening. He worked as a chef for many years but was drawn back to his passion for the outdoors. After spending time in large vegetable gardens and learning the importance of not only knowing how his food was grown but where it came from and the care it takes to truly cultivate your own produce. He has excellent customer service skills and enjoys being able to discuss with our customers their wants and needs and helping them to bring those visions into their gardens.

Jeremiah Shook

Construction Foreman

I have been working in the green industry for over 10 years and really enjoy my “office” being the outdoors. As a head stone mason on one of our construction crews, I like being able to be creative every day and lead a team of others to create a work of art for our clients.

When I’m not working I like to hike and spend time with my family and animals on my farm in Huntington, Vermont.

Geoff Swanson

Construction Foreman

I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire. My love and interest of art and the natural world has been present since I was a kid. I studied art and education at Johnson State College and have been in northern Vermont ever since. During college and the years following, I worked on an organic vegetable farm in Cambridge. My passion for the green industry grew immensely.

Stone masonry had always been something I wanted to learn but never had the chance until I was given the opportunity at di Stefano Landscaping, where I spent many years learning the trade. In addition to the stonework, I became inundated with information about ornamental plants. Combining my previous experience with what I have gained over the last 7 years, I help to create beautiful landscapes. My current role at the company is Landscape Construction Foreman.

Some other interests of mine besides plants and rocks include playing guitar and piano, painting, ceramics, woodworking, traveling, hiking, and playing Scrabble.

Andrew Wolf

Enhancement Foreman

Andrew Wolf is a lifelong gardener who has studied plants for many years. He enjoys creative projects, problem solving and designing with plants, soil and stone. He has nine years of experience in the landscape industry.