Our Team

Marc Nissim, Founder and Principal Landscape Architect of Harmony Design Group smiles at the camera in glasses.

Marc Nissim

Founder | Principal Landscape Architect | Managing Director

Margaret Farrand, Director of Sales and Marketing, with long dark hair with purple highlights, smiles.

Margaret Farrand

Director of Sales | Marketing

Black and white pic of smiling woman in glasses with long hair. Rachael Vierschilling at Harmony Design Group.

Rachel Vierschilling

Business Guru

Jessica Vitale, Project Manager of Harmony Design Group

Jessica Vitale

Project Manager

Burns Benson, Senior Landscape Architect at Harmony Design Group.

Burns Benson

Senior Landscape Architect

Ray Coleman, accountant at Harmony Design Group, smiles at the camera.

Ray Coleman

Accountant

Kristen Downey, Marketing Coordinator at Harmony Design Group smiles at the camera.

Kristen Downey

Marketing Coordinator

Ronnel Gonzalez at Harmony Design Group.

Ronnel Gonzalez

Production Manager | Engineer

Quentin Hill, Maintenance Production Manager of Harmony Design Group smiles at the camera.

Quentin Hill

Maintenance Production Manager

Young woman with dark hair, smiling. Kerri Jewell at Harmony Design Group.

Kerri Jewell

Account Manager | Maintenance

Brandon Younie, a landscape designer for Harmony Design Group smiles at the camera.

Brandon Younie

Landscape Designer

A brown and white spaniel dog with a black collar. It is positioned indoors against a blurred background.

Maggie

Mascot | Affection Acquisitions

Our founder, landscape architect Marc Nissim, has more than two decades of landscaping experience. As a design/build specialist, he’s produced several award-winning landscape design projects and has worked with some of the most renowned firms in New Jersey. When Marc isn’t working, he can be found with his family or on the golf course.

Margaret is no stranger to the design world having come from a textile design and product development background in both the fashion and home markets. Loving the design process of initial concept to completion, she is happy to apply her skillset at Harmony. When not in the office, she is often found on some sort of adventure with her family or escaping within the pages of a good book.

Rachel Vierschilling is a business manager consultant helping behind the scenes in the office at HDG. She specializes in human resources, finance support and all things back-office, assisting Harmony to expand and grow over the years. Outside the office, as a graduate of Penn State, she’s always ready and willing to talk about college sports!

Jessica is a seasoned Project Manager and landscape designer.  Combining her visual and organization skills is where she excels. Jess’s breadth of knowledge of materials, construction and plant materials makes her an exceptional Harmony team member.  When Jess is not taking care of our clients she is found at home taking care of her new puppy Riley!

Burns Benson is an experienced landscape architect with a history of working in the high-end design and construction industry. Having owned his own firm before coming to HDG, he is well-versed in all aspects of design including specialized areas such as ecological design, outdoor kitchens and the design of complete outdoor living spaces. Burns has a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture and an incredibly strong horticultural background. The balance of education, experience and personality make him a fantastic addition to our team. When Burns is not working hard for our clients, he is cheering on his kids in various sports activities and spending time with his family.

Ray has a strong finance foundation and a track record delivering high-end projects on budget. Before working in the construction industry, Ray worked in licensing and royalty accounting at A+E Networks, reconciling multimillion‑dollar accounts. He holds a BBA in Business Management/Finance from Temple University. Passionate about design and craftsmanship, Ray brings rigor, clarity, financial efficiency to every project. If he’s not analyzing financials, he can be found cooking up his signature “Just Ray’s Pizza.” 

Kristen brings more than ten years of experience in public relations and marketing, with a strong foundation in local journalism. Her expertise includes media relations, strategic marketing planning, event coordination, and multi-channel content development. Kristen collaborates closely with internal teams and external partners to develop cohesive messaging and execute marketing initiatives that enhance brand visibility, strengthen audience engagement, and support organizational goals.

Ronnel first joined the Harmony team in 2020. With an engineering background and his skillset with both people and machines, Ronnel was a natural choice to become our production manager. When not overseeing a project, Ronnel can be found relaxing, playing cards or visiting his family in the Caribbean.

Quentin brings more than 10 years of experience in landscape maintenance and plant care, including work on private estates. His background includes overseeing maintenance teams, managing scheduling and logistics, and ensuring efficient day-to-day operations. Quentin specializes in fine gardening and plant health, supporting his teams in delivering consistently high-quality, well-maintained landscapes.

Harmony is excited to have Kerri join the team! With skills in building, lighting and sound design, Kerri has 8 years of experience in landscape and hardscape design as well as a degree from Rowan University in Technical Theatre. Kerri looks forward to each project with a positive attitude of “what can we do, and how can we do it better!” She is a perfectionist and detail-oriented project manager. Clients will find her attitude and smile infectious! If she is not working outside on a client’s property, she is usually spending time outside hiking, kayaking and camping most often with her dog, Fish.

Brandon brings five years of experience in commercial and residential landscape design. He holds a degree in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University and applies both technical expertise and creative vision to develop thoughtful, visually compelling outdoor environments. Brandon supports the design team in creating cohesive landscapes that balance aesthetics, functionality, and site-specific considerations.