The initial executive, elected in 1973, included president Tony Jackman, Frank Boffa, Charlie Challenger, George Malcolm, Neil Aitken, and Robin Gay.
[3] Five of the fifteen practitioners needed for the initial incorporation were women: Eleanor Ironside, Sally Mason, Esmae Sage, Patricia Shiel and Paula Parsonson.
[3] The first doctoral thesis in landscape architecture in New Zealand, by Jacky Bowring in 1997, was on the picturesque in the discourse of the NZILA.
The NZILA has seven regional branches: Auckland, Central North Island, Canterbury and Westland, Hawkes Bay and Manawatū, Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough, and Southern.
In memoriam honorary fellows are James Beard, John Hayward, Percy (Bing) Lucas, Lance McCaskill, George McMillan, Lawrie Metcalf, Kevin O’Connor, Geoff Park, Ted Smyth, Gordon Stephenson and John Wendelken.
As of 2023 the institute had ten life members, and listed three more "in memoriam" (Charlie Challenger, Robin Gay and George Malcolm).
Life members include:[12] The institute's president presents awards to individuals, groups or organisations who "advance the profession of Landscape Architecture through their time, dedication, passion and vision".