Dr. Edith Read

Dr. Edith Read is the President of E. Read and Associates, a company that she formed in 2007 to streamline management of the Ballona Freshwater Marsh and support her consulting work. This consulting includes rare plant surveys, monitoring of stream resources affected by diversions for hydropower, and wetland assessments.  Dr. Read earned a PhD in Biology from UC Irvine, specializing in Plant Ecology. She began her work at Ballona in 1991 with studies of water availability for the Freshwater Marsh, followed by vegetation and rare plant surveys throughout what is now the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. 

Dr. Read was contracted as the first Marsh Preserve Manager in 2003 prior to the opening of the Marsh, and the Marsh flourishes under her care. Dr. Read oversees vegetation management, monitoring, maintenance, and an array of other tasks. She has fondly become known to the community as the Marsh Mistress.

She has been involved with the Friends as an adviser regarding dunes restoration and in August 2007 became a member of the Board. Social Justice and providing living wages are values Dr. Read expresses through her company.