Susan Gottlieb

Susan Gottlieb joined the Friends’ Board in August 2007 as an expression of her passionate support for the organization’s work at Ballona restoring the dunes where native plants are an essential component to support migrant and resident birds.

When Susan Lenman Gottlieb was born, her family was living in a log cabin built by her Swedish immigrant father in a remote area of Quebec, Canada. After graduating from nursing school in Ontario, Susan worked for many years in California as a registered nurse.

Although the Gottliebs have had a lifelong interest in nature and the environment, Susan became actively involved in the 1990s when she began the restoration of her garden by removing most of the exotic and invasive plants and replacing them with California natives. The Gottlieb Native Garden is now designated by the National Wildlife Federation as an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat and a Xerces Society Designated Pollinator Habitat. It is often included as a stop on LA’s prestigious garden tours.

In addition to her passion for native gardening and conservation photography, Susan currently serves on the President's Council of National Wildlife Federation, the Boards of Directors of the Friends of Ballona Wetlands, the Board of Directors for Audubon California, and is a supporter of many environmental organizations including Earthjustice, UCLA IoES, California Native Plant Society, and The Theodore Payne Foundation, among others. She is also co-founder of Bird LA Day, an annual initiative that celebrates LA’s immense biodiversity through more than 50 bird and nature-themed events throughout the greater Los Angeles area.