Marian is one of the living legends in the animal movement, having been a full-time volunteer for the cause since 1967 when she founded The Fund for Animals with author and humorist Cleveland Amory.

In 1978, she and Cleveland founded the Black Beauty Ranch, which became the nation’s largest and most diverse animal sanctuary (in terms of species types).

When Cleveland Amory passed away in 1998, Marian became chair of the board of The Fund for Animals until 2018. She is a graduate of Northwestern University.