Marianna Edwards Richardson enjoys studying and reading about a variety of topics. She received a bachelor of arts degree from Brigham Young University in English literature, with a minor in art history. She also earned a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University in special education and a doctorate in education from Seattle Pacific University in curriculum and development. She is the assistant to the editor of the American Counseling Association journal Counseling and Values. She has presented papers internationally on such subjects as the life and times of Alfred Edersheim, achievement motivation in education, and the teaching of moral behavior to children.

The most important work she does is to care for her large family. She has been married to Dr. Stephen D. Richardson for over thirty years, and they have twelve wonderful children and six grandchildren (with more on the way). Marianna and Steve currently live in Redmond, Washington.