She received her doctorate from Stanford University in Education with a minor in linguistics. She has a Master's degree in bilingual education and a Master's degree in library and information science. Dr Montiel Overall's doctoral research involved Spanish-speaking students. Her early professional experience included teaching elementary, middle and high school students. She also provided a teacher preparation course for teachers in Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico in conjunction with the Secreatría de Educación y Cultura de Sonora and the United States Information Agency (USIA). Reviews: