Montserrat Garibay is a 25-year veteran of public education and labor rights, whose personal journey from undocumented child to U.S. citizen profoundly informs her powerful advocacy. Her federal service includes impactful roles as Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for the Office of English Language Acquisition, and as a Senior Advisor for Labor Relations at the U.S. Department of Education under the Biden and Harris Administration. A National Board Certified Teacher and University of Texas at Austin alumna, Garibay's career began in the classroom, teaching bilingual pre-kindergarten for eight years. She quickly became a leading voice in labor, serving as Vice President for Certified Employees with Education Austin and Secretary Treasurer at the Texas AFL-CIO. Her unwavering commitment to justice is further evidenced by her pivotal role in promoting the Texas DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform.
Garibay now brings her dynamic leadership to the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) as the Eastern Region representative and Advocacy Chair.