I was born in 1977 to a Guatemalan immigrant mother and a blue-collar Texan father who were both divorced and met at a singles party in Twin Peaks, San Francisco. I grew up in the rural hills near Napa, California, leaving at the age of 18 to earn a bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College, and then a law degree from Harvard and a master’s degree in real estate from NYU. After taking the typical route of joining big law for a decade, I hung up my shingle and worked out of my own shop for another 12 years.

I was quite secure that would be the end of this bio until one very late night philosophical debate, some heavy IOS Notes scribbling and an introduction to Final Draft later, GOOD was born, and my 22-year legal career seems to have abruptly, universally and unexpectedly (my hand's up too) come to an end.

I could not be happier.*

*We would also like to tell you that Monte’s family produces delicious olive oil, he is a husband and father of two beautiful boys and summers in the Hamptons.