Ryan earned a Ph.D. in Language and Literacy Learning in Multilingual Settings from the University of Miami, an M.S.Ed. in Reading from the University of Miami, and a B.A. from Boston College in Hispanic Studies. Dr. Pontier teaches in the School of Education at Miami Dade College, where he uses knowledge gained from his research to influence future teachers’ practice to create linguistically and culturally appropriate contexts for emergent bilingual students of all ages. He serves on a variety of community boards to promote the value of bilingualism. He and his wife are raising two bilingual daughters.