The Associated Press Television and Radio Association named Monte Reporter of the Year in 2013 for a region covering 13 western states. Monte has also won four Emmys; the latest in 2015 for his part in NBC Bay Area's coverage of the Napa earthquake. Monte is a graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and has a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from California State University Fresno. His first book, By Their Father's Hand: The True Story of the Wesson Family Massacre, was published by HarperCollins in 2007.