Out in the Cold

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FBI Special Agent Alex Martel has many extraordinary qualities: She’s a sharpshooter, a kickass fighter, and a great investigator. More than that, she’s fiercely loyal and determined to mete out justice on her terms, even if she pushes boundaries when doing so.

Alex was created by Canadian author Steve Urszenyi, whose second novel, “Out in the Cold,” comes out the second week of November. Steve is a former paramedic in Toronto, Canada, and was a tactical medic with the Ontario Provincial Police, where he was a specialist in SWAT, CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives incident response), HUSAR (Heavy Urban Search and Rescue), and public order operations. He is a recipient of the Governor General of Canada EMS Exemplary Service Medal and Bar in recognition of his distinguished service.

Alex is a work of fiction, but she is not merely a figment of Steve's imagination. While she stems from his creativity, she was inspired by and is very much an amalgam of women he has known and worked with in law enforcement and non-LE roles. Real women informed her creation and brought Alex to life!

You might read Out In The Cold and think Alex is out of this world—no way could an FBI woman do what Alex does or be her! But Alex embodies many FBI and law enforcement—even military—women, and her qualities and skills are ones that many FBI women do hold.

I encourage you to enter Alex’s world and listen to FBI women who have been on my podcast. You will find that Alex is not all fiction!

In Special Agent Alexandra Montilla’s 28-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), she has been a relentless force in the pursuit of justice, leaving an indelible mark on the world of law enforcement. 

From the outset, SA Montilla demonstrated a penchant for tackling the toughest challenges within the FBI. During her early years as an agent, she worked violent crimes, focusing on harrowing cases involving Crimes Against Children. 

As her career evolved, SA Montilla transitioned into Counterintelligence, where her investigative skills were brought to bear safeguarding national security interests. However, it was her extensive role in Extraterritorial criminal matters that truly showcased her tenacity and resilience. For over 18 years, she immersed herself in the complexities of international crime, transiting borders, and continents to combat crimes against U.S. citizens and U.S. interests all over South America and the Caribbean among other countries.

SA Montilla broke barriers as the initial and sole female member of the Extraterritorial (ET) squad for a span of 12 years and being the longest member of the squad (18 years), defying stereotypes and earning the respect of her peers through her professionalism and expertise. Her frequent deployments to hotspots around the globe, including Haiti, Peru, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, and Belize, underscored her commitment to confronting injustice.

SA Montilla has investigated over 300 kidnappings and has played a pivotal role in some of the most high-profile cases against U.S. Citizens and interests involving international terrorist group like the ELN and FARC in Colombia. 

Most recently, SA Montilla was the case agent in the Natalee Holloway case, where she spearheaded efforts to secure justice for the family. From requesting the government of Peru for Joran Van der Sloot's temporary extradition to working alongside FBI Birmingham to secure his confession and proffer, she demonstrated exceptional diplomacy and tenacity, working closely with US embassies, foreign government officials, and law enforcement agencies to ensure that justice was served.

SA Montilla has distinguished herself as a formidable investigator and as a trailblazer for women in law enforcement. She has shattered glass ceilings and championed diversity, leveraging her unique cultural and gender perspectives to navigate the complex landscape of international crime. 

Outside the Bureau, SA Montilla is the mother of a 19 year old son, an avid competitive runner, and an indoor spin class instructor.

Among her awards are the prestigious Attorney General Award and the FBI Director’s Award for excellence in casework.

Doris Garcia-Smith is a versatile professional with a background in law enforcement and national security. She served as an officer with the New York Police Department (NYPD) and later as a Staff Operations Specialist (SOS) with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Prior to her career in law enforcement, Doris pursued her passion for the arts, attending the Juilliard School and the School of American Ballet (SAB), where she danced for six years before taking on her first full-time role as a receptionist at the age of 19, balancing work and night school. 

On July 18th, 1996, Doris was sworn into the NYPD Police Academy, a day marked by the tragic crash of TWA Flight 800. During her 12-year tenure with the NYPD, she worked in patrol, responded to emergency calls to include the 911 terrorist attacks, and served in a vice/undercover unit. Following her time with the NYPD, Doris joined the FBI, where she supported Counterintelligence squads in New York City, and later supported the Agency as an Intelligence Analyst in Washington, D.C.

Doris also dedicated her time to international volunteer work with Amentum’s SPEO-Seconded personnel and the US Department of State's election observer project through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). She deployed to Tirana, Albania, as an international election observer. Currently, she works as a federal contract background investigator.

She holds a bachelor's degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a master's degree in public administration from Marist College School of Management. Additionally, she has earned a certificate of Graduate Study in Statecraft with a concentration in national security affairs from the World Institute of Politics.