Ferrier grew up on the west side of San Antonio, Texas, on a dirt road that eventually became gravel, was paved with asphalt, and got a sidewalk.
As a child, she grew up within hearing distance of Our Lady of the Lake University but did not believe she was meant for higher education.
[1] By age 30, Ferrier had had a divorce and two children, and she worked as a nurse's aide in the San Antonio State Hospital for minimum wage.
In 2002, under the Presidency of George W. Bush, Ferrier was appointed as the Director of OELA making her the main advisor to the United States Secretary of Education for all topics related to students with limited English proficiency.
"[2] In 1999, the Center for Leadership Studies of her alma mater, Our Lady of the Lake University, chose Ferrier as its first distinguished visiting professor.