He received his Ph.D. in Communication with an emphasis in Intercultural Communication from the University of New Mexico in 2000. Lovato was selected as a Fulbright Scholar in 2008. Lovato is the author of "Santa Fe Hispanic Culture: Preserving Identity in a Tourist Town" and “The Year Zozobra Escaped: Featuring Zozobra’s Great Escape". His latest project is a serialized version and podcast of his latest book, "Elvis Romero and the Cosmic White Corvette". Lovato is a contributing author for four other books related to New Mexico history and culture. He has also written numerous articles and given lectures related to New Mexico history and culture for various groups and organizations.