Dorothy Duval Nelson earned a Bachelor of Arts in German from Agnes Scott College, a Masters of Arts in German from Middlebury College, and a Juris Doctor from Loyola. She has taught German at the University of Florida, English in The Netherlands, and English as a Second Language at Tulane and Loyola Universities. Before her children were born she opened a solo law practice with the goal of specializing in immigration law.

As a volunteer her three passions have been historic preservation, literacy, and the promotion of international engagement, awareness, and education. In service to these causes she has served on the boards of the Alliance Française de la Nouvelle Orléans, the World Affairs Council of New Orleans (for which she served as President from 1999-2002 and as Executive Director from 2002-2007), the Honorary Consulate of Canada in New Orleans, the International School of Louisiana, the Preservation Resource Center, YMCA Educational Services, the LA Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, the Louisiana Center for Dyslexia & Related Learning Disorders at Nicholls State University, and the Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans.