Pilar Montoya Biography

DID YOU KNOW?

Thermal energy networks (TENs) operate at lower temperature differentials than traditional district heating systems, allowing for reduced infrastructure costs.

Pilar Montoya is Executive Director of Geothermal Rising, bringing more than 25 years of experience in organizational leadership, strategic communications, and community engagement. Her career combines organizational leadership with fundraising, partnership development, and public engagement. Her leadership approach combines financial stewardship, informed decision-making, and a commitment to helping members and staff succeed.

As chief executive of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Montoya led an organization dedicated to expanding participation and opportunity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. During her tenure, SHPE reported a national network of more than 10,000 members and hundreds of chapters. Her responsibilities spanned member programs, education, fundraising, corporate partnerships, and government relations, with oversight of a combined $6 million budget for the membership and foundation organizations. She helped raise millions of dollars and supported the transition toward a more professionally staffed organization, with strategic, financial, and technology planning to sustain its work.

Her energy experience includes participation in statewide energy-efficiency campaigns helping rural households understand utility programs, rebates, and energy-saving improvements. She also served on the planning team for a national energy-policy summit series and participated in a workforce panel examining technical skills and employment opportunities as the energy industry evolved.

Montoya’s experience in community engagement also extends to engineering projects beyond the energy sector. In a published interview, she described a division of her communications firm dedicated to public participation for engineering projects, including transportation and water issues. That work brought community input into technical projects and helped organizations understand the people affected by their decisions.

Montoya brings a deep understanding of the need for research-informed strategy. She has led national public awareness, engagement and social norm change initiatives. She has invested in research exploring how messages about energy, jobs, health, and family wellbeing shape public understanding, and wrote about organizational change and the role of communications in public opinion, policy, and behavior change.

Her philanthropic experience includes serving as a vice president at the San Diego Foundation, where she helped expand grantmaking and launch eight local community foundations. Her broader record includes securing and managing grants, overseeing corporate-sponsored programs, and leading youth-focused initiatives.

Earlier in her career, Montoya founded and led a multicultural advertising and public relations firm that she grew and sold after 14 years. Her communications background also includes television broadcasting and hosting a national Spanish-language public affairs radio program. She was recognized in STEMconnector's 100 Women Leaders in STEM.

At Geothermal Rising, she brings this experience to supporting its members and expanding geothermal energy needs.