María Montero, women’s advocate and former executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women, will speak at 12:30 p.m. March 1, Rothrock Library, Alumni Center, Schnecksville campus, North Whitehall Township.

The talk is free and open to the public.

As part of Women’s History Month, Montero will address “The Gender Pay Gap: Trust and Fiction in Gaining Equity,” followed by audience discussion.

Montero is a first-generation American, born and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of Marian Catholic High School, St. Joseph’s University, and Widener University School of Law with a concentration in law and government.

Along with raising her family and managing the family bi-lingual newspaper business El Torero, she has managed and co-founded area businesses and initiatives providing opportunities for women to reach their business and personal goals.

Montero is chairwoman of the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, on the APM Board (Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha), a non-profit based in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Hospitality Inc. She is a trustee for DeSales University, a member of St. Joseph’s University Development Advisory Board, and SJU’s Women’s Leadership Network as fundraising chair.

Montero was executive director for the Pennsylvania Commission for Women, executive director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs and is external affairs manager for the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority.