“The future depends on what we do in the present.”
Pilar Montoya is an accomplished executive with over 25 years of experience leading organizations at the intersection of nonprofit management, communications, and social change. Guided by the belief that communities closest to harm must be at the center of building a more equitable world, Pilar drives transformational strategies that advance equity, justice, and sustainability.
Pilar serves as the Executive Director at Resource Media, a nonprofit creative change agency dedicated to shifting narratives, public opinion, and behavior around the most urgent issues of our time. She is leading the organization into its next phase of growth—maximizing impact through data-informed, community-driven strategies that translate research and advocacy into measurable outcomes. Pilar brings a unique blend of business acumen, financial management, and operational excellence to mission-driven work, with a proven record of pioneering innovative frameworks for more effective and inclusive social solutions.
As a Vice President at the San Diego Foundation, Pilar helped steward community-based solutions and expand regional grantmaking. She helped launch eight local community foundations across San Diego County to leverage charitable funds and mobilize collective action addressing the most pressing local needs through grantmaking and building more resilient neighborhoods.
Prior to Resource Media, Pilar founded and led a nationally recognized advertising and public relations firm specializing in multicultural communications, which she successfully grew and sold after 14 years. She led highly successful health-focused initiatives in partnership with the California Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, California Five-A-Day, and Teen Pregnancy Prevention programs. She has also helped lead national and regional government relations, advocacy, and community engagement initiatives.
Before launching her firm, Pilar worked in television broadcasting and hosted a national Spanish-language public affairs radio program focused on issues of justice and inclusion.