FARMINGTON – The University of Maine at Farmington will host a panel discussion by prominent women leaders in Maine politics as part of the university’s celebration of women’s history month. The event is free and open to the public and will take place at 4 p.m. Monday, March 23, in Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center.

The panel members, featuring Maine Senate President Libby Mitchell, Maine Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree and Julie O’Brien, former executive director of the Maine State Republican Party, will speak about their experiences in politics and public service and how women’s issues have affected their career decisions.

A member of the Maine legislature since 1974, Mitchell is the first woman in the U.S. to serve as both the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House.

While in the legislature, she has been a supporter of education from kindergarten to higher education and sponsored the first-in-the-nation legislation to use state funds to expand the Head Start program. A resident of Vassalboro, she represents Senate District 24, including Augusta, China, Sidney and Vassalboro.

Serving her second term in the state legislature, Pingree has served as a member of the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and presides as the House chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Health and Human Services. She represents 10 Maine islands and coastal towns in Knox and Hancock counties and is the daughter of Chellie Pingree, U.S. Congresswoman.

Prior to her position of leadership with the Maine Republican Party, O’Brien served four terms in the Maine Legislature, representing part of Augusta. She is the founder and former executive director of the Children’s Discovery Museum and serves on the board of directors of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

The panel discussion will be moderated by James Melcher, UMF associate professor of political science. A question-and-answer period will follow.

It is co-sponsored by the UMF Department of Social Sciences and Business and Women and Gender Studies program and several student organizations, including the History and Political Science Clubs, UMF College Republicans and UMF College Democrats.