EPISODE 72
The Nod: Identity, Power, and the Latino Majority with Audrey Ponzio
What does it mean to truly be seen? In this powerful episode of The Latino Majority, Audrey Ponzio —founding partner of APC Collective— shares a deeply personal journey from El Paso to the highest levels of corporate communications. Raised in a community where identity was simply lived, not questioned, Audrey didn’t fully confront what it meant to be Latina until she left home and entered spaces where she was suddenly “othered.”
From being the only multicultural voice in the room to navigating tokenization, microaggressions, and the weight of representation, Audrey opens up about the hidden cost of rising through corporate America—and the strength it takes to lead with authenticity. Along the way, she reveals how her upbringing, her instincts as a communicator, and her commitment to excellence became her greatest advantages.
At the heart of this conversation is a simple but profound idea: “the nod.” That unspoken moment of recognition between people who share lived experience—a quiet but powerful acknowledgment of resilience, identity, and belonging.
Audrey Ponzio challenges us to think bigger—not just about representation, but about ownership. Building our own tables. Supporting our own stories. Using our economic and cultural power intentionally. Because the Latino community isn’t a supporting character in America’s story—it’s central to it.
This episode is ultimately a love story—about identity, about community, and about learning to see yourself fully… and then helping others do the same.
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ABOUT OUR GUEST
Audrey Ponzio is the CEO & Founder of APC Collective where she and her team develop award-winning communications and community engagement programs to help clients grow their reach, relevance, and impact. Specializing in integrated and inclusive campaign building and inclusive marketing consulting, Audrey has developed best-in-class programs for leading brands including Google, Audible, GE, Starbucks, Kraft Foods, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Time Warner Cable, American Heart Association, Girl Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, T-Mobile, Delta, and PepsiCo, among others.
Prior to launching APC Collective, Audrey led Edelman’s Multicultural practice in New York City as Senior Vice President creating award-winning multicultural campaigns and programs for organizations across public affairs, corporate, health, consumer, food & beverage, entertainment, and travel & tourism sectors. Audrey’s career began at Fleishman Hillard where she focused on public affairs and community engagement. Audrey later helped LatinWorks, now Third Ear, develop their PR team and programs for clients including strategic partnerships, cause marketing, event activation and media relations.
An advocate of education and empowerment of women and underserved communities, she has served as counsel to a variety of non-profit organizations in the U.S. and Latin America.
Audrey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Corporate Communications and has served as an adjunct professor at the Moody College of Communications. She also holds a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University.
