Nicole Ponseca

Nicole Ponseca is a respected thought leader and a noteworthy trailblazer in the Asian/Pacific American (APA) and Filipino space, as well as the hospitality industry. She has leveraged her advertising background to wake up a dormant conversation about identity and Filipino food in the United States, as well as the global foodie community and Filipino diaspora. In her past life, she was an advertising executive working with Fortune 500 clients by day. At night, she was moonlighting as a restaurant hostess/bartender/server/manager, determined to learn as much as she could about the restaurant business. The popularity of her two restaurants, Maharlika and Jeepney, translated into a best-selling debut cookbook, "I Am a Filipino", which received a James Beard Award nomination for Best International Cookbook in 2019. She has dedicated close to 20 years exploring the 7,100+ Philippine islands looking for ancestral recipes, tools and clues to a culture that had little documentation. The result is a seminal work in Filipino history and the culinary world.

Currently, she splits her time between Manhattan and Miami, as she pivots her business and personal life post-COVID. Her journey has opened her up as a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) speaker, food journalist, and experienced restaurateur. She is an outspoken advocate for the APA, Black and LGBTQIA communities and is known for her uncanny perseverance, having survived childhood abuse and domestic violence.

Her experiences and relatability make her an ideal speaker for companies, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and teams looking to diversify their content. Her talks are vibrant, encouraging and provide added value for teams looking to create more empathy and inspiration to their work and lives.