Apryl Ortiz

Apryl Ortiz is a proud Mexican American—what she lovingly calls a “Wexican” (white according to her familia, Mexican according to the Americans). She was born in a border town and grew up in a farm labor family, attending what she calls a “cholo church”—a community that deeply shaped her faith and her love for the Bride of Christ in all its beautiful diversity.

From early on, Apryl knew what it meant to come from humble beginnings. If she wanted to go to a retreat or a conference, her church had to sell burritos for a whole year to make it happen. That background gave her a lifelong passion to serve under-resourced churches and leaders with dignity, hospitality, and hope.

Her story isn’t without deep pain. After her parents divorced, Apryl experienced the brokenness of a fractured home, along with multiple instances of abuse. In her teens, she turned to violence, drugs, and sex to numb the rage. By 20, she had survived a toxic marriage and was raising three daughters. But even in the darkest chapters, her Heavenly Father was close, ready to redeem and restore.

Apryl rediscovered God’s transforming grace and began serving with Youth for Christ, where she poured into hurting students and used her gift of prayer to point them toward Jesus. She spent 12 years as a Campus Life director, impacting hundreds of students, before stepping into a new season alongside her husband, Ozzie Ortiz. Married in 2004, the two served faithfully at First Christian Church in El Centro, California, raising up disciples, teachers, and prayer warriors.

Today, Apryl lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with Ozzie. She’s a mom to three grown daughters, a grandmother, and a spiritual mother to many. Whether through her podcast, conferences, retreats, or speaking events, Apryl carries a heart for unity in the Church, a voice for the overlooked, and a testimony that shouts of God’s redeeming love.