Who We Are
is a multidisciplinary strategic development company who provides innovative solutions for
public and private organizations. Established in 2002 by founder Salvador J. Acuna, Co Create has
provided impactful solutions and opportunities for over 70 clients throughout the United States, Mexico,
and Latin America.
Biography
Salvador J. Acuna - Co Create LLC, Founder/CEO
Mr. Acuna founded Co Create in September of 2002. A high – energy, visionary leader with 30 years of successful statewide, national, and international service delivery and entrepreneurship experience. His educational and professional experience has been crafted in the United States, Mexico, Spain, and Caribbean Region.
Salvador has extensive multidisciplinary background in strategic development topics, project creation facilitation and management, strategic marketing, and bilateral development topics with the United States and Mexico. Projects include but are not limited to; community broadband technology planning, identity and access management, fundraising, start - ups, public/private partnership development, international trade/relations, strategic development platforms, marketing/management, prevention and intervention technology, immigrant integration, and community/economic development initiatives.
Some former clients and business collaborators include Aegis Identity Software, Inc., Cendant Mobility Inc.; Club Med International Resorts, ConAgra, Inc.; Regional Prevention Center, US/Mexico Border Health Association; United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census; The Colorado Trust, Runyon Sports Complex Commission, Latino Community Foundation, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, Inc. and numerous manufacturers and cottage industry suppliers throughout the Republic of Mexico.
Mr. Acuna’s former company The Union Trading Company, LLC was the 2000 recipient of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Sanchez to Sanchez to Smith Award in International Trade, and 1999 Latino Chamber of Commerce of Pueblo Small Business of the Year. Salvador is an alum of the Executive Training Program, Universidad Internacional in Cuernavaca Mexico, and Leadership Fellow of the CSU Bighorn Center for Leadership Development. In 2001 Salvador was selected to the CSU – Pueblo Baseball Diamond of Fame. MBA studies, CSU – Pueblo’s Hasan School of Business.
Mr. Acuña’s passion is to share his personal and professional experience in Co Creating opportunities for individuals, organizations, and communities....and mixing in a little baseball whenever possible.
Denise Atkinson-Shorey - Co Create LLC, Chief Telecommunication Officer
Denise Atkinson-Shorey is a senior telecommunications, technology, and education professional with over 30 years of success at the local, state, and national levels, focusing on scalability, sustainability, advocacy, and strategic partnerships. Ms. Atkinson-Shorey has over 20 years of expertise in schools and special libraries. Her work in the E-rate arena spans policy work and participating in e-rate as both the applicant and provider for over 20 years.
Denise Atkinson-Shorey has served in a variety of leadership roles, running a statewide broadband initiative for schools, libraries, and other community anchor institutions, managing regional technical organizations, national consultancies, successful grant writing, public policy advocacy, nonprofit board work and corporate sector expertise.
Twice she was recognized by her peers for Outstanding Technology Leadership and is a former Board Member for the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) and for Colorado Association for Leaders of Education Technology (CALET). Ms. Atkinson-
Shorey was personally responsible for securing statewide grant funding of more than $100 million dollars in capital funds to more than 150 communities. In 2009, Denise founded e-Luminosity to address the need for third party neutral expertise in telecommunications infrastructure design, development of high-capacity networks for community anchor institutions, utilizing strategic planning and partnerships, and ensuring the long-term viability of projects.
In addition to her work at e-Luminosity, Ms. Atkinson-Shorey has served as a; --Senior Consultant at Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) --Vice-Chairman of the Board for Schools, Healthcare and Libraries for Broadband Coalition (SHLB) --Advisory Board for Internet2’s U.S. UCAN initiative -- Emeritus Board Member for Colorado Association for Leaders of Education Technology (CALET)Recent works includes Colorado Educational Broadband Coalition (CEBC)--Reducing the cost of internet services 10-fold to 40+ rural school districts in Colorado. Mt Princeton Fiber Build--Improving bandwidth from 40 mbps to 1000 mbps and reducing the monthly cost 50%. Working with Advocacy groups locally and nationally, to successfully increase Federal E-rate Funds over $2 Billion for Schools and Libraries Internet Access.