2018 Latina of Influence | Jessica A. Acosta, CISEC
Hispanic Lifestyle is pleased to recognize Business Owner and Leader Jessica Acosta CISEC as a 2018 Latina of Influence. Ms. Acosta along with our entire list of 2018 Latinas of Influence are invited to participate in Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2018 Latina Conference taking place April 4 and 5, 2018 in Ontario, California.
Jessica Acosta is the Founder and CEO of Environmental Consulting Services (ECS) & EDIFICE2120, an accomplished leader with more than 14 years of progressive experience in the construction industry. Ms. Acosta is dedicated to quality service and a superior standard of excellence. Under Ms. Acosta’s leadership, ECS has achieved a high level of trust within the construction industry, by exceeding the expectations while providing reliable advice and jobsite assessment to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. Her remarkable business acumen has been recognized by the Denver Business Journal with the Fastest Growing Private Company Award and by Engineering News Records as one of the 20 under 40 award recipient in the mountain states.
Ms. Acosta’s track record shows that she is not only a recognized business leader within the construction industry, but also across other industries and in the community. Ms. Acosta is exceedingly community-minded; deeply ingrained in her DNA is her desire to give back, therefore she serves on several community boards and committees. Most recently, Ms. Acosta founded EDIFICE2120, a shared office space geared towards the construction industry. Established to help small businesses further develop their work strategy, build business capacity, expand capabilities and attain a robust business sustainability. Furthermore, Ms. Acosta serves as a mentor for the Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program to provide guidance and advice on businesses scaling up.
As a leading entrepreneur, Ms. Acosta has participated in various leadership programs; she graduated Leadership Denver in 2015, part of the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation. She chose Leadership Denver to diversify on her existing leadership skills. Ms. Acosta also likes to give back to the community focusing on her passion by volunteering to empower youth to seek higher education, thus serving on the board of various organizations; College Track Colorado being the most recent.
Ms. Acosta has an enviable work ethic, impeccable integrity and as a respected leader Denver Mayor Michael Hancock appointed Ms. Acosta as a commissioner for the Denver Women’s Commission in 2013, an organization dedicated to improving the social, economic, and political quality of life for women in Denver. Currently Ms. Acosta is representing one of six fast-growing companies selected to participate in the Denver Scale-Up Network.
Additionally, Ms. Acosta’s record of service to the community and her outstanding business achievements have been recognized as one of Colorado’s younger leading entrepreneurs by The Denver Business Journal with the 2014 Forty under 40 award and by the ColoradoBiz Magazine as one of the Top 5 Most Influential Professional. Moreover, The Denver Business Journal accredited Ms. Acosta as one of Denver’s most influential business leaders with the Outstanding Women in Business award.
Jessica Annel Acosta – Professional Experience & Community Participation
Community Acknowledgement:
❖ Top 5 Most Influential Professional – ColoradoBiz Magazine 2016 ❖ Top 25 Young Professional – ColoradoBiz Magazine 2016
❖ Top 20 under 40 – Engineering News-Record Mountain States 2016
❖ Fastest-Growing Private Companies – Denver Business Journal 2015 ❖ Minority-Owned Businesses Lists -Denver Business Journal 2014-2015 ❖ Outstanding Women in Business – Denver Business Journal 2014
❖ Forty under 40 – Denver Business Journal 2014
Non-Profit Board Experience:
❖ Mi Casa Resource Center (2016 – Present)- Board Director
❖ Hispanic Contractors of Colorado (2014- 2016) – Board Director
o Transportation committee- 2015-Present
o Chair of banquet Committee-2014
❖ College Track Colorado (2015-2017) – Board Director
❖ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Denver Metro (2013- 2016) – Board Director
o Executive Committee-2014
o Chair of ambassadors Committee-2014 ❖ Colorado Contractors Association
o DBE committee- 2015- Present
❖ Denver Women’s Commission (2013 – 2015) – Commissioner ❖ Conference of Minority Transportation Officials
o Scholarship banquet Committee-2014
❖ Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists
o Stormwater Management Class Instructor-2014 ❖ Adelante Mujer (2010-2012) – Board Director
❖ Colorado Progressive Coalition
o Community Organizer – Awareness for seniors & health care
Advisory Experience:
❖ Global Chamber Denver Advisory Board (2015- Present)
❖ Denver Mayor’s Office Parks & Recreation, Task Force Committee 2015 ❖ Denver Water, Rate Structure Committee 2015
❖ Colorado Succeeds, Common core education September 2014
❖ NEWSED, Community Development 2013
Speaking Engagements & Business Panels:
❖ Stormwater Compliance & Management Contractors academy 2014 & 2015
❖ Project Management Contractors Academy 2015
❖ International CEO Annual Assembly – Better Business Bureau, October 2015
❖ Hispanic Denver Business Awards & Conference – Hispanic Lifestyle, October 2015
❖ Stand up for Transportation – Regional Transportation District, April 2015
❖ Millennial Entrepreneurs – Small Business Administration, April 2015
❖ North East Denver Leadership week- Councilman Chris Herndon, June 2015 ❖ Mi casa resource center- November 2014 Keynote speaker
❖ Urban Camp Fire, Crave, November 2014
❖ Airport Minority Advisory Council Conference- June 2014
❖ Connect 2 Success -MRBES Summit & Expo – May 2014
Volunteer/Community Experience:
- ❖ Stanford University, Graduate School of Business -Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program, (Fellowship Program Mentor and Lecturer) 2015-Present
- ❖ Ready, Set, College – Program coordinator 2015
- ❖ CEC Middle College-Entrepreneurship –Lecturer 2014
- ❖ HEAL after school program- Presenter 2014
- ❖ Florence Crittenton Career Day – Guest Speaker 2013
❖ LaTeena Leadership Conference -Workshop Facilitator 2012Recent Featured Media:❖ “Latino Owned Businesses” Latino Journal, August 2015
❖ “Leadership Tips” Women of Denver TV, July 2015
❖ “Latinas in Business” Hispanic Lifestyle Magazine, September 2015
❖ “Business Breakthrough” SBA.gov Colorado, October 2014
❖ “Construction is Women’s Work” Denver Business Journal, July 2014 ❖ “Success Stories” Business Altitude Magazine, May 2014
❖ “Latinas on the Move” Latin Life Denver, December 2013
Education & Training:
❖ Bonding Education Program, US DOT 2015
❖ REDI Program, Urban Land Institute 2015
❖ Connect 2DOT Leading Edge, Small Business Development Center 2015
❖ Leadership Denver, Denver Metro Chamber Foundation 2015
❖ Emerging Leaders, Small Business Administration 2014
❖ Construction Management, Turner Construction 2014
❖ Circle of Latina Leadership, CLLARO 2013
❖ Minority Contractors Business Development Program, JE Dunn Construction 2013 ❖ Business Boot Camp, Rocky Mountain Microfinance Institute 2013
❖ Fast Track Growth Venture, Mi Casa Resource Center 2012
❖ Greater Good Academy, Office of Economic Development 2011
❖ Stormwater management Specialist, Red Rocks Community College 2011
❖ Bachelor of arts, Communications, University of Denver 2003
Nomination submitted by Richard Sandoval
