Emergent Campus Trinidad

10/12/2026

Less than 2% of venture capital reaches rural areas. We're officially partnering with CORI to change that for Southern Colorado startups.

10/07/2026

The energy in this room is contagious when our Tuesday youth cybersecurity group gets together. Huge thanks to John Freeburg from C Cubed Training for leading the charge and helping us empower the next generation of local tech leaders. Giving them a dedicated space to hang out and build is what we're all about, though the snacks definitely help keep the focus strong.

10/06/2026

Last week, Emergent Campus Trinidad joined the AI panel at the Raton Regional Economic Development Summit to talk about how people are already using AI in their work, where it is creating real opportunities, and where we need to be careful.

For rural communities, AI is not something happening somewhere else. It is already changing how people work, how businesses operate, and what skills employers will need.

At Emergent Campus, we want to help make sure rural communities are prepared for that change.

That means creating opportunities for people to learn how these tools work, helping businesses understand where AI can actually be useful, supporting workforce development around emerging technologies, and making sure people are also informed about the risks, limitations, and pitfalls.

The goal is not simply to use more technology.

It is to give people the knowledge and skills to make good decisions about it, take advantage of new opportunities, and make sure rural communities are part of shaping what comes next.

Thank you to the City of Raton, especially Ann Theis and Synthia Laura Molina, for bringing this conversation together and inviting us to be part of it.

10/05/2026

We are thrilled to welcome Kisora Thomas to the Emergent Campus Trinidad team as our new Business Recruitment Leader!

Kisora is a software engineer and the founder of Apotome Labs. He studied Mathematics and Computer Science and has worked as a Full Stack Developer for a wide variety of companies. Kisora loves Trinidad, cares deeply about community work, and has been a part of the Emergent Campus Trinidad community for several years. He hosted our first Community Solution Sprint (CSS), "Hack Trinidad Forward" and recently ran a CSS overview in Canon City at SoCo Startup Week. Kisora has also mentored local high school tech interns and served on the Computer Science Advisory Board at Trinidad State College.

Now, he’s teaming up with Executive Director Joze Petrich, to bring forward-thinking companies to Southern Colorado. He will also be building out our network of regional partners.

"Trinidad has so much potential," says Kisora. "My goal is to help companies see why they should grow here. I want to connect them with the people and resources that make Emergent Campus such a great place to build."

Please join us in welcoming Kisora to the team!

10/05/2026

Bringing people and ideas together...

09/28/2026

Excited for the next chapter at Emergent Campus Trinidad.

Our focus stays the same: listen, connect, support good work, and keep creating opportunities across Southern Colorado.

Grateful to everyone who has helped build the foundation so far, and looking forward to what we can build together.

We’re excited to share that Joze Petrich has officially accepted the role of Executive Director of Emergent Campus Trinidad. Joze has been part of the Trinidad team for the past two years, working closely with businesses, educators, workforce partners, entrepreneurs, community organizations, and local leaders across Southern Colorado.

A business developer, strategist, and entrepreneur, Joze’s work sits at the intersection of rural economic development, technology, innovation, and community building. At Emergent Campus, he has focused on building partnerships, supporting workforce and internship programs, growing entrepreneurship and technology opportunities, and connecting people and organizations across the region.

Before coming to the United States, Joze spent a decade in the Netherlands, where he built a consulting practice working with startups, scale-ups, and larger companies. He also created the Game of Values, a facilitation tool designed to support better conversations and decision-making.

Joze is also the author of Designing Thriving Communities: A Rural Pattern Language, a practical framework for helping rural communities understand their challenges, build on their strengths, and turn ideas into action.

As Executive Director, Joze will build on the strong foundation, Christine Louden helped create and continue growing Emergent Campus Trinidad as a place for collaboration, opportunity, new ideas, and regional connection.

“There is a lot of momentum in Southern Colorado right now, and I’m excited about what we can build together. My goal is for Emergent Campus Trinidad to continue being a place where people, ideas, businesses, and opportunities connect, and where those connections turn into action.”

We’re looking forward to this next chapter and to continuing the work alongside our partners and communities across Southern Colorado.

Please join us in congratulating Joze on his new role!

09/21/2026

Welcome, Bex!

Emergent Campus is thrilled to officially welcome Bex Becker to our team as our Regional Workforce Matchmaker Coordinator! Read more about Bex below and drop a warm welcome in the comments!

Colorado has been my home since 2009. I left the UK and found something I never expected a community that feels like family, landscapes that never stop humbling me, and a way of life built on connection.

As a Regional Workforce Matchmaker Coordinator for Emergent Campus, I get to spend my days doing what I love most, bringing people together. Whether it’s matching a rural entrepreneur with emerging talent or helping a remote professional find their people, I bring years of experience in client relations, community building and sales to every connection I make.

On the nerdy side, I’m fascinated by how systems work. I love designing relational databases, streamlining processes, and creating frameworks that make it easier for people, programs, and opportunities to connect and grow.

09/11/2026

ReimagineRural

Last summer, a handful of graduating seniors from Jefferson County and Denver Public Schools walked onto CoorsTek’s manufacturing floor and began a 15-month apprenticeship in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining. When these students complete the program this fall, they will be eligible for e...

09/10/2026

Leadership update

After more than two years of building Emergent Campus Trinidad from the ground up, Executive Director Christine Louden is stepping down from her role. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and for everything she has given to the community and to advance our charter.

Under Christine’s leadership, Trinidad grew from a new initiative into an active hub for workforce development, technology education, entrepreneurship, and community connection. During that time, the Trinidad campus has grown to account for almost 30% of our organization's total workforce impact, building partnerships with Trinidad State College and regional employers, launching workforce and professional development programs, expanding youth STEM, robotics, and technology opportunities, and helping connect Trinidad to our broader regional mission. Christine also established a strong public brand for our work in Southern Colorado and developed a stronger network for our charter. Most of all, she was a fierce advocate for this region and the people in it.

Please join us in thanking Christine for the foundation she laid and wishing her every success in her next chapter.

Joze Petrich will serve as Interim Executive Director as we continue programming, partnerships, and our commitments in Trinidad.