Shortly after graduating from the American Film Institute, Coto wrote and directed an episode of Tales from the Crypt. He went on to direct the feature film "Dr. Giggles" and the children's film "Star Kid." He was also a writer and producer on the recent incarnation of Outer Limits, and created the series Odyssey 5 for Showtime.

Coto has been involved with Star Trek literally all his life. When he was a kid growing up in Orlando, Florida, he was glued to the TV when the Original Series ran in after-school syndication, and even wrote his own Trek comic book.

He frequented conventions in his hometown, and has loyally watched every incarnation of the franchise since. He brings "a passionate love of all things Star Trek" to his job as Enterprise showrunner, he said in a 2004 interview.