1440 Educators

Scott Kriens (alongside his wife Joanie) is the co-creator of 1440 Multiversity and the 1440 Foundation. He is also the chairman and former CEO of Juniper Networks, and co-founded the Bridge Builders Collaborative (BBC), which has funded and advised more than 30 companies in the development of contemplative, somatic, and other tools to support mental health and wellbeing.  

A luminary faculty member of the True North Leadership program, Scott is also available for keynote presentations within each of the five learning pillars of 1440.

Learning Pillars: Live Well, Lead Well, Love Well, Work Well and Wonder Well

More Information: Scott Kriens LinkedIn 

Frank Ashmore is a 1440 Faculty member, facilitating lecture workshops and providing strategic services through the 1440 Academy within our Lead Well, Love Well and Work Well learning pillars. 

Frank has served as Managing Director of 1440 Multiversity since 2018, and under his leadership the organization has been recognized for over a dozen Best Places to Work and community-building honors. Frank is sought out for educational keynotes and collaborative workshop discussions around heartfelt care for guest and one another, culture-building, authentic service, and leading with love.  

Keynote, Class & Workshop Themes:

• Purpose‑Driven Culture Practices
• Leading with Love
• Transformative Touchpoints

Learning Pillars: Lead Well, Love Well and Work Well 

More Information: Frank Ashmore LinkedIn

Luigi Califano is the General Manager of 1440, joining the organization in 2021. Luigi teaches transformative leadership experiences and authentic service curriculum through lecture-style workshops for public open-enrollment and group programs, as well as through onboarding orientations for all 1440 team members.

Keynotes, Class & Workshop Themes:

• From Transaction to Transformation
• Intentional Moments of Impact
• Conversations That Matter

Learning Pillar: Lead Well

Learn More: Luigi Califano LinkedIn

Katie Denbo is a 1440 Faculty member, facilitating immersive teambuilding workshops within our Lead Well and Work Well learning pillar. 

Katie joined 1440 Multiversity in 2019 and serves as the organization's engagement and communications lead. She is passionate about providing knowledge and resources for individuals and groups to find more meaning, purpose and connection in their work. Available for individual and group programs, she provides workshops and services in the following:

• True Colors Certified Elite Facilitator
• Designing Your Life (DYL) Certified Coach and Workshop Provider
• Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator
• ICF-Certified Executive Coach (individual and group work)

Learning Pillars: Live Well, Lead Well and Work Well

More Information: Katie Denbo LinkedIn 

Jose Fernandez is the 1440 Executive Chef and leads the food and beverage offerings at Kitchen Table. He also facilitates demonstration-style workshops and interactive teambuilding classes using the food as medicine philosophy, generating energy around meals and connection. 

Learn More about Kitchen Table: Click Here

Learning Pillar: 

• Live Well 

Chef Ryan Fillhardt oversees the 1440 Teaching Kitchen Academy as Culinary Arts Education faculty, developing curriculum and instructing classes aligned with a “food as medicine” nutrition philosophy. Using a variety of experiential learning modalities, Ryan teaches hands-on workshops, interactive lectures, demos & tastings, and open house reception classes for public open-enrollment and group education opportunities.

Classes:

• Preserving & Fermenting
• Honey for Health & Vitality
• All About Cooking Oils
• Well-Rounded Meal Preparation
• Seasonal Sides & Sips for Wellness Gatherings
• Kitchen Fundamentals for Living Well
• Better-for-You Baking & Sweets
• Mindful Wine Education & Pairings Explorations 
• Food as Medicine Lifestyle Integration
• Wood-Fired Oven Workshops
• Nourishing Youth & Healthy Starts
• Teaching Kitchen Full-Day or Weekend Immersions

More About the Teaching Kitchen: Click Here

Learning Pillars: 

• Live Well

For more than three decades, Dr. Laura Berman has devoted her career to helping individuals and couples create more authentic, passionate, and connected lives. After the loss of her beloved son, Sammy, she stepped into a parallel path of guiding others through grief and transformation. That experience has expanded her understanding of love, intimacy, and the human heart and she leads the annual Love Mama Grief Retreat at 1440 Multiversity for other mothers who have been devastated by the loss of a child. Dr. Berman’s workshops serve her new mission to help others open to the fullness of who they are in body, heart, and soul to serve those longing for deeper connection, healing, or a more vibrant love life. Dr. Berman teaches within our Love Well learning pillar.

Dr. Darla Booth, DC, AFMC is a 1440 Adjunct Faculty member, facilitating lecture workshops within our Live Well learning pillar. 

Dr. Booth specializes in helping patients with complex health issues identify their root cause, improve symptoms, and stack habits to optimize their health with functional medicine protocols. Her care complements the support patients receive through Western medicine; taking a big picture approach to health through lab work analysis, lifestyle adjustments, and nutritional support.

Learning Pillars: Live Well

More Information: https://www.darlabooth.com/

Ashanti Branch, M.Ed., is the Founder and Executive Director of The Ever Forward Club, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides a support group for African-American and Latino males who are not achieving to the level of their fullest potential.  The Ever Forward Club has helped 100% of its members graduate high school and 93% of go on to attend college. His Taking Off the Mask workshops help youth, communities, and organizations unlock their potential and transform the way they interact to relate to each other through uncommonly open and honest dialogue to create healthier communication and more meaningful connections. 

Learning Pillar: Love Well

More Information: https://everforwardclub.org

Alex Budak is a UC Berkeley Faculty member at the Haas School of Business and the creator of the core leadership class at the School of Public Health. Alex believes everyone has the potential to be a changemaker.  An advocate for the transformational power of lifelong and global education, Alex serves as Faculty Director for the Berkeley Changemaker Executive Education Program and helps others see possibilities in challenges and offers insights to summon the everyday courage to act. He also co-founded StartSomeGood, a social-impact platform that has helped people in more than 50 countries raise over $12 million to launch and grow initiatives ranging from urban gardens and education programs to mental health startups.  

Learning Pillar: Lead Well

More Information: https://www.alexbudak.com

Dr. John Chuck is a family physician, wellness expert, educator, and author dedicated to helping individuals and organizations cultivate greater wellbeing, resilience, and purpose. As Chief Wellness Officer and Professor of Family Medicine at California Northstate University, he draws on more than three decades of experience in patient care, leadership, and physician wellness. Previously, he held several senior leadership roles with The Permanente Medical Group, including Chief of Physician Health & Wellness. Dr. Chuck is also the founder of Serotonin Surge Charities and author of Pearls from the Practice of Life. His work inspires people to reconnect with joy, meaning, and sustainable success.

Class & Workshop Themes:

• Hope: Journey to Joy & Growth

Learning Pillar: Live Well

More Information: John Chuck LinkedIn

Jason Gant is a 1440 Adjunct Faculty member, facilitating immersive workshops around mindfulness for individuals, groups and teams within our Live Well learning pillar. 

Jason holds degrees in Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Global Entrepreneurial Management, and specializes in helping his individuals integrate emotional intelligence, neuroscience, and comprehensive strategies for wellbeing into their lives. Jason has worked with diverse learners around the world, from college athletes to corporate executives to neurodivergent youth. He is a certified instructor of the global mindfulness platform Search Inside Yourself, a mentor with Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, and is the Behavioral Wellness Coach for the Oakland Spiders.

Learning Pillars: Live Well

More Information: https://www.myvillagetribe.com/

Dr. Ethan Kross is one of the world’s leading experts on emotion regulation. An award-winning professor and bestselling author in the University of Michigan’s top ranked Psychology Department and its Ross School of Business, he studies how the conversations people have with themselves impact their health, performance, decisions and relationships.  Ethan’s research has been published in Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, and The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, among other peer-reviewed journals.  Ethan is the two-time National Bestselling author of SHIFT: Managing Your Emotions—So They Don’t Manage You and  CHATTER: The Voice in Our Head, Why it Matters and How to Harness It which have been translated into over 40 languages.

Michelle Lopes Maldonado is Head of U.S. AI Policy for the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a leading DC-based technology and science think tank. In this role, Michelle works with state, federal, and international policymakers, administrations, and country leaders to help shape safe and responsible AI that promotes innovation and competition while prioritizing protections for people, data, and privacy.

Michelle started her career as a tech lawyer and tech business leader at AOL before later serving three consecutive terms in the Virginia House of Delegates, where she became a leading voice on AI and new/emerging tech, healthcare, affordable housing, and protection of vulnerable populations. While serving in the House, Michelle founded the Technology and Innovation Caucus, chaired the Judicial and Insurance and Financial Institutions Subcommittees, and served as Vice Chair for the NCSL national Taskforce on Artificial intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Privacy.

Before joining ITIF, Michelle founded Lucenscia LLC, a leadership development and organizational change firm cultivating mindful presence, performance, and impact. She is known for her transformative work helping leaders and teams navigate difficult relationships and landscapes as well as to help fuel resilience and high performance. Among her efforts, Michelle had the honor of designing the United Nations Foundation's Peace on Purpose Program brought around the world to support UN peacekeepers, conflict resolutions specialists, and others located in famine and wartorn areas.

Across business, non-profit, and legislative sectors, Michelle’s work has been featured in various venues including the Digital Intelligence Institute (DQ Institute) in association with the World Economic Forum and the United Nations Annual Global Engagement Summit. She also received the National Foundation for Women Legislators "Woman of Excellence" award and was named by Virginia Business Magazine on its annual "Impact Maker" list.

Michelle holds a J.D. from The George Washington University School of Law and a B.A. from Barnard College at Columbia University. 

Learning Pillars: Lead Well, Work Well

More Information: Michelle Maldonado LinkedIn

Justin Milano is a globally recognized leader in purpose‑driven leadership, combining scientific research, executive coaching, and cultural immersion to help leaders and organizations flourish while preserving and sharing world wisdom traditions. He is the founder of Abroad Wisdom Academy, a nonprofit designed to help leaders integrate ancient wisdom into modern leadership through a platform built on a regenerative model, aiming for net‑positive impact on partner cultures. He works with an international team of coaches, professors, psychologists, and wisdom keepers to build a Human Transformation Platform™ that is scientifically evidenced to unlock human and organizational flourishing.

Learning Pillar: Wonder Well

More Information: https://www.abroad.io

Sara Mirza is a leadership coach, facilitator, educator, and organizational development consultant dedicated to helping individuals and teams thrive at work and in life. Drawing on a background in psychology, people and culture, and business operations, she combines evidence-based leadership practices with deep curiosity about human growth and transformation. Sara coaches executives, facilitates leadership programs and retreats, and teaches psychology and leadership development. She is the founder of Avra Coaching and host of the Ace of Pentacles podcast. Through her work, Sara helps people cultivate self-awareness, navigate change with confidence, and design careers and lives aligned with purpose, wellbeing, and impact.

Learning Pillars: Live Well, Lead Well and Work Well

More Information: https://avracoaching.com/

Tricia Montalvo Timm is a first-generation Latina leader, board director, and investor whose career has spanned high-growth startups and global technology companies. She played a pivotal role in the growth and $2.6 billion acquisition of Looker by Google, where she served as General Counsel and Executive Sponsor of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. One of the few Latinas to reach the C-suite, boardroom, and venture capital arena, Tricia now serves on the board of Salsify and invests in emerging companies and venture funds. Her work focuses on leadership, innovation, governance, and expanding access and opportunity for the next generation of leaders. The author of Embrace the Power of You, Tricia is deeply passionate about creating spaces of belonging and is on a mission to inspire anyone who has ever felt like an “other” in the workplace to embrace their true selves, own their identity and achieve success and fulfillment in their life and career.

Learning Pillar: Love Well

More Information: https://triciatimm.com

Makenzie Rath is a trained research scientist and President of Talent Plus, which helps organizations identify natural talent and predicts the potential of top performers so they can be retained to help colleagues grow, organizations to thrive, and communities prosper. Makenzie’s workshop sessions are focused on the REAL approach to workplace transformation – Recognize, Engage, Accelerate, and Lead – to help organizations leverage the natural talents their teams to optimize impact and engagement. Mackenzie also serves on the Talent Plus Board of Directors. 

Learning Pillar: Work Well

More Information: https://talentplus.com/team/makenzie-rath

Teaching within our Work Well learning pillar, Carole Robin, Ph.D. is a celebrated American educator, leadership thought expert, and author best known for her decades-long work at Stanford Graduate School of Business whose career bridges corporate experience, academic excellence, and nonprofit innovation, with a lasting impact on how leaders connect and lead with humanity. Dr. Robin is known for her warmth, directness, and authentic vulnerability, modeling the interpersonal skills she teaches. Her philosophy centers on the belief that exceptional relationships are the foundation of great leadership and personal fulfillment, and she champions vulnerability as a strength. She co-founded Leaders in Tech, a nonprofit applying Stanford’s leadership principles to startup founders and executives in Silicon Valley.  

Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks is a cultural psychologist, behavioral scientist, and professor at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. His work helps leaders and organizations better understand the human forces that drive collaboration, innovation, and meaningful performance. His current book release, Human Mode, delivers a science-based masterclass on how to turn one’s humanity into a strength and find purpose without sacrificing well-being.

Learning Pillars: Lead Well, Work Well

More Information: https://www.jeffreysanchezburks.com

Debra Underwood is a leadership coach, facilitator, and partner with Cultivating Leadership, where she helps individuals, teams, and organizations navigate complexity with greater clarity, courage, and confidence. Drawing on research in adult development, emotional intelligence, and organizational behavior, she supports leaders in leading from presence rather than fear, unlocking deeper wisdom and more meaningful impact. Debra works with executives, leadership teams, and global organizations to strengthen leadership capacity and foster transformational growth. A former finance professional, she brings both rigor and heart to her work, helping people become more fully themselves while creating positive change in their organizations and communities.

Learning Pillar: Work Well

More Information: https://www.cultivatingleadership.com

MaryTheresa Capriles is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes that focus on movement, connection and creativity. With more than 20 years of teaching, training and experience in dance, voice, acting, fitness, and wellness, MaryTheresa is passionate about helping others cultivate wellbeing, vitality, and connection through teaching, performance, and personal practice. 

Classes: 

• Campus Tours & Labyrinth Walks 
• Connect Through Movement & Dance
• Embodied Movement & Stretch 
• Qigong, Five Element Flow & Qigong Flow 
• Tao Yin Deep Stretch & Flow
• Embodied Joy
• Art Journaling

Learning Pillars:

• Live Well
• Love Well
• Wonder Well

Henry Cohen is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes rooted in qigong, mindfulness and tapping. Fluent in Spanish, Henry is a Holden Qigong Certified Teacher and a Doctor of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, sharing his roots in health and wellbeing with open-enrollment programs and group gatherings. 

Classes at 1440

• Meditation
• Qigong, Tai Chi
• Mindful Nature Hike, Labyrinth
• Tapping, Self-Acupressure Massage

Learning Pillars

• Live Well
• Wonder Well

Liz Fohs is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes rooted in qigong, creative expression, mindfulness and more. A long-time elementary school teacher in Santa Cruz, Liz is also a Certified Mindfulness Educator, Certified Qigong Teacher, and a Level 1 Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Instructor.

Classes at 1440

• Meditation
• Qigong, Qigong Flow, Qigong Five Element Flow
• Guided Nature Walk, Forest Bathing, Campus Tours
• Embodied Movement & Stretch, Embodied Joy
• Art Journaling, Create Your Dream Journal, Soul Collage, Private Eye: Looking, Thinking & Connecting to Nature

Learning Pillars

• Live Well
• Wonder Well

Ruby Hernandez is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes in mindfulness, embodied movement, nature, art and more. Fluent in Spanish, Ruby is also a Holistic Psychotherapist (LMFT) with practical experience in modalities including EFT Tapping, mindfulness, somatic exercises, nervous system regulation, ecotherapy, sound healing, and creative expression to help individuals live well. 

Classes at 1440

• Mindfulness
• Yoga
• Sound Healing
• EFT Tapping
• Creative/Meditative Journaling, Poetry Writing, Art Journaling, Vision Board
• Guided Nature Walks, Campus Tours
• Ecstatic Dance, Yoga Meets Dance, Drumming

Learning Pillars

• Live Well
• Wonder Well

Jillian Johnson is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes rooted in yoga, mindfulness, nature and sound healing. 

Classes at 1440

• Meditation
• Campus Tours, Scavenger Hunts & Teambuilding
• Yoga, Yogalates and Ayurvedic Yoga
• Sound Healing & Chanting
• Mindful Nature Hikes & Labyrinth Walks

Learning Pillars

• Live Well
• Wonder Well

Gary Marcoccia is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes rooted in nature. A tenured professor, accomplished naturalist, and hiking guide, Gary teaches people how they can heal and nourish their mind, body, and spirit through time spent in nature.

Classes at 1440

• Guided Nature Walks, Hikes, Campus Tours
• Woods, Water & Wonder; Finding Sanctuary in Nature; Grounding and Centering for Those in Helping Professions
• Hiking, Health & Happiness; Hiking as Medicine; Hiking for Healing
• Forest Bathing
• Teambuilding Wilderness Survival
• Hiking & Poetry; Nature Lectures

Learning Pillars

• Live Well
• Wonder Well

Tricia Markovitz is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes focused on yoga and meditation. Tricia has worked with 1440 since the campus opened in 2017. 

Classes at 1440

• Yoga
• Block Yoga
• Candlelight Yoga
• Meditation
• Candlelight Meditation

Learning Pillar

• Live Well

Kira Wampler is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes that focus on mindfulness, connection to nature and gratitude. A youth educator in Santa Cruz, Kira is also a certified yoga instructor, Master Practitioner of NLP, and a Life Coach. 

Classes at 1440

• Guided Nature Walks, Hikes, Campus Tours
• Meditative, Transformational and Five Senses Nature Walks
• Nature Teambuilding, Biomimicry
• NLP Mindset Hacks for Positivity 

Learning Pillars

• Live Well
• Wonder Well

Naomi Wilder is a 1440 Experience Instructor, teaching signature classes focused on breathwork, yoga, and sound healing. When not teaching at 1440, Naomi is a therapist with an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology, and a KRI-certified Kundalini Yoga teacher and intuitive counselor.

Classes at 1440

• Mindfulness
• Breathwork
• Sound Healing, Astral Walking with Sound Healing
• Yoga

Learning Pillars

• Live Well