The 1440 Multiversity Leadership Team

Frank Ashmore, Managing Director of 1440 Multiversity, leads the "Hospitality Committee" - a dynamic and diverse team of greater good champions.  As the cultural leader of 1440, he expects true authenticity from each staff member as a foundation of trust in all relationships. Through the strong belief that the journey of growth and discovery begins within one's self, Frank is devoted to building community by encouraging others to show a deep love to one another and maintaining an openness to having conversations that matter regardless of circumstances. "Our goal is to inspire everyone in life to make the most of each minute of each day (1440 minutes) and create hope for others to live well.  We know we are fulfilling our mission at 1440 when visitors leave campus with more energy than they arrived with."

Steve comes to 1440 Multiversity after serving more than 30 years in public safety, where he was recognized internationally as an expert and innovative leader in the profession. With a strong focus on leadership and teamwork, Steve's life work has been dedicated to creating safe and secure environments. Steve is responsible for preserving the beauty, serenity and safety of our immaculate campus; from the moment you first arrive to the time you depart, he works to ensure you experience the dedication of a team that has been planning and caring for your visit well before you booked your time with us. When not at work, Steve can be found spending time with his family, playing in a band, or gold mining in the Sierra foothills.

Chef Jose Fernandez leads the 1440 Culinary Team as Executive Chef, Culinary Experiences, and brings a passion for nature, community and flavors to his role in the redwoods. Originally from Barcelona, Spain, Chef Jose honed his skills in Michelin-starred restaurants throughout his native country before moving to the U.S., where he has since held top culinary positions while evolving and perfecting his craft at award-winning restaurants and luxury hospitality establishments in different regions all across the country. It was Chef Jose's early experiences, coupled with memories from his own family's kitchen, that ultimately shaped his culinary point of view, which is to use fresh and seasonal ingredients with an emphasis on organic and sustainable whole foods.

Chef Jose is passionate about incorporating elements of the local culture, authentic flavors and regionally-grown ingredients into his dishes, while also blending distinct influences from his native country and other places he's explored around the world that have inspired him. In his free time, Chef Jose enjoys spending time with his family outdoors and mountain biking in the Santa Cruz Mountains. 

A determined, poised and dynamic leader, Manuel has a natural ability to connect with people and inspire them to look within and become more aware of the importance of a mind-body-energy balance. Manuel joined 1440 as Senior Director of Operations after more than 15 years in luxury hospitality and real estate with Four Seasons Hotels, The Irvine Company and other organizations. He now directs his enthusiasm to his own self-awareness and work at the unique and significant places that life continues to bring him to.  

Manuel oversees key departments of the 1440 operation including housekeeping, events, food & beverage and the front desk, and believes in attention to detail and exceptional customer service to provide campus guests and team members a sense of trust, clarity and accomplishment. His extensive strategy and project management experience, along with a tenure of managing world-class real estate including mix-use sites, residential communities, resorts, and multi-million-dollar income-generating assets, have helped Manuel develop a high degree of self-motivation, ambition, and intelligent, practical decision-making skills. 

When Manuel isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, participating in the natural beauty and multi-cultural learning and entertainment activities that Santa Cruz County - and the world - have to offer.

Julie leads the efforts to advance and promote the social initiatives of 1440 Multiversity through outreach to mission-aligned organizations and foundations. She brings a wealth of experience promoting social justice in communities through her direct service work in the non-profit sector, which has provided her with a real-world perspective of the existing gaps of social engineering. With a proven track record of success in implementing innovative ideas while advancing stakeholder value, she is energized by imagining new ways that nonprofits can work effectively to fulfill their mission while having measurable impacts for both funders and society at large.