1440 Expands Leadership Team With Chief People Officer and Head of Social Media Appointments

Strategic hires underscore the company's continued investment in people, culture, brand, and audience growth as it approaches 5 million subscribers

CHICAGO, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 1440, the knowledge platform for the insatiably curious, today announced two recent leadership appointments: Kristen Pinkston Knowles as Chief People Officer and Alexandra Standafer Bolles as Head of Social Media.

The appointments come at a pivotal moment for 1440, which has built a nearly 5 million-subscriber base while continuing to invest in the team, systems, and storytelling needed to support its next phase of growth. Together, Knowles and Standafer Bolles will help strengthen 1440's people-first culture and expand how the brand shows up across social platforms for millions of curious readers.

Knowles will report to CEO and Co-Founder Tim Huelskamp and lead the company's global people strategy, with a focus on scaling culture, talent development, leadership enablement, and organizational design. She brings more than 15 years of experience building high-performing teams and people infrastructure at scaling organizations, most recently serving as Global VP of People at OBMedia. She previously held leadership roles at Magnopus and NaviHealth, where she led the global people & culture strategy, leadership development, organizational strategy, and culture transformation initiatives.

Standafer Bolles will report to Michelle Denhart, Head of Brand & Content Strategy, and will lead 1440's social media vision, strategy, and brand presence across platforms. In the role, she will oversee how 1440 shows up culturally, visually, and editorially in social spaces, partnering closely with Growth, Editorial, Product, and Sales to drive audience engagement and translate company priorities into high-impact social storytelling.

"At 1440, we believe that how you treat your people and how you build trust with your audience are foundational to everything we do," said Tim Huelskamp, CEO and Co-Founder of 1440. "Kristen and Alexandra both bring the builder mindset, strategic vision, and deep alignment with our values that will help us scale with intention. Kristen's experience will help us continue investing in our team, while Alexandra's expertise will help us bring 1440's mission to life in new ways across social platforms."

"When considering my next move, I knew I wanted to join a company I genuinely believed in, and that was non-negotiable," said Knowles. "1440 checks that box and more. In a world full of divisive, overwhelming information, 1440 is building something different: a place where curiosity thrives and learning never stops. From my first conversations, it was clear this team believes how you treat your people is foundational to everything you build."

As Chief People Officer, Knowles will focus on key areas including career growth and development, leadership enablement, talent strategy, and scaling 1440's organizational design while preserving its unique culture.

"I'm a builder at heart," Knowles added. "I'm excited to partner with the leadership team to build a people strategy that supports long-term employee growth while helping the company reach its next phase."

Knowles' work in leadership and coaching has been recognized by HR.com, Brandon Hall, Association of Talent Development, Training Journal, and Stevie Awards for Best Leadership Development Programs, Executive Coaching Program, and Change Management.

Standafer Bolles joins 1440 with more than a decade of award-winning experience building and leading social media programs for some of the most recognized names in media. She most recently served as Senior Social Media Manager at Later and previously held roles as Director of Social Content at POPSUGAR and Account Supervisor for Peacock at Digital Media Management. Earlier in her career, she served as Associate Director of Digital Campaigns at GLAAD, where she helped lead high-impact advocacy campaigns and shaped initiatives focused on fair, accurate, and inclusive storytelling.

"Alexandra brings the rare combination of strategic vision and hands-on execution that this role requires," said Michelle Denhart, Head of Brand & Content Strategy at 1440. "She understands how to build social programs that are culturally relevant, visually distinct, and editorially sharp. As 1440 continues to grow, her leadership will be instrumental in defining how our brand connects with audiences across platforms."

"1440's dedication to making trustworthy, bias-free information accessible to millions of curious people is increasingly vital," said Standafer Bolles. "The opportunity to translate that mission into discoverable, community-building, best-in-class social media is a rare moment when professional purpose and personal values align. I'm eager to work with the 1440 team to build a social program that sets a new standard for how nuanced news travels."

Standafer Bolles' work has been recognized with a 2025 Webby nomination for Later's influencer marketing podcast, Beyond Influence, a 2021 Promax Gold Medal for Social Media Content Series for Peacock, and a 2021 Webby Honoree recognition for Peacock's overall social presence. She has also been quoted and featured in outlets including The Advocate, The Atlantic, The Cut, The Daily Beast, and Them.

To learn more about 1440, visit www.join1440.com.

About 1440

1440 is the knowledge platform for the insatiably curious, delivering fact-focused information curated by human editors to help curious people stay informed and inspired. Scouring hundreds of sources every day, 1440 creates the Daily Digest, a five-minute newsletter and briefing read by 4.6 million subscribers, and Topics, a platform offering deeper explainers and insights across culture, science, business, history, and health. Built on a mission to champion curiosity, clarity, and truth in an age of information overload, 1440 brings verified facts and meaningful context to readers without spin or agenda. For more information, please visit join1440.com.

SOURCE 1440