About Us

Edward E. Fernandez is the President and Chief Executive Officer of 1031 Crowdfunding, a real estate investment platform he founded in 2014 to create a turnkey solution for 1031 exchange investors. Under his leadership, the firm has evolved from a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) marketplace into a diversified real estate investment platform and integrated real estate ecosystem designed to source, underwrite, finance, acquire, and manage assets across multiple investment vehicles.

Through this ecosystem approach, the company delivers institutional-quality alternative investments—including REITs, private credit and bridge financing funds, and Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOF) funds—serving both individual and institutional investors. The platform is built to expand access to tax-advantaged and income-oriented real estate strategies while maintaining institutional underwriting standards and execution discipline.

With more than 25 years of experience in real estate investments, Mr. Fernandez has been directly involved in raising over $1.3 billion across private and public real estate offerings. 

He continues to guide 1031 Crowdfunding’s growth with a focus on disciplined underwriting, capital preservation, and long-term value creation.

Mr. Fernandez holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, and 63 licenses. 

Mrs. Fernandez currently serves as our Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the Human Resources and Office Management departments. She brings a spirit of excellence to 1031 Crowdfunding and is the foundation behind our efficient processes and procedures. Ruth’s gift is building infrastructure for businesses and coaching/mentoring individuals.

Ruth Fernandez possesses a unique talent as a corporate strategist, specializing in building robust infrastructures for businesses. Her coaching contracts are highly sought after, with values reaching multimillion dollars. Her consulting services extend to numerous companies, including Fortune 500 firms, where she conducts infrastructure audits and devises effective real estate and business strategies. Currently, Ruth is a corporate strategist, Author, public speaker providing invaluable coaching and mentorship to thousands of aspiring businesspeople and investors. Ruth has been actively involved in real estate transactions totaling an impressive 2 billion dollars, and this figure continues to grow.

Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Mrs. Fernandez held management and accounting positions in the Law, Title, and Import-Export industries. She then founded a nationwide Notary service company employing over 400 notaries and 120 contract attorneys. Mrs. Fernandez’s experience in these various industries provided her with a strong foundation in managing people and structures.

Thomas Roussel serves as Chief Marketing Officer here at 1031 Crowdfunding, where he has been instrumental in defining the company’s brand, driving strategic growth, and enhancing client engagement. He leads the marketing department, directing initiatives that expand market presence, strengthen investor relationships, and support overall business growth. 

With over 18 years of experience at the intersection of real estate, securities, and marketing, Mr. Roussel plays a critical role in aligning the company’s long-term vision with operational execution. His leadership has been central to positioning 1031 Crowdfunding as a premier platform in the tax-deferred real estate investment sector.

Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Mr. Roussel led the marketing for a sponsor of a publicly registered, non-traded healthcare REIT and other real estate investment funds, producing sales and presentation materials to support national capital-raising initiatives. He began his career as an analyst for the advisor to two publicly registered, non-traded industrial REITs, where he gained comprehensive experience in acquisitions due diligence, asset management reporting, and property operations for multi-tenant industrial portfolios.

Mr. Roussel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing from Vanguard University of Southern California. Outside of his professional responsibilities, he enjoys surfing, hockey, and spending time at the beach with his wife and daughter.

Mr. Curtis currently serves as our President of Capital Markets at 1031 Crowdfunding LLC. Mr. Curtis has over 12 years of experience in the Financial Services, Commercial Real Estate, and Securities industries. 

Mr. Curtis began his career researching dark matter phenomena at the University of California, Irvine’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. His research collaborations used observation data from the Keck Telescope and a Monte Carlo Markov chain technique to explore the mass distributions of distant galaxies.

Mr. Curtis has previous experience in healthcare real estate and financing as Senior Capital Markets Analyst with Healthcare Real Estate Group in Irvine, California. In this role, Mr. Curtis was involved in the creation and syndication of healthcare real estate private equity funds through a registered broker-dealer. Mr. Curtis also worked directly with the CEO and 3rd party law firms to develop corporate strategies for taking private equity funds through the investment banking cycle, including planning for an IPO. This experience developed excellent proficiencies with securities offerings, capital and corporate structuring, business plan development, and detailed balance sheet & income statement prediction modeling. Additionally, Mr. Curtis has previous experience with EB-5 international fundraising, commercial real estate construction modeling, and real estate acquisition underwriting.

Mr. Curtis earned a Master of Business Administration from Biola University’s Crowell School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Physics, with an emphasis in Astrophysics from the University of California, Irvine.

Mr. Carrington is our Director of Sales. Prior to 1031 Crowdfunding, he has been Vice President of Healthcare Real Estate Group in Irvine, California. Since January 2006, Mr. Carrington has been responsible for wholesaling, account management, business development, sales management, product, strategic marketing, of various real estate holdings.

Mr. Carrington has a rich background in inside and outside sales experience and specializes in the fractional real estate investment, 1031 exchange and DST property marketplace. He is driven by his passion for providing superior client service, identifying clients’ needs, goals and objectives.

Mr. Carrington holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Jason Muth serves as President of Real Estate Acquisitions at 1031 Crowdfunding.  

Mr. Muth brings more than 17 years of experience in senior housing, with a focus on acquisitions and development. Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, he spent six years as Director of Acquisitions at Inspired Healthcare Capital, where he was responsible for business development as well as sourcing and closing senior housing opportunities nationwide for the firm’s portfolio.

Mr. Muth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.

Sabrina Ulicny serves as President of Real Estate Operations at 1031 Crowdfunding. She leads the firm’s asset-management strategy across its senior-housing portfolio, ensuring operational excellence and delivering meaningful value to both investors and residents. She oversees performance optimization, budgeting and forecasting, operator relations, and community-engagement initiatives—all with a focus on enhancing asset stability, elevating resident experience, and strengthening long-term investment outcomes.

Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Sabrina served as Executive Vice President of Operations, where she played a key role on the executive team overseeing asset management, business development, and organizational strategy. In this role, she helped guide company-wide initiatives, streamline operational processes, and support scalable growth across multiple markets. 

Sabrina also brings almost two decades of diversified real-estate expertise to 1031 Crowdfunding, including extensive experience in residential brokerage, valuation, operations and asset-performance analysis. 

With over ten years as a real-estate sales associate in Newport Beach, she developed deep market insight, refined her negotiation skills, and helped clients maximize property value through strategic pricing and positioning. Her ability to bridge hands-on operational knowledge with investor-focused objectives allows her to support the firm’s mission of providing turnkey real-estate investment solutions that empower investors and uplift the communities they serve.

Sabrina’s leadership, analytical expertise, and commitment to high-quality operations play an integral role in advancing 1031 Crowdfunding’s continued growth within the senior-housing sector and the broader alternative-investment landscape.

Ms. Ulicny earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Phoenix. 

Kevin Gillian serves as President, Capital Solutions Group at 1031 Crowdfunding, where he leads the firm’s debt and equity financing strategy for corporate and sponsor clients. In this role, he is responsible for originating, structuring, and underwriting financing across public and private markets, and coordinating across capital markets, advisory, and acquisitions to execute transactions.

Kevin brings more than 25 years of experience in debt and mortgage lending across all capital markets, with deep expertise in underwriting, credit analysis, and the full loan lifecycle across asset classes. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for building and managing lending platforms, overseeing underwriting and loan processing, and maintaining strong relationships with financial institutions to support origination and execution.

Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Kevin held senior finance and leadership roles where he focused on developing and executing cost-reduction strategies, managing relationships with banking institutions, and overseeing the full underwriting and loan processing lifecycle to ensure timely and compliant closings. He is known for his disciplined approach, adaptability, and results-driven leadership style.

Kevin earned a B.S. in Criminology from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Vira Turchinyak serves as Controller at 1031 Crowdfunding, where she oversees the firm’s accounting and financial reporting functions. In this role, she is responsible for financial close, reporting, cash flow, budgeting, compliance, and internal controls, while partnering with leadership and the Accounting Team to support the Company’s financial goals and continued growth.

Vira brings nearly 15 years of accounting experience, with a strong background in real estate and property management. She has deep expertise across the full accounting lifecycle, from month-end close and financial reporting to budgeting, forecasting, and internal controls, supporting the financial operations of complex, growth-oriented organizations.

Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Vira held Controller and accounting leadership roles with several real estate organizations, overseeing accounting operations and financial reporting across multi-entity portfolios. Earlier in her career, she worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in audit and financial reporting, building a strong technical foundation in accounting standards and controls. She is known for her results-driven, hands-on approach and her ability to bridge accounting and operations to drive practical solutions.

Vira earned a B.S. in Accounting from the University at Buffalo and is an active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in the State of New York.

Ms. Schiappa serves as the Vice President of Operations at 1031 Crowdfunding, where she oversees and optimizes day-to-day activities to ensure the company runs smoothly and efficiently. She plays a key role in aligning operational strategies with the company’s broader business objectives.

Ms. Schiappa comes from a Real Estate background, being the third generation involved with her family’s Development Company. With 7 years of Administration and Human Resources experience, she came to 1031 Crowdfunding with prior knowledge of the Real Estate industry, as well as administrative and communication skills that help ensure a smooth closing process for every 1031 Crowdfunding client. Prior to joining the company, she worked as a Public Relations professional at a media consulting firm where she helped navigate the needs of the clients, and created custom campaigns to suit their goals.

Ms. Schiappa graduated with a B.A. in Public Relations from Biola University. Her studies had an emphasis in nonprofit organizations.

Mr. Garcia is our Director of Marketing, responsible for overseeing all digital marketing operations at 1031 Crowdfunding.

He brings a range of expertise to 1031 Crowdfunding’s marketing portfolio, including paid media strategy, conversion rate optimization, search engine marketing, and marketing automation. With over eight years of digital marketing experience, Mr. Garcia plays a key role in enhancing the online investor experience.

Mr. Garcia earned a B.A. degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from California State University, Fullerton.

Ms. Pyle serves as our Human Resources Manager at 1031 Crowdfunding, where she ensures compliance with labor regulations while cultivating a positive, inclusive and engaged workplace culture. In addition to overseeing HR operations, Ms. Pyle provides strategic guidance and training on personnel development and future HR solutions related to corporate growth, administration and operations.

With extensive experience in Human Resources Management across the financial services and real estate industries, Ms. Pyle is adept at navigating complex labor laws and driving workforce optimization in multi-state environments. 

Ms. Pyle holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with concentrations in Business and Recreation Management, from Arizona State University.

Mr. Alcantar serves as our technical support, technology consultant, and cybersecurity officer responsible for implementing cutting-edge technology for 1031 Crowdfunding.

Before joining the 1031 Crowdfunding team, Mr. Alcantar worked for a renowned IT MSP, providing technical support to hundreds of companies worldwide. This role further developed his IT skills, patience, critical thinking, and adaptability to any technical issues.

Mr. Alcantar is currently studying for his Azure certification with the goal of becoming Chief Technology Officer. In his free time, Mr. Alcantar enjoys competing in PC Overclocking events, building gaming computers, and riding dirt bikes with his family and friends.

Mr. Vande Steeg serves as a Senior Sales Associate here at 1031 Crowdfunding. He is involved in day-to-day sales communication and has a mission to provide top customer service.

Previous to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Mr. Vande Steeg has a range of experience in the hospitality industry, identifying and meeting customer needs. He is passionate about people and providing creative solutions.

Mr. Vande Steeg holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Mr. Shelley serves as a Senior Sales Associate at 1031 Crowdfunding’s Dallas, TX office. 

With a distinguished background in the stock brokerage industry, Mr. Shelley brings a wealth of experience to his role. His expertise lies in effectively matching investors with top-tier investment solutions, ensuring unparalleled service, and guiding clients toward maximizing their financial potential.

With a passion for wealth management, Mr. Shelley is dedicated to helping clients achieve financial security and build generational wealth.  

Mr. Shelley holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses.

Mr. Fernandez serves as a Sales Associate here at 1031 Crowdfunding.

Before joining our company, Mr. Fernandez held a Head of Marketing position in the retail industry. Through this work experience, he learned how to find creative solutions to promote store products and, in turn, increase revenue. In addition, his former employer emphasized customer service allowing him to develop exceptional communication skills, which he has brought to the 1031 Crowdfunding team. While not at 1031 Crowdfunding, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, watching movies, and cheering on his favorite sports teams. (Packers, Red Sox, and Lakers)

Mr. Fernandez holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Simeon Gillian serves as a Sales Associate here at 1031 Crowdfunding. 

Before joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Mr. Gillian worked in various industries, including studies in nursing and aerospace engineering. His result-driven attitude and communication skills assist him in providing the best customer service possible. 

Mr. Gillian holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Noah Barrette is a Sales Associate at 1031 Crowdfunding, where he focuses on building strong client relationships and delivering tailored investment solutions. His ability to understand client needs and provide personalized service is rooted in his background in the hospitality industry.

Before joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Noah worked as a lead bartender and mixologist, excelling in crafting innovative cocktails and creating exceptional guest experiences. His expertise in customer engagement and attention to detail translate into sales, allowing him to connect with investors and guide them through the investment process.

Noah holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Bilingual: English/Spanish (SSB Certification)

Leonardo Canchola is a Sales Associate at 1031 Crowdfunding, where he supports daily sales communications and works closely with investors to understand their goals and deliver thoughtful, client-focused solutions. He is currently leading an expansion into the Spanish-speaking and Latino investment market, helping broaden the company’s reach and accessibility.

Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Leonardo served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an intelligence analyst for half a decade, supporting national and international intelligence organizations. Leonardo earned advanced certifications in strategic and tactical analysis through the Multi-Discipline Intelligence Operator Course (MDIOC) in support of Marine Corps Special Operations Command. In this role, he regularly conducted high-level analysis and communicated with senior military leadership. During his military service, Leonardo led multiple teams through a range of training environments, reinforcing his commitment to mentorship and developing future leaders.

Leonardo brings strong analytical, communication, and leadership skills to his role. He is dedicated to delivering exceptional service, building long-term relationships with investors, and expanding access to investment opportunities within the Spanish-speaking and Latino communities.

Mr. Canchola holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Ms. Alarcon serves as our Client Services Manager, aiding in the processing and facilitating of closings for 1031 Crowdfunding.

Before joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Ms. Alarcon worked in the music industry as an administrator, teacher, and performer. She has global experience in donor relations, grant writing, event planning, teaching students of all ages, and singing on various stages. Through this experience, Ms. Alarcon has built a strong foundation in communication and attention to detail, making her a vital asset to the Investor Relations team. Kaitlyn strives for excellence in customer service and has a warm demeanor that helps clients feel confident and cared for as she assists in the closing process.

Ms. Alarcon recently completed her Master of Music Performance in Voice at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and a Minor in Biblical Studies from Biola University. When not at 1031 Crowdfunding, Kaitlyn can be found singing in local opera productions, hiking, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Mrs. Selzer serves as the Operations Lead for our Investor Relations team, facilitating and processing closings for 1031 Crowdfunding.

Before joining the team, Hefziba worked for a non-profit helping people achieve their high school equivalency. She served the community as a supervisor and instructor, managing the campus while hosting mathematics classes. She has developed strong communication and customer service skills through her work with a diverse population of students. Additionally, her background in mathematics has sharpened her detail-oriented nature and strengthened her love for numbers. 

Hefziba received her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is currently studying data analytics. In her free time, you can find her reading a book or spending time with friends.

Michael Feldman serves as our Project Manager, supporting technology and software initiatives through effective coordination, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. In this role, he focuses on keeping projects organized, streamlining workflows, and ensuring teams stay aligned to deliver initiatives efficiently and on schedule.

Mr. Feldman brings over four years of experience in project management within technology-driven environments. His background includes supporting software initiatives, improving internal processes, and working closely with stakeholders across multiple departments to drive execution and operational efficiency.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his fiancée and friends, as well as playing video games.

Sharon Clark is our Investor Relations Closing Team Lead, responsible for assisting with the processing and facilitation of closings at 1031 Crowdfunding. She brings extensive experience in customer service, accounting, and sales, with a background in project accounting and inside sales.

Sharon earned a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Biola University. Outside of her role at 1031 Crowdfunding, she enjoys using her degree as a choir member and soloist.

Shawn Hong serves as a Senior Asset Manager for 1031 Crowdfunding, working as the primary liaison between ownership and our various management partners who run the day-to-day operations of our real estate portfolio. In this role, he is focused on maximizing investor returns by providing strategic oversight of the assets, including the review of annual budgets, capital plans, and ongoing operational performance reporting to ownership.

Mr. Hong brings over two decades of experience in commercial real estate to the team, including a diverse background in appraisal and valuation with HVS, commercial real estate underwriting, loan workout, and portfolio management at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and asset management experience covering hotels and senior housing communities at Samchully Investment Management and Inspired Healthcare Capital.

Mr. Hong earned a B.S. degree in Hospitality Administration from Cornell University. When not at 1031 Crowdfunding, Shawn enjoys traveling with family, cooking, and fishing.

Mr. Tolman currently serves as our Acquisitions Associate. Before joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Mr. Tolman attended California Baptist University, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Business Administration Degree with a concentration in Business Analytics.

Mr. Tolman swam in the 2016 and 2021 Olympic Trials representing the United States of America. Continuing his success at the collegiate level, he was a 5-time All-American with 5-time All-American Honors. Additionally, Mr. Tolman became California Baptist University’s first NCAA champion in their swim program’s history.

Trevor currently serves as Associate, Real Estate & Investments at 1031 Crowdfunding. He graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a B.A. in Economics. In his free time, he enjoys camping, weightlifting, playing golf, and spending time at the beach.

Tyler Pierron serves as a Due Diligence Analyst at 1031 Crowdfunding, supporting the Real Estate department with the underwriting of third-party deals and market analyses for internal assessment.

Mr. Pierron brings valuable experience from his previous internships, where he supported marketing operations through price and product analysis and reviewed corporate web content for accuracy and brand consistency.

Mr. Pierron holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, with a minor in Accounting, from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. While in college, he helped found and lead the Honors Program Student Organization Volunteering Initiative, regularly volunteering within his local community. Outside of work, Mr. Pierron enjoys going to the gym, volunteering, ice skating, attending church, and spending time with family.

Ken Lopez serves as our Senior Financial Analyst at 1031 Crowdfunding, supporting the company’s financial operations through detailed reporting, data analysis, and financial modeling.

Mr. Lopez brings valuable experience in financial analysis and reporting, with a focus on building financial models and reports that support informed decision-making. Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Mr. Lopez held various roles across finance and investment banking, where he specialized in financial modeling, budgeting and forecasting, and analysis supporting strategic planning.

Mr. Lopez holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, both from the University of Southern California.

Darian Fernandez serves as a Marketing Specialist, known for his integration of music production and visual storytelling into the digital marketing domain.

Prior to his current role, Darian gained recognition as a Music Producer and Visual Artist, where he honed his skills in creating unique musical compositions and excelled in photography and videography. This experience allowed him to blend artistic vision with marketing strategies, enhancing the overall impact of his projects. Darian explored various creative outlets, which significantly influenced his current approach to digital marketing and content creation. His ability to capture moments and tell stories visually has been a cornerstone of his career, making him a versatile and innovative marketer.

Outside of his professional life, Darian is deeply committed to his family, cherishing time spent with his wife and their newborn son.

Mr. Maestas is our Creative Production Manager at 1031 Crowdfunding. He plays a pivotal role in developing, capturing, and creating content across multiple platforms to promote our diverse portfolio of companies under the 1031 Crowdfunding umbrella. 

His responsibilities include collaborating with our Marketing team to develop strategy and brand guidelines, managing and crafting content for social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube, and leveraging his video production expertise to create engaging short and long-form content.

Mr. Maestas has over a decade of experience in the Creative Content field, having served in multiple industries, including Plastic Surgery, E-Commerce, Apparel, Sports, and more. His extensive background also extends to the Live Broadcast industry, encompassing both production and on-air roles. 

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from Chapman University and an Associates of Science degree in Cinema/Television/Radio Production from Saddleback University where he also served as Sports Director of the on-campus radio station for two years. 

Ms. Fang serves as the Digital Marketing Specialist at 1031 Crowdfunding, where she is responsible for paid media strategies and digital marketing operations to drive brand growth and engagement.

Before joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Ms. Fang gained experience in brand strategy consulting and e-commerce through both full-time and internship roles. She has a strong interest in applying psychological principles to marketing, leveraging consumer insights to enhance user engagement and decision-making.

Ms. Fang holds a B.S. in Psychology with a Minor in Business from the University of Washington. Outside of work, she enjoys tennis, reading, baking, and bartending.

Kennedy Wallace serves as the Marketing Coordinator at 1031 Crowdfunding, supporting multi-channel marketing initiatives, content development, and cross-functional collaboration to strengthen brand awareness and audience engagement.

Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Ms. Wallace worked as a Marketing Coordinator at a real estate brokerage, where she supported social media management, email marketing campaigns, blog content creation, and video production efforts. 

Kennedy earned a B.S. in Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations and a Minor in Digital Marketing from Cal Poly Pomona. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new restaurants and coffee shops, taking her dog on long walks and hikes, and traveling.

Jenny Mai serves as the Junior Graphic Designer at 1031 Crowdfunding, where she creates digital content that blends creativity and functionality to deliver thoughtful, user-centered experiences across visual and interactive platforms.

Her passion for visually solving complex problems led her to pursue a BFA in Graphic and Interactive Design from Cal State University Fullerton.

Outside of work, she enjoys discovering new coffee shops, attending music shows, and spending time with family and friends.

Ms. Fernandez serves as the Executive Assistant at 1031 Crowdfunding. Specializing in optimizing executive workloads, she excels in calendar management, event coordination, and communications. Nylah bridges the gap between the executive office and internal departments, ensuring seamless operations and efficient problem resolution.

Jerry Pham serves as a Technology Support Technician at 1031 Crowdfunding, leveraging more than a decade of expertise as a seasoned system administrator.

Commencing his professional journey as a system administrator for one of the nation’s foremost construction entities, he has since expanded his proficiency by collaborating with various Fortune 100 enterprises across the California region. Presently engaged in the pursuit of acquiring certifications, he is actively working towards attaining the prestigious Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert and Azure Certification.

Beyond his professional endeavors, he dedicates his leisure time to pursuits such as 3D design and printing, the construction of high-performance gaming computers, and exploring Southern California’s intricate network of mountain biking trails.

Michael Gallagher serves as Web Developer at 1031 Crowdfunding, where he builds, maintains, and optimizes scalable web solutions that support the company’s digital platform and online presence. In this role, he focuses on performance, usability, and reliability to ensure a seamless experience for both internal teams and investors.

Mr. Gallagher brings over a decade of experience in front-end and back-end development, with deep expertise in WordPress. His background includes working closely with clients across a range of industries to deliver custom, high-performing web solutions, as well as collaborating with internal stakeholders to support evolving business and marketing needs.

Michael earned a B.A. in Media Arts with a concentration in Web Development from Platt College, San Diego. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, snowboarding, cooking, playing video games and synthesizers, and catching a good sunset with friends.

Nick Yore serves as the Senior QA Engineer at 1031 Crowdfunding, where he is responsible for ensuring the reliability, stability, and seamless functionality of the company’s digital platforms.  

Mr. Yore brings over a decade of QA experience, with a strong background in automation, web, mobile, and API testing. Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, he led QA initiatives at Ghostgroup, where he reduced release testing time and helped cut post-release bugs through cross-platform automation and process optimization. 

With certifications in ISTQB Advanced Test Analysis and Scrum Mastery, Mr. Yore continues to bring a structured, results-driven mindset to every project. In his free time, Mr. Yore enjoys spending time with his family and friends and creating video games.

Jessica Dean serves as our Assistant Controller at 1031 Crowdfunding.

Ms. Dean is responsible for assisting in the preparation and analysis of financial reports as well as general day-to-day accounting operations.

Before joining the 1031 Crowdfunding team, Ms. Dean worked as a Senior Auditor at the CPA firm WithumSmith+Brown. While at Withum, she led several audit engagements in a variety of industries ensuring that the financial reporting standards were met and in compliance with GAAP and other regulatory requirements. Her time as an auditor allowed her to work with a diverse group of clients with different challenges and goals. As a result, she has developed extensive problem-solving and interpersonal skills allowing her to build strong relationships with a wide network of people.

Ms. Dean graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. In her free time, Ms. Dean enjoys baking, traveling, and going to comedy shows.

Robert Avalos serves as an Accounting Manager at 1031 Crowdfunding, overseeing the financial reporting development process while mentoring the Senior and Staff Accountants. He provides leadership, review, and day-to-day support to the entire Accounting Team.

Before joining the 1031 Crowdfunding team, Mr. Avalos worked as an Internal Auditor at the public accounting firms Deloitte and KPMG. He has experience leading SOX engagements for various clients in both the commercial and public sectors. During his time at those firms, he assisted with the testing of internal controls and the issuance of financial statements. 

Mr. Avalos graduated from California State University, Fullerton with an MBA. In his spare time he enjoys watching football, going to stand-up comedy shows, and playing board games with family and friends.

Timothy Molloy serves as an Accounting Manager at 1031 Crowdfunding, overseeing the financial reporting development process while mentoring the Senior and Staff Accountants. He provides leadership, review, and day-to-day support to the entire Accounting Team.

Mr. Molloy is a California Certified Public Accountant with more than 12 years of accounting experience spanning public accounting, financial reporting, audits, SEC reporting, and corporate accounting. Before joining the 1031 Crowdfunding team, he worked as an Auditor at the public accounting firm EY, as well as an Accounting Manager with a private homebuilder. During his time in public accounting, he led audit engagements for clients across both the public and private sectors, facilitating the timely issuance of audited financial statements.

Mr. Molloy graduated from California State University, Fullerton. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, watching football, and relaxing at the beach.

Jigar Rana serves as a Senior Accountant at 1031 Crowdfunding, where he is responsible for the preparation and analysis of financial reports as well as general accounting operations.

Mr. Rana brings valuable experience in corporate accounting and financial reporting, with a focus on delivering reliable financial information that supports strategic business decisions. Prior to joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Mr. Rana served as a Senior Accountant at Healthpeak Properties, where he specialized in debt reporting and accounting for a large portfolio of debt instruments.

Mr. Rana holds a degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends and creating memorable experiences with his two children.

Jay Lee currently serves as our Supervising Staff Accountant at 1031 Crowdfunding, where he assists the senior accountants in general accounting operations and is directly responsible for supervising and training incoming Staff Accountants.

Jay graduated from Cal State University, Long Beach with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accountancy.

In his free time, he likes to play games, go to the gym, and spend time with family and friends.

Olivia Esquivel is the Office Manager at 1031 Crowdfunding, where she ensures seamless daily operations and provides exceptional support to clients and team members. With a strong background in administration and customer relations, she helps maintain efficiency and organization across the company.

Before joining 1031 Crowdfunding, Olivia worked in the medical insurance industry as an Operations and New Business Submissions Administrator, where she managed direct communication with agents, business associates, and multiple insurance carriers to ensure accurate and timely processing of new business.

Olivia holds the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) certification and is fluent in Spanish, allowing her to connect with a diverse range of clients.

Outside of work, she enjoys staying active and reading.