Allison Sesso became the President / CEO of Undue Medical Debt, also known as RIP Medical Debt, in January of 2020. Undue Medical Debt is a nonprofit, charitable institution that relieves medical debt across the U.S., providing financial, physical, and emotional relief to people saddled with medical debt. Undue has relieved $14,807,982,958 to date for over 9.30 million people.
Under Allison’s leadership, Undue Medical Debt has expanded its reach by working with a wide range of health care providers to purchase medical debt, working in partnership with states, counties, and cities on local medical debt relief initiatives, developing its capacity to highlight the impact of medical debt on families, and contributing effectively to the larger conversation around the root causes of medical debt. She has become a prominent voice on the topic of medical debt and is frequently interviewed by media outlets, including CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, the New York Times, and others.
Prior to joining Undue Medical Debt, Allison served as the Executive Director of the Human Services Council of New York (HSC), an association of 170 nonprofits delivering 90% of human services in New York City.
Under her leadership HSC pioneered the development of nationally recognized tools designed to illuminate risks associated with government contracts, including an RFP rater and government agency grading system. She led negotiations with New York City and State government on behalf of the sector and successfully pushed for over $500 million in investments to address the nonprofit fiscal crisis.
During her tenure at HSC, Allison also led a commission of experts focused on social determinants of health and value-based-payment structures and published the report, Integrating Health and Human Services: a Blueprint for Partnership and Action, that examines the challenges of operationalizing relationships between health and human services providers. She also served on the New York State Department of Health’s Social Determinants and Community Based Organizations (CBO) Subcommittee helping to formulate recommendations around the integration of CBOs into Medicaid managed care.
Allison’s work on behalf of the human services sector led City & State to recognize her as a top nonprofit leader in 2018 and 2019, one of the 25 most influential leaders in Manhattan in 2017, and one of New York City’s 100 “Most Responsible” in 2016. She again received the 100 “Most Responsible” award for the second time for her efforts at Undue Medical Debt. Under her leadership, in 2022, Undue Medical Debt received the NYC Imagine award for innovation.
Ravneeta Consul is the Chief Operating Officer at Undue Medical Debt. She works closely with the senior leadership to provide the management and vision necessary to ensure that the company has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and people systems in place to effectively grow the organization and to ensure financial strength and operating efficiency.
Prior to joining Undue Medical Debt, Ravneeta was Director at PwC for over sixteen years. She started work there as a consultant primarily focused on M&A consulting. She went on to hold different roles within the organization such as the lead Director for the Global Financial Services Innovation Center. Her last role was as the Operations Director for Products and Technology team. This group focused on developing products and technology to support the services that the firm delivered to the clients.
She has a BA in Psychology from Utkal University, BA in Psychology and Philosophy from Oxford University (attended as a Rhodes Scholar) and MBA from Yale University.
She is an avid reader, enjoys traveling and cooking comfort foods.
Michael Derbes is the General Counsel at Undue Medical Debt and is responsible for all legal matters pertaining to the organization. He advises the senior leadership on legal issues and negotiates on behalf of the organization in its dealings with hospitals and governments. Before his appointment as General Counsel, he worked at an internationally recognized law firm where he provided extensive pro bono services to Undue Medical Debt. He graduated with honors from Spring Hill College and obtained his law degree from Notre Dame Law School where he graduated magna cum laude. In his free time, he enjoys reading, writing, and running.
Emily Dougherty is the Associate Vice President of Analytics at Undue Medical Debt. She drives the internal and external reporting processes, collaborating with teams across the organization to identify new areas for measurement, tracking, and improvement. She continually looks for ways to improve and expedite Undue’s processes for more efficient medical debt erasure. She is an experienced healthcare professional with previous roles in analytics & reporting, client management, market operations, and solutions & program design at both start-up healthcare companies and larger insurance providers, with a focus on the Medicare Advantage space. She earned her undergraduate degrees at Xavier University and her graduate degree in public health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Baking, hiking, reading, cheering on her beloved (if not beleaguered) sports teams, and traveling keep her occupied when she’s not on a data deep-dive.
Blanca Godoi is a dynamic Executive Assistant and Administrative Manager renowned for her passion for event planning and coordination and exceptional organizational and administrative skills. With over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she brings a unique blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and leadership to her role.
Throughout her career, Blanca has earned recognition for her adeptness in developing and implementing strategies to streamline operations, reduce costs, and optimize resources—all while maintaining the highest standards of service for donors and beneficiaries. Her commitment to organizational efficiency and productivity has consistently bolstered the success of programs and initiatives.
With an unwavering commitment to excellence, Blanca embodies resilience, determination, and adaptability in navigating new challenges. She looks forward to continuing her learning journey and contributing to the welfare and well-being of society as a whole.
William von Mueffling is president of Cantillon Capital Management, an investment firm with more than $14 billion under management. Mr. von Mueffling was previously a managing director at Lazard Asset Management, where he was responsible for hedge funds. Prior to joining Lazard, he was with Deutsche Bank in Germany and France. He earned a BA from Columbia College and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Mr. von Mueffling is a member of Columbia Business School’s Board of Overseers, as well as chair of the advisory board for the Heilbrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing. He also sits on Columbia College’s Board of Visitors and founded whosontheballot.org, a non-partisan civic engagement program of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Mr. von Mueffling has served on numerous non-profit boards and chaired the Buckley School Board of Trustees until 2016. Currently, he chairs the investment committee for the American Academy of Berlin and serves on the advisory committee for Europe and Central Asia for Human Rights Watch.
Dr. Oxiris Barbot is a physician, public health practitioner and innovative leader at the intersection of public health and healthcare delivery. Her commitment to social justice is the common thread through her career in advocating for health equity, children’s well-being, and community health. She is currently Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Senior Fellow for Public Health and Social Justice at The JPB Foundation.
As Health Commissioner for New York City, Dr. Barbot was instrumental in directing the city’s response to the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic by taking science informed actions that flattened the transmission curve and addressed racial inequities. Dr. Barbot made a priority of communicating with New Yorkers with candor and empathy, providing trustworthy information and a steady hand to lead the city through and out of its darkest days. While Commissioner she was named to Crain’s New York Business Notable Women in Health Care and City and State New York Health Power 100 and Non-Profit Power 100.
Dr. Barbot was Commissioner of Health for Baltimore City, from 2010 to 2014. She started her medical career providing general pediatric care to poor and uninsured families in Washington DC. Her career has been shaped and inspired by the dignity and courage of the many patients she’s cared for and communities she has served.
Barbot received her B.A. from Yale University and M.D. from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
With more than 40 years of experience in the health care industry, Robert E. Goff is a recognized expert in care delivery, organization and financing. His career spans a wide range of leadership positions as a hospital administrator, managed care executive, consultant, regulator, and association executive. He’s held an academic posting as an adjunct professor in Managed Care and Healthcare Strategic Planning at the New School University, NY. He’s a frequent lecturer to physicians and community organizations. As an entrepreneur, Goff has been responsible for the development of numerous health care businesses, including one of the first for-profit HMOs in New York State, one of the earliest physician practice management companies, a chain of urgent care centers, the first network model Medicare and Medicaid managed care plans in a secondary market, plus provider-based health care business initiatives. Goff recently retired from service as Executive Director and CEO of University Physicians Network, LLC (UPN) in New York City.
As one of the founding partners of Major, Lindsey & Africa, Jon Lindsey built the firm into what is today the world’s leading and largest legal search and consulting firm, with offices in 29 cities around the globe and more than 200 consultants. He has repeatedly been included in Lawdragon’s “100 Leading Legal Consultants and Strategists“. Jon earned his law degree from Columbia Law School, where he was managing editor of the Columbia Law Review, and his B.A. with honors in government from Wesleyan University. After clerking for the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, he practiced with Debevoise & Plimpton, as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, and as Counsel to New York City’s Planning Commission. Jon is currently on the board of the George Jackson Academy and previously served as a trustee of the Spence School. He is the co-author of the book Managing People in Today’s Law Firm (1995), has written and lectured widely, and has served on the board of editors for American Lawyer’s Law Firm Partnership & Benefits Report.
Elizabeth Marincola is Senior Advisor for Science Communications and Advocacy at the African Academy of Sciences, which drives scientific research across Africa. Marincola is an international leader in non-profit management, open access publishing, science advocacy, communications, education and public engagement. She was CEO of the open access publisher PLOS, after serving as a long time PLOS board member. She launched AAS Open Research, an innovative scholarly publication. Marincola was President of the Society for Science & the Public, Publisher of Science News magazine, and Executive Director of the American Society for Cell Biology and the Coalition for Life Sciences. She served on the founding boards of PubMed Central and eLife, and on numerous US and EU advisory commissions on open science. She is currently on the board of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Humanitarian Health. She received her bachelors and MBA degrees from Stanford.
Michele Masucci serves as general and special counsel to private equity firms and other investors looking to make investments in health care. Michele helps companies address evolving concepts and capitalize on opportunities emerging from the accelerating convergence of health care and technology. She served as chair of the firm’s Health Care Group from 2010 to 2016.
Michele focuses her practice almost exclusively on representing for-profit health care entities in private equity and other corporate transactions. She currently represents health care focused middle-market private equity firms through their initial acquisitions and various add-ons of portfolio companies. As a former in-house counsel at a hospital, her uniquely holistic perspective helps her guide health care clients juggling day-to-day operational issues and new business ventures. With the Accountable Care movement in full effect, Michele advises clients from the initial analysis of their existing models through the formation and implementation of new operational models, such as value-based contracting, ACOs, bundled payments and medical homes.
Jose embodies the foresight that keeps HCG at the vanguard of Digital Finance Investing. His demonstrated ability to see how trends will evolve into investment opportunities and his rigorous, highly disciplined approach to portfolio management are key drivers behind HCG’s programs.
For the past 17 years, Jose has been an investor in both private and public markets, working in investment roles at JPMorgan Partners and SAB Capital Management. Jose has spent the majority of his career focused on financials and debt strategies. His first major career assignment took place at Morgan Stanley in 2002: working on the debt restructuring of the largest Argentine corporate default.
He has a B.A. in International Finance and Marketing and a B.A. in Computer Information Systems from the University of Miami.
Ram Raju, MD, combines his executive leadership experience in health care with a deep commitment to achieving social equity to improve the health of communities in need.
As the former senior vice president and community health investment officer, he evaluated the needs of Northwell Health’s most vulnerable communities, and provided solutions for them by collaborating with community-based organizations. He’s responsible for promoting, sustaining and advancing an environment that supports equity and diversity, and helping the health system eliminate health disparities.
Prior to Northwell, Dr. Raju served as president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals from January 2014-November 2016. NYC Health + Hospitals has 42,000 employees, 11 acute-care hospitals, five nursing homes, six diagnostic and treatment centers, more than 70 community-based health centers, a large home care agency and one of the region’s largest providers of government-sponsored health insurance, MetroPlus Health Plan.
Dr. Raju also served as CEO for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest public health system, where he improved cash flow by more than $100 million and changed the system’s financial health during his tenure from 2011-2014.
His medical career began at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn and he later served as chief operating officer and medical director at NYC Health + Hospitals’ Coney Island Hospital. In 2006, Dr. Raju became the HHC chief medical officer, corporate chief operating officer and executive vice president. Under his leadership, HHC continued to improve quality, patient safety and health care data transparency.
Dr. Raju served as vice-chair of the Greater New York Hospital Association and currently sits on the boards of numerous city, state and national health care organizations, including the American Hospital Association, the New York Academy of Medicine and the Asian Health Care Leaders Association. Among his numerous awards and accolades, Dr. Raju was selected to Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most-Influential People in Healthcare.” Modern Healthcare also named him one of the “Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare” and one of the “50 Most-Influential Physician Executives in Healthcare.” In 2013, he was named a Business Leader of Color by Chicago United.
Dr. Raju earned a medical diploma and Master of Surgery from Madras Medical College in India. He underwent further training in England, where he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. He later received an MBA from the University of Tennessee and CPE from the American College of Physician Executives.
Dr. Raju currently teaches at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.
Ted Sann was Vice Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of BBDO North America from 1993-2004. In this role, Ted oversaw the creative work of all of BBDO’s U.S. and Canadian agencies. Sann was also the Chairman and Chief Creative Officer for BBDO New York.
Jeff is a co-founder of HealthCare.com and founder of Pivot Health (acquired by HealthCare.com in Feb. 2018). Following the acquisition, Jeff is President, Insurance Services for HealthCare.com and continues the leadership of the Pivot Health business.
He is a results-oriented leader who has built and grown companies from back-of-envelope ideas to multi-million dollar, profitable and scalable entities with a focus on health insurance and other consumer-centric business models. He is a serial entrepreneur who has started several businesses – four of which have been acquired by publicly traded companies.
Creative thinker who has been a presenter at dozens of national trade conventions. Active marathon runner and member of Seven Continents Club — one of only 200 or so individuals to run a marathon on all seven continents. Cancer survivor, charity activist and motivational speaker.
Previously, Jeff helped create and grow the fully-insured segment at The IHC Group (NYSE:IHC) from $0 to nearly $300 million in revenue in seven years. He led AMIC (NASDAQ:AMIC) to significant direct-to-consumer growth and national recognition.
For the past 25 years, Jonathan has helped launch half a dozen startups in the Seattle area, with companies like Jott, an early mobile speech recognition company that was acquired by Nuance. At Nuance, Jonathan led the research team responsible for building the language models for Apple’s first launch of Siri. Jonathan has also led engineering efforts in the areas of telephony, mobile communications, and call center technology. Most recently he was the vice president of engineering and architecture at Avalara where he led several product engineering teams including the core tax platform and tax content services for 3 years before and 4 years post Avalara’s successful IPO. https://www.linkedin.com/in/wiggs/
Ruth Lande led hospital revenue cycle teams at an academic hospital and an integrated health system. She has expertise in patient access, operational transformation, and clinician alignment. She has been recognized for initiatives resulting in enhanced financial performance and high value outcomes for physicians, administrators, patients, and employees. She is an enthusiastic traveler and has a MA in International Relations.
Beth Zinda is the Associate Vice President of Provider Relations at Undue Medical Debt within the Debt Operations Team. In this capacity, she leads strategic management and planning related to Undue’s mission of acquiring and abolishing medical debt. She is an experienced healthcare administrator with extensive experience in strategic planning, administrative operations, finance and budgeting, and provider relations in academic medical centers. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her graduate degree in healthcare administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Mikel Burroughs led a national Secondary Healthcare Debt Buying Company and has over 15 years’ experience in healthcare debt buying and has used that expertise with Undue Medical Debt since inception to create transparency pricing and help abolish civilian and military debt in the billions. He has over 40 years’ experience in the debt and collection industry. He is a retired Colonel from the US Army and US Army Reserves with awards including the Legion of Merit medal, Bronze Star medal, and numerous Meritorious Achievement medals. Mikel volunteers for several veteran nonprofits organizations, plays the drums, and is an avid Harley rider! He has a BA in Management, and MA in Strategic Studies.
Michael’s career spans 25+ years, specializing in health care revenue cycle management and consulting, he has assisted health care providers in optimizing their billing, collection and business process outsource operations. He is proficient at cultivating relationships at the C-Suite level, working closely with hospital clients and physician groups to ensure the fiscal viability of their organizations.
Prior to joining Undue Medical Debt, Michael served as Director, Business Development for the Western Region at Jacobus Consulting. In this regional sales role, he was tasked with identifying and securing new healthcare opportunities leveraging a full suite of clinical, revenue cycle and technology consulting services.
Sani Messchi is the Provider Partnership Manager at Undue Medical Debt and assists in debt abolishment processes, provider relations support, as well as FAP and best billing practice reviews. Her background is revenue cycle based and has managed revenue cycle and financial services over IRF, TBI, SNF, LTC units as well as Outpatient Pediatric Therapy offices in KS. She holds multiple degrees: A.G.S, A.S, A.A, B.G.S. as well as being a HFMA CRCR certified member. The highlight of her career was expanding the TBI outreach for a KS facility by working with KDHE and Medicaid MCOs. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering to assist the elderly, playing volleyball and spending time with family and friends. She gains a sense of accomplishment from being helpful to others and by giving back to her community with charity work in Kansas.
As a Data Analyst at Undue Medical Debt, Vishal leverages his expertise in streamlining data processes and enhancing the ease of data ingestion and documentation, significantly contributing to the organization’s mission. His unique approach to simplifying complex data sets not only facilitates smoother operations but also empowers colleagues by making data more accessible and understandable. With a rich background that spans not just the healthcare but also the finance industry, he brings a blend of technical acuity and practical experience to the table. Beyond his professional endeavors, Vishal enjoys hiking, fitness, and reading books. Vishal, also plans to continue his education further by pursuing his MBA within the upcoming year.
Jessica McDermott is the Development Liaison Manager at Undue Medical Debt within the finance and administration team. Her role interfaces between various departments to match up debt with donor requests and manage them to abolishment, and she also onboards all new employees. She earned her undergraduate degree in healthcare management from Metropolitan State University of Denver and her graduate degree from Regis University. She also completed a post-graduate writing program through Harvard Medical School. She has over twenty years experience in healthcare operations ranging from inpatient psychiatry to clinical social work, and she believes in the logic of data and process to support systemic change. Jessica lives with her husband Craig and Sadie, their scrappy rescue dog. She enjoys nineteenth-century gothic literature, museums of any kind, and spoiling movie endings for her friends. A student at heart, she hopes to return one day to school to further explore her interests in history and psychology.
Ashton Henze is the Accounting Manager at Undue Medical Debt. As a detailed oriented accountant, she ensures that the accounting day to day functions are running smoothly and implements new processes where needed to make the accounting system more efficient. With monthly responsibilities to ensure the financial team can provide timely and accurate financial data to our Undue Medical Debt Team.
In her previous role as a client-based controller and internal director, she internally managed a team of four accountants to help successfully train them in internal practices and standard accounting principles. She started as an accountant however, worked diligently and proactively to ensure she was developing skills to continue to grow in her accounting skills. As she progressed to the controller role she managed the accounting system for multiple small nonprofit organizations and prepared and presented financial statements to the organizations board.
Joseph has spent nearly two decades securing and administering large, collaborative grants for various industries. They include Rutgers University Behavioral Health Sciences, New Jersey Medical School, and Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. He also developed and maintained grant projects for local, national, and international non-profits to advance empowerment and equitable opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and groups. Driven by his concerns for health, welfare, and socioeconomic issues, he enjoys working with organizations for the funding to solve these challenges.
Public Policy & Program Management
Eva Marie Stahl is the VP of Public Policy & Program Management at Undue Medical Debt. Eva oversees development and implementation of Undue Medical Debt’s policy work and programming, including beneficiary insights, community engagement and government initiatives. She works closely with Undue’s staff to ensure that beneficiaries’ voices and experiences are centered in solutions that address the medical debt crisis. Prior to Undue, Eva was a leader in the health advocacy community for over a decade. During her tenure, she collaborated with national coalition partners to advance health care affordability priorities. Eva also coordinated efforts to support health advocates and community partners advancing a health equity agenda that addresses social determinants of health, including economic security. Eva holds a Ph.D. in social policy from Brandeis University and a master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. In her free time, Eva enjoys hiking with her two dogs and reading fiction.
Lindsey Zischkale is a health policy professional with extensive clinical and research experience. They previously worked with individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental health diagnoses, with the aim of improving systems of care available to people with complex health needs. Lindsey’s work focuses on centering the voices of people with lived experience in the health care realm to develop equitable, actionable policy solutions. They hold a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Dallas and a master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at UT-Austin.
Camila Salvagno is a Uruguayan-New Yorker and anthropologist by training, whose interest in (and experience with) the complex sociocultural dynamics of NYC underpin her work in supporting public health initiatives. She is a qualitative researcher with experience performing community outreach, facilitating community organizing and conducting action research (AR).
Previously, Camila served as the bilingual Community Development Program Coordinator at Sure We Can, New York City’s only nonprofit recycling center. There she helped develop the Alliance of Independent Recyclers (formerly the Canner Advocacy Task Force), a working group of independent NYC recyclers (also known as canners) in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to make possible a new degree of organization-community feedback. Camila created new opportunities for canner voices to be heard, both within the community and without.
As Undue’s bilingual Program Manager for Constituent Services, Camila is integral in engaging with constituents and communicating Undue’s mission—both to recipients and the public. She leads a small but integral team in engaging Undue beneficiaries for feedback, storytelling, and research.
Medical debt relief is the output and beneficiary voices provide a vital input. Through one-on-one interviews, Camila is leveraging the language, impressions and interpretations provided by beneficiaries to contribute to the narrative around medical debt’s harmful impacts that Undue is building. Elaborating on the consequences of medical debt and benefits of relief is a pathway to enriching Undue’s policy priorities. Recipients share their emotional perspectives and their journey with the physical, financial, and mental health implications of medical debt. Beneficiaries describe diverse experiences and interpretations of living with medical debt, but ultimately, they are telling a communal story. Health, justice, and dignity across all spaces are important to Camila. She is honored and excited to apply her energy and expertise to Undue’s mission.
Camila serves as a bilingual research assistant at the bioethics research institute, the Hastings Center, where she works with a small research team on the “All of Us Motivations Study”. Camila is an MFA candidate in Integrated Media Arts (IMA) at Hunter College. Through video, she queries the ephemeral, adventures in appreciation, and the myth of self-realization.
As Program Manager for Community Engagement, Gregory works on programming Undue Medical Debt’s national impact on the local level through strategic partnerships and community advocacy. Currently, Gregory oversees two community impact pilot sites, partners with Communities Joined in Action – a national network of community health collaboratives, and manages several initiatives at the organization related to community impact, strategy, and programming. Gregory’s background is in urban planning and social policy. He has worked across the New York City nonprofit sector and lives in Brooklyn, where he likes to swim with Team New York Aquatics and frequent his local public library.
Dina Magnes is the Student Engagement Program Manager, working to raise awareness among youth and young adults about the issues of medical debt, and build an engaged community in support of Undue Medical Debt’s mission.
In early 2017 Dina volunteered for Undue Medical debt and as of May 2017 has held various positions supporting the organization and its growth.
Prior to working with Undue Dina was a creative fashion designer and business owner, passionate about producing quality designs, building strong teams, developing talent and creating business strategies for growth, which she applies in her work with Undue.
Dina is a certified leadership coach, trainer and facilitator, she holds a diploma in advanced coaching from NYU, and is certified in facilitating and designing workshops with the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method.
Sarah Jarrell is the Constituent Liaison at Undue Medical Debt and has a passion for people and public health. She’s worked in program management at global health nonprofits, direct service at community clinics, and as a coordinator in health research labs. Throughout these professional experiences, she has developed the tools to become an advocate for others.
After earning her bachelor’s degrees in psychology and social work, she took time off to live abroad before returning to UT Austin to obtain her master’s degree in social work. Some of her certifications include Project DPro, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. Sarah lives in Texas, and enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and starting new books before finishing the one she was already reading.
Marisa Clemente is Vice President of Philanthropy at Undue Medical Debt. In this capacity, she oversees the development of transformative philanthropy by connecting value-aligned donors together to impactfully serve the Undue community. As a seasoned fundraising professional, Marisa has had extensive development experience in both the cultural & higher education sectors. She is inspired by creating meaningful philanthropic impact and fostering altruistic mindfulness.
Prior to joining Undue, Marisa led individual giving efforts at The New York Public Library, Brown University, and the University of Chicago, among other institutions. When Marisa is not focusing on Undue’s philanthropic efforts, she enjoys trying to read a book a week, perfecting her banana bread recipe, and spending time with her rescue dog.
As the Associate Director, Lizzie leverages her fundraising expertise to advance Undue’s mission of alleviating the burden of medical debt. Prior to joining the Philanthropy team, Lizzie developed a robust track record in philanthropic strategy and donor engagement, driving significant support for cultural institutions and higher education. She is committed to fostering meaningful partnerships and innovative approaches to philanthropy, contributing to the continued success and impact of Undue Medical Debt.
Michelle Santoro is the Associate Director of Philanthropy at Undue Medical Debt. In this role, she leads the work with campaigners and crowdfunders that embody the passion of Undue Medical Debt’s community of supporters. She also works on corporate and foundation grant initiatives.
Michelle joins the Undue Medical Debt team with more than twenty years of nonprofit experience and has worked for prominent institutions such as Columbia Business School and the James Beard Foundation. Prior to joining Undue, Michelle oversaw the scholarship program at the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
As the Philanthropy Manager, Emily supports the day-to-day operations of the Philanthropy team, from assisting donors to managing department processes. Utilizing her meticulous attention to detail and writing skills, Emily enjoys finding ways to simplify and streamline work. She is inspired by mission-driven organizations and strengthening communities using the power of philanthropy. Prior to joining Undue, Emily held fundraising positions at The City University of New York School of Law and The New York Public Library, two institutions that align with her desire to never stop learning. Outside of work, Emily can be found reading as much as she can, traveling, and trying to knit a complete sweater.
David Reynolds is the VP of Information Systems at Undue Medical Debt, where he oversees the development and maintenance of data processing infrastructure. Leading a cross-functional engineering team, David is dedicated to creating innovative and scalable software solutions that efficiently process and analyze data while upholding the highest standards of data integrity and security.
With a background in computational mathematics, David brings extensive experience from the financial services sector. Before joining Undue Medical Debt, he specialized in developing data analytics systems for major hedge funds and private investment firms globally.
David is enthusiastic about exploring the evolving technology landscape and finding ways to drive meaningful change by integrating these advancements into Undue’s systems.
Charles Russek is a seasoned Senior Software Engineer with a passion for leveraging technology to drive social impact. Currently, he serves as a key member of the technical team at a non-profit organization dedicated to abolishing medical debt for individuals and families in need. Charles’s commitment to this cause is reflected in his innovative approach to software development, where he harnesses his expertise in fintech and data pipelines to streamline processes and maximize efficiency.
With a background in fintech, Charles brings a deep understanding of financial systems and technologies to his role. His experience in this sector has equipped him with the skills necessary to navigate complex data structures and develop robust solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the non-profit space. Charles’s ability to architect data pipelines that integrate seamlessly with existing systems enables his organization to analyze vast amounts of financial data efficiently, empowering them to make informed decisions and maximize their impact.
Beyond his technical prowess, Charles is driven by a desire to make a tangible difference in the lives of others. He is deeply committed to the mission of his organization and works tirelessly to ensure that every line of code he writes contributes to their overarching goal of alleviating medical debt burden. Charles’s dedication, combined with his technical expertise, makes him an invaluable asset to the team and a driving force behind the organization’s success in achieving its mission.
As a software developer at Undue, my main responsibilities include building out and maintaining our internal-use software. In addition to building out new software features, our team has emphasized improving both the efficiency of our processes as well as the reliability of the data that we provide. Throughout my 3+ years at Undue, I’ve enjoyed focusing on large data extraction, transformation, and analysis, all of which are crucial steps in debt acquisition and reconciliation. Moving forward, as Undu continues to grow, I am excited to work on scaling and accelerating the processes within our tech stack to meet new and larger requirements.
Before joining Undue, I attended Chapman University where I studied software engineering. Shortly after graduating in 2020, I joined Undue as a part-time junior developer. In the following months, I gained invaluable experience and expanded my skill set significantly. As I became more comfortable developing both back-end and front-end features, I joined the Undue team as a full-time developer.
In my spare time, when the weather permits, I enjoy exploring New York’s diverse culinary scene, frequenting comedy clubs, and venturing outside of the city for camping trips and barbecues. On colder and cozier days, I enjoy exploring different types of film as well as playing poker, chess, and various other games with friends. Sometimes, when I’m not weary of staring at code, I delve into my personal coding projects which I find enjoyable and fulfilling.
Eric is the beneficiary letter coordinator, acting as liaison to the multiple print vendors Undue uses to deliver the good news their debt has been bought and canceled! His role also includes letter template development and vendor communications for specialty mailings.
Eric has been in the financial industry for over 20 years, all within the information systems and technology areas. He has managed application development and infrastructure administration teams, but his passion is providing support to end users and delivering creative digital solutions to unique needs.
Eric has a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and is certified as a business intelligence professional. He enjoys traveling, carpentry, landscape design, and being involved with his community.
Maksat Sadyrov is a DevOps and Infrastructure Engineer at Undue Medical Debt, specializing in implementing and maintaining multi-cloud infrastructure. He focuses on optimizing CI/CD pipelines, automating cloud infrastructure deployments, and ensuring scalability. Maksat holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and several industry certifications in cloud technologies, including AWS and Kubernetes. Outside of work, he enjoys drawing and playing chess.
As a Project Manager at Undue Medical Debt, I orchestrate the seamless execution of our digital initiatives in alignment with our overarching mission. With an eye for detail and a knack for strategic planning, I ensure that our projects not only meet deadlines but also exceed expectations in delivering innovative solutions.
My journey into project management was paved with diverse experiences, including stints in logistics and safety science. Leveraging this multifaceted background, I bring a unique blend of technical expertise and interpersonal skills to the table, fostering collaboration and driving cross-functional teams towards shared goals. Whether it’s implementing agile methodologies or mitigating project risks, I thrive in dynamic environments where adaptability and problem-solving are paramount.
Outside of the professional realm, I’m an avid gamer, cinephile, and world traveler, constantly seeking new experiences and perspectives. I have a special appeal to thrillers, particularly those directed by Christopher Nolan (Inception). I’ve had the opportunity to travel to over 15 countries, with Zanzibar standing out as my favorite destination thus far.
Communications and Marketing
Daniel has directed communications for Undue Medical Debt since 2017 and established the nonprofit’s earned media strategy. He has executed the approach for all public facing initiatives and announcements, helped cultivate Undue’s collaboration with local campaigners and spearheaded the nonprofit’s approach to gathering testimony from beneficiaries of medical debt relief. Between 2018 and 2021 Daniel facilitated 9.5 billion media impressions, with billions more following. Undue (aka “Undue Medical Debt”) has been featured in virtually all mainstream, national publications in the U.S. including NPR, CBS Sunday Morning, NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, CNN, The Associated Press, The New York Times, Modern Healthcare and many more.
Daniel has since expanded to lead Undue’s marketing efforts as well, overseeing the nonprofit’s rebrand and associated paid efforts to increase awareness and drive more donations towards the abolishment of burdensome medical debts.
Before joining Undue Daniel was an experienced communications professional working with diverse clients including The Central Park Conservancy, The French Institute-Alliance Francaise, Pfizer, Google, Virgin Hyperloop and Monica Lewinsky.
Daniel’s work on Undue’s “Helping COVID Heroes” campaign (to erase medical debts for front line workers during the early pandemic) earned him “Best Fundraising Campaign” from PR News in 2021.
Daniel is a lifelong Brooklyn resident and graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Drama & Psychology, and a minor in French & Francophone Studies. In his free time, he’s a comedian and improviser primarily at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade.
Morgan Telesford is the Communications Manager at Undue Medical Debt and has a passion for storytelling and marketing. She’s worked with other nonprofits such as the American Diabetes Association, Habitat for Humanity of NOVA, and the American Chemical Society; from nonprofits and startups to the education sector and sports entertainment space, she has harnessed many tools to become a strategic communicator.
After earning her B.S. in Sports Management from Syracuse University, she returned to Syracuse’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication and received her M.S. in Communication with an Advertising focus. Some of her certifications include Google Ads Display, HubSpot Social Media Marketing, and the Trade Desk. Morgan lives in Washington, D.C. with her dog Waffles, and enjoys long walks with him, exploring new cuisine with friends and family, and traveling.
Bringing a wealth of experience from the retail industry, Emily transitioned her passion for meaningful causes into the realm of social impact. In 2020, she joined Undue Medical Debt, spearheading their social media initiatives.
As a dedicated consultant, Emily specializes in supporting mission-driven entities, particularly small businesses and non-profits. Her expertise spans a range of areas, from crafting effective social media strategies and brand marketing to developing impactful newsletters, coordinating events, and executing advertising campaigns.
Emily holds a degree from NYU and earned her MFA from l’Ecole Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode in Paris, bringing a unique blend of creativity and strategic thinking to her work. Beyond her professional pursuits, her interests encompass a love for theater, an appreciation for architecture, a flair for cooking, and an unmatched knowledge of pop culture. Her multifaceted skill set and dedication make her an invaluable asset to the mission of Undue Medical Debt.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Undue Medical Debt, diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our debt abolishment work. Our mission is to end medical debt. Medical debt, at its core, is an issue of equity: equitable access to affordable healthcare and economic security. We believe that debt abolishment is a powerful platform to spur systemic change and are committed to telling the diverse stories of our beneficiaries, ensuring their voices are included in every conversation about medical debt.
We are also dedicated to greater diversity and inclusion within our own organization, providing equal opportunity to every person regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, ability, income, marital status, age, geographic location, and veteran status. We are committed to learning through engagement with each other, DEI training opportunities, and changes in organizational culture to be a welcoming and inclusive workplace.
We are committed to being an active participant in addressing equity. We aim to lead and are ready to learn. We recognize that the work of diversity, equity and inclusion is a process, not an outcome, and we are ready to grow and do the work. As an organization uniquely positioned to listen and witness lived-experiences of people struggling with medical debt and work in partnership with powerful stakeholders to advance our mission, we strive to include diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at the center of our daily work and hold our partners accountable to the same.
As such, the following principles guide our work internally and externally:
- All people, regardless of background, have equal elue in our communities and workplaces, though we must commit to elevating the voices of those with less agency due to historical inequity.
- Our health systems (and many others) were designed to help some and not others. Reimagining these systems is the pathway to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Inequities harm people and generationally deny some populations access to health and wealth.
- Awareness, self-reflection, and a commitment to growth are at the heart of diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
- Only through meaningful inclusion of diverse voices and experiences can we succeed in our efforts to include and serve all.
Join us in our commitment.