The story behind the story – a personal tribute to a magnificent woman and leader

On November 15, 2019, I remember sending this email out to the RIP Staff and board:

“Well, it is official. The highly considered and praised Allison Sesso has been named the Executive Director of RIP Medical Debt, an office she will take on January 17, 2020. Allison comes to us after 16 years at the Human Services Council.

HSC, in turn, posted their farewell and listed her accomplishments. It held quite a few hints as to the impact that Allison would be making at our modest six-year-old charity. 

Key among them was her talent and track record in advocating for policy change and investments in the nonprofit and human services world that caused her, in 2018 and 2019, to be acknowledged as one of the 25 most influential leaders in Manhattan New York City’s 100 “Most Responsible” in 2017.

Fast forward a mere five years, and another significant honor, with undoubtedly more to come.

Having reached every goal we had set out to accomplish, Craig Antico and I, as co-founders of the charity, felt more than safe in 2022, leaving “our baby” in her capable hands and those of the many talented people she has brought on board to manage a major national charity.

How major? At last count, RIP (Since renamed Undue Medical Debt) has abolished over $45 billion in medical debt for 10,000,000 Americans across our country.

Craig and I are not going to give Allison all the credit, however. Knowing someday that founders almost always had to replace themselves with greater organizational and management skills, we promised each other this:

Hire the best and the brightest…and then get out of their way.

Other than hiring you, that was our second best decision ever.

Allison Sesso in Time Magazine