Meet the Sesame Editorial Team

Michael Botta, Ph.D., Sesame Co-Founder and President

Everything Michael has done in his career has led to the Sesame moment, where his role is to oversee all sales, partnerships and clinician relationships. Michael spent five years at McKinsey & Co., leading multi-million-dollar projects to find solutions to healthcare’s biggest problems: pricing, quality measurement, and catalyzing competition in the U.S. and abroad to drive better results.

He has advised The White House Office of Management and Budget, Brookings Institution and the State of Massachusetts on health reform legislation and implementation. Michael has contributed to and authored a number of articles for Sesame on topics including Amazon’s foray into healthcare, leveraging telemedicine for homeless populations, healthcare savings advice and more.

Education: Michael received his Ph.D. in Health Economics and Policy from Harvard University.

Allison Edwards, M.D.

Allison Edwards, M.D., serves as Sesame’s Medical Director. She is also the founder of Kansas City Direct Primary Care, a primary care facility that aims to build stronger relationships between doctors and patients and make healthcare easier for all involved. She is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, and her areas of expertise include public health, women’s health, preventive medicine and emergency medicine. Dr. Edwards reviews all medical content to ensure that Sesame’s blog content is accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

Brandon Alleman, M.D.

Brandon Alleman, M.D., is a graduate of the Via Christi Family Medicine Residency, where he was a Chief Resident. He enjoys helping people understand their health and uses his Ph.D. training to assist in providing evidence-based medicine. As a medical advisor to Sesame, he reviews copy for accuracy and appropriate use of medical language.

Education: Dr. Alleman is a former Fulbright Scholar and graduated from the University of Iowa with his M.D. and Ph.D. in Translational Biomedicine.

Jillian Foglesong-Stabile, M.D.

Jillian Foglesong Stabile, M.D. FAAFP, is a family physician and medical educator with over two decades of experience in the medical writing, editing and consulting fields. As a medical reviewer for Sesame, she plays a crucial role in ensuring the clarity and clinical reliability of health information for readers.

Beyond her responsibilities as a medical content reviewer, Dr. Foglesong Stabile also practices full-scope family medicine, addressing a wide range of health issues across all age groups. She also precepts medical students. She enjoys translating complex medical topics into accessible knowledge and is passionate about contributing to both patient education and medical education.

Education: Dr. Foglesong Stabile earned her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She completed a residency in Family Medicine at Family Medicine Spokane and a Master Preceptor Fellowship with Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. Dr. Foglesong Stabile was also awarded the Degree of Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians for her contributions to the specialty.

Jessica Swirble, Pharm.D

Jessica Swirble, Pharm.D, is an experienced pharmacist with a robust pharmaceutical and medical writing background. In her role at Sesame as a medical reviewer, she ensures the accuracy and reliability of health and pharmaceutical information, making complex medical concepts accessible and easy to understand. She also holds a Medical Writing Certificate from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, allowing her to blend clinical knowledge with effective communication.

In addition to her extensive medical writing and editing expertise, Jessica has over 16 years of experience as an immunizing community pharmacist and has spent more than a decade in management roles at prominent retail pharmacies, including Rite Aid. She is deeply committed to enhancing patient care and contributing to the healthcare community through both practice and education.

Education: Jessica holds a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

Eric Weiman, Content Writer

Eric Weiman has been a copywriter and content editor at Sesame for 4 years. He works closely with Sesame’s Medical Director and health care providers across the country to ensure Sesame’s content is accurate and informative. Eric was instrumental in the creation of Sesame’s medication directory, service directory, and complaint/ symptom encyclopedia. He covers a wide range of health care topics for Sesame’s blog, including men’s health, women’s health, medication information and seasonal health concerns. In addition to his work with Sesame, Eric has over a decade of experience creating digital media, and teaches creative writing at organizations across the country.

Education: Eric is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and received his Master’s Degree from the University of San Diego.

Leah Rosenfield, Manager of Copy and Content

Leah Rosenfield joined the Sesame team as the Manager of Copy and Content with several years of experience within the content marketing industry. Former clients include Select Medical, Nivea and Netflix.

Leah is passionate about driving positive change and education through her content. She writes extensively about preventive health measures, chronic diseases, women’s health concerns, breaking healthcare industry news and more. In her role, Leah collaborates with members across all Sesame teams to create content that is informative and accessible for all - just like health care should be.

Education: Leah graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a dual degree in Journalism and Political Science and an International Relations minor.

Daniela Ochoa-Bravo, Content Writer

As a content writer, Daniela Ochoa-Bravo blends her background in journalism and the health industry to create accessible and accurate blog posts for Sesame. She is committed to using her skills to humanize complex healthcare topics and promote accessibility for the millions of Americans who are marginalized by the current healthcare system.

With a passion for diversity and inclusion, she also serves as the founder and editor of Colectivo Tabú, a project dedicated to democratizing the publishing industry. Some of her previous publications include In These Times, Lumina Journal, 12th Street Journal, the New Context, Bloom and HER.

Education: Daniela graduated with honors from the New School with a degree in Global Studies and a minor in Ethnicity and Race.