Sara Michael: A Journalist’s Tenacity, A Patient’s Perspective

A marathoner’s approach to building trustworthy health content

For Swoop’s EVP of Content for MyHealthTeam Communities Sara Michael, the journey to leading healthcare content that impacts patients’ lives started with a police scanner and a reporter’s notebook. From covering breaking news to building empathetic and trustworthy health resources, Sara’s career underscores the power of storytelling in transforming complex health topics into relatable and actionable insights. 

“My background taught me all of the skills of being a reporter. Asking hard questions and then asking them again, doing the research, and putting myself out there, even when I was uncomfortable,” Sara said.   

With nearly two decades of experience in health journalism and digital content strategy, Sara has led editorial teams at major consumer platforms, including Verywell Health, Verywell Mind, and Health.com, as well as content integrity initiatives at Healthline Media. Today, she leads a unified content organization spanning editorial development, design, video, content operations, and copy editing for more than 60 MyHealthTeam communities.  

On top of her editorial skills, Sara bridges the gap between content and business strategy. She works closely with revenue teams to build new products and create business opportunities. In 2024, Sara earned her MBA from Loyola University Maryland.  

For Sara, the mission is personal. Living with ulcerative colitis, she understands the need for reliable, empathetic health information. “The stakes are so high in health content,” she said. “You’ve got to get it right, and you’ve got to get that tone and the approach right so that you’re actually reaching people.” 

Outside of work, Sara is a mother of two, a voracious reader, and a marathon runner.  

“In the running community, we talk a lot about consistency over motivation,” she said. Sara applies the runner’s wisdom of “run the mile you’re in” to her work, staying focused and present in a rapidly changing industry. 

In Sara, Swoop has found a leader who combines a journalist’s tenacity with a deep understanding of the patient journey. It’s this unique combination that positions her, and Swoop, at the cutting edge of healthcare content innovation.