Three Tritons change course in COVID-19 .
BY KATHERINE CONNER AND MALINDA DANZIGER ’ 00
“ Before the pandemic began , our group had the idea for software that could disrupt the supply chain and provide greater transparency to the marketplace ,” Craig says . “ COVID-19 gave us a unique opportunity to test it out on a high-demand commodity like PPE and also help provide safety for workers on the frontlines of the pandemic . We even donate 70 percent of our profits to charity , like healthcare clinics and homeless shelters .”
What started as a team of six working from a home in Los Angeles has since grown to 12 core members , eight software developers and 30 sales reps nationwide . The team also recently added two more Tritons : cognitive science grad Ariana Zormeier ’ 20 and computer science student Erik Follette ’ 21 , both from Muir College .
“ As much as we ’ re motivated to make meaningful difference during the pandemic ,” says Craig , “ we hope the need for PPE will subside , along with the virus itself . At that point , we ’ d like to expand into other areas of industry .”
Kicking the Virus
AND FOR RECENT medical school graduate Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke , MD ’ 19 , a pivot has been part of her long game from the start .
Van Hollebeke spent eight years as a defender on the United States Women ’ s National Soccer Team ( USWNT ), but the Olympic gold medalist always had her sights set on a career in medicine . Having earned her degree from UC San Diego ’ s School of Medicine in 2019 , she ’ s now on the frontlines of COVID-19 as a doctor in residence at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista , Calif .
Medicine and healthcare has a long history in Van Hollebeke ’ s family . Her father was a cardiothoracic surgeon for four decades , and her grandfather and great-grandfather were general practitioners . Even her younger sister , Anna , also completed her medical studies at UC San Diego in 2020 .
While a career in medicine was always the plan , Van Hollebeke deferred her admission to UC San Diego ’ s School of
Medicine four times while playing soccer professionally with USWNT , where she took home gold medals at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics .
Van Hollebeke arrived at Scripps Mercy Hospital just months before the COVID-19 pandemic began . These days , she works 12-hour shifts in the part of San Diego County hit hardest by the coronavirus . “ It ’ s very prevalent in the community for sure , and it ’ s affected many of my patients , whether they ’ ve been sick or have family members who have been sick or passed away ,” she told Good Morning America in December .
Van Hollebeke ( then Buehler ) earned the nickname “ The Buehldozer ” for her tenacious style on the soccer field . Today , she is “ Dr . Dozer ,” bringing the same energy and dedication to her patients . “ I think [ the pandemic ] is challenging , but at the same time , it has reaffirmed my passion for medicine .”
Did you pivot during COVID-19 ? Tell us at tritonmag @ ucsd . edu and read alumni dispatches at tritonmag . com / dispatches
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