C19 Coalition Volunteer Highlight: Sandy Kamp
2-3 Minutes
Frontline and essential workers do not have the luxury of working from home and feeling safe from COVID-19. Some are grounded to their jobs due to financial commitments while some hope to impact their own community. Whatever their reason may be, those on the frontline are fighting for the rest.
With the increasing cases of COVID-19, frontline workers continue to face shortages in PPE and often resort to reusing equipment. For C19 Coalition volunteer, Sandy Kamp, this has been the driving force to help in the PPE crisis and the Coalition’s mission. Kamp describes herself as a ‘Jill of all trades’ due to her ability to easily adapt in any role or opportunity that is presented to her. From working in sales to community outreach, Kamp has a diverse portfolio that has led her to the Coalition.
As ‘shelter in place’ has rearranged everyone’s routine, Kamp had extra time on her hands that she wanted to make useful. After hearing about C19’s mission through a team member, Kamp took the opportunity to join the Coalition.
Just as her nickname describes, Kamp covers an array of duties on the team, including partner engagement, Townhall assistance, and helping with the hotline.
I try to always work for organizations that have a great mission. C19 Coalition definitely aligns with that.
Sandy Kamp, Volunteer
The Coalition is grounded in powerful partners and engagement to address the current PPE crisis. Kamp’s dedication to the Coalition has been essential in moving impact further.
Q&A with Sandy Kamp
Tell us about your background.
I was born in Malta, which is an island off the coast of Sicily. I came to the United States, but have been back and forth between countries. I have been in Austin, TX for the past several months. I also went to college in Texas. I studied Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M and I always assumed that I would be a doctor because I knew I wanted to help people. As I went through schooling, I realized medicine wasn’t the best option for me. I volunteered with a number of organizations, including an undergraduate research program. I am also a first-generation college graduate and for me, paying for college on my own was important.
After I graduated in 2015, I’ve worked at a few startup companies in the telemedicine space. I have a lot of passion for telemedicine. I haven’t really had a specific role at a single place. I am easy to adapt and will do whatever it takes for the organization. My family has always been in the startup space and I would love to own my own company one day.
What are some of your passions?
I love cooking, baking, and eating food. I also love to travel. Luckily, I visited a few spots before COVID-19 hit. I traveled back to Malta and other countries in Europe. I am looking forward to traveling again, once it is safe.
Also some fun facts, I have three sisters and we all look the same. People always get confused.
When you think about our mission, what motivates you to continue volunteering?
I try to always work for an organization that has a great mission. I definitely align with C19 Coalition’s mission to help with the PPE crisis and everything that is happening right now. I have a lot of friends and family members who are frontline workers. I see them having to reuse their masks, which really motivates me to help out wherever I can.
If you are interested in joining Sandy and volunteering with the C19 Coalition, reach out to us at info@c19coalition.org.
Alizay Rizvi is a blogger with the C19 Coalition. She has worked on health equity programs, including at the American Heart Association, to increase diversity in the health and social justice sector and aid in finding solutions to lessen health disparities and inequities in the United States. As a young professional, she is passionate about educating and empowering her generation to become agents of change. You can find her on LinkedIn.