FROM TRAUMA BAY TO TECH STARTUP: HOW TWO HEALTHCARE VETERANS LAUNCHED SOBER SALLY'S TO SAVE LIVES

November 17, 2025 by Daniel Castaneda

Economic Development Entrepreneurship Newsletter

BY: CATHLENA SPENCER

In the world of entrepreneurship, necessity is the mother of invention. For Erin Ogee and Crystal Glass, the necessity was stopping drunk driving, a mission forged from decades of experience in healthcare and professional operations. Their innovative solution, Sober Sally’s, is not just another ride-share app; it’s a dual-transport service designed to take both the person and their car home safely. This life-saving idea, recently crowned the 1st Place Winner in the Revenue Generating Category at the 2025 Grow Ada Pitch Competition, is the culmination of their shared commitment to community safety.

The company’s origin story is stark and personal. Erin and Crystal were motivated to act after witnessing a deeply disturbing scene: a highly intoxicated man, denied a ride from another service, stumbled to his car and drove away into the night. Extremely concerned they immediately began calling their families to make sure they were home and stayed off the streets.

This single, terrifying moment crystallized their mission. They recognized a critical failure point in the existing system: services only transport people, often leaving a vehicle behind and creating a desperate incentive for an impaired person to eventually get back in the driver’s seat. As Crystal Glass put it,

“Erin and I have taken our shared passion to remove drunk drivers from the streets and our skills for operations and sales to form a company that is an app-based ride-share company that is designed to take you and your car home after a night of celebration.”

The professional backgrounds of the founders provide a powerful foundation for the app’s focus on operational excellence and high-stakes decision-making.

Erin Ogee, MS, APRN, is a licensed Internal Medicine Nurse Practitioner and Hospital Administrator, Erin brings over 25 years of experience managing the intense, high-pressure environments of Trauma 1 and Trauma 2 hospitals. Her clinical perspective ensures the company’s focus remains rooted in safety and saving lives.

Crystal Glass, MS, CT(ASCP) has built a career in a blend of precision and results. As a former Lab Administrator at OU Health, she mastered operational efficiency. Most recently, she became a powerhouse in the medical field as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, responsible for over $7 million in sales. Her expertise in high-level sales and operational scalability is driving Sober Sally’s expansion.

The co-founders are leveraging their unique blend of clinical safety expertise and proven business acumen to tackle a deeply rooted public health problem. The recognition at the 2025 Grow Ada Pitch Competition underscores the viability and strong social impact of their business model. Their pitch highlighted how Sober Sally’s addresses the issue head-on by dispatching a professional driver to take both the customer and their vehicle home. This service is particularly vital in rural and underserved areas, a focus for the co-founders, where transportation options are often scarce. Beyond the dual-transport feature, Sober Sally’s also offers thoroughly vetted drivers for maximum safety and the option for gender-matched rider/driver pairing to increase comfort and security.

Erin Ogee and Crystal Glass are not just building a business; they are building a movement. By applying their professional discipline to the fight against impaired driving, they are giving communities a reliable, respectful, and complete solution for a safe ride home.