View gallery Image Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Save The Children Most Disney Channel fans know Bridgit Mendler, but the former TV and pop star has quietly traded Hollywood for an entirely different orbit. The Washington, D.C. native is now the CEO and co-founder of a space communications startup, according to her LinkedIn profile-a career pivot that has surprised many longtime fans. While the shift may seem sudden, Bridgit has been building toward this moment for years.