About Us!

Hi everyone! We are Seascape Totes, a small business that strives to promote sustainability through reusable sea-inspired tote bags. Currently, our world produces about 300 million tons of plastic waste annually, which unfortunately has led to negative impacts for our oceans and marine life. With the help of local young artists, we hope to spread awareness and offer an environmentally-friendly AND stylish solution to our community. Tote bags have become increasingly popular amongst GenZ, as many have chosen to use them instead of heavy backpacks or plastic bags. Our tote bags will provide a way for high school and college students to carry their belongings and stay organized. The bag will be medium-sized and will be unique since unlike other tote bags, we will feature a simplistic yet cute ocean-themed design created by a CCA artist on the front. We also envision marketing our totes to parents and adults, who could use them at grocery stores or while they are out and about running errands. Seascape is committed to driving actual change in our environment as we will donate 5% of our proceeds to the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of the world’s oceans. Our tote bags are made specifically by a group of teens for a teen!

Why Surfrider?
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of the world’s oceans. Our oceans and coasts are subject to the ongoing climate crisis that our planet is facing, thus Surfrider was founded in 1984 to combat these effects. We chose to donate 5% of our profit to this organization because we feel they align with our mission statement. We hope our small business can have a positive impact on contributing to the preservation of our oceans.

Karina: CEO
Hi! My name is Karina Parikh, and I am a Senior at CCA. In my free time, I love to be outdoors and play competitive tennis. I am the founder of a teenage empowerment platform called Stick 2 You, where I host a mental health podcast, sell motivational stickers, and organize wellness events. I am also a Gold Award Girl Scout, and the co-president of CCA UNITE and CCA Cookies 4 Causes club. Social entrepreneurship is one of my biggest passions, so I am very excited to promote sustainability and ocean conservation through Seascape Totes!

Ella: CEO
Hi! My name is Ella Van der Auwera and I am a Senior at CCA. I am passionate about this business because I love going to the beach and sustainability is really important to me. I am planning to go to college to study business management or behavioral neuroscience. I love to play with my dog, bake, dance, and hangout with my friends! :)

Michelle Ripol: COO
Hello! My name is Michelle Ripol. I am a senior at CCA! Next year I will be majoring in business management. In my free time I love to bake and cook, read, going to the beach, and play tennis. I also love playing spending time with my friends and family. I am really happy to be part of Seascape totes because like most people I love tote bags and the beach. I love that I can help clean our oceans by wearing a stylish tote bag.

Nirel Ben Joseph: CFO
Hello my name is Nirel Ben Joseph and I am a Senior at CCA! I am planning on going to college next year and studying psychology. I love skiing, going to the beach,and spending time with friends and family.

Sophia Cao: CMO
Hi, my name is Sophia Cao and I am a senior at CCA. Sustainability is a priority for me so I am very excited to participate in Seascape totes as the CMO. I plan on going to college in New York City and work in fashion marketing. I am passionate about all things art and fashion related, so I’m looking forward to seeing our brand grow. In my free time I love to thrift, create art, and volunteer for The Rescue House.