Board of Directors

Bridget Belden grew up in Mill Valley, California. Shortly after graduating from Scripps College in Claremont, CA she took a job with May Company in their management training program. During her career, she held management positions in apparel manufacturing and retailing with companies such as Levi Strauss &Co and Lucky Brand Jeans. While she was with Lucky Brand, she worked on a community project with her daughter’s 2nd grade class that truly inspired her. She found that the kids were able to look at issues in the community and identify solutions without being hindered by ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. In 2004 after some serious soul searching, Bridget left Lucky Brand Jeans so that she could spend more time with her family and concentrate on developing this concept further. That initial idea evolved over a couple of years into Ripple Kids^TM Inc., a nonprofit organization that seeks to inspire kids to take action in their community by publicizing the success of their peers. Bridget’s favorite pastimes are traveling, spending time with her family and friends and pursuing her latest passion – painting. She lives in Orange County with her husband and two children.

David Muscat – Board Member

David is a San Diego State University graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Applied Arts and Sciences. After a 10 year job related hiatus in the San Francisco Bay Area, David is happy to be living back in San Diego, where he can be closer to his large extended family including many of his seven older brothers and sisters. David’s work experience includes holding the position of VP of Operations for 2 large companies. He is currently an agent with State Farm and has opened an office in the University Heights where he also makes his home. David is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives. He chose to work with Ripple Kids^TM because so many great kids do not get the positive recognition they deserve. He enjoys the beach, snowboarding, boating and family gatherings.

Dave Saenz – Board Member

Dave is a Founding and Managing Partner of Comscape Communications, LLC. Comscape started as a cellular phone distribution company with a $30,000 start up investment and has now grown to a company with sales in excess of $8,000,000. What began as a company selling Nextel Two Way Radio handsets to mobile workforce companies, has evolved into a firm marketing DIRECTV to residential and commercial clients resulting in their becoming one of DIRECTV’s top 15 authorized national partners.

Dave’s passion for community service manifested itself after living abroad in Honduras. Inspired by the children there and their lack of basic school supplies, he started a foundation to help subsidize such necessities for the children of this poor country. Dave lives in the North Tustin area with his wife and two daughters, all of whom are very active with the Ripple Kids program. Dave is an avid golfer and enjoys spending his time with his family.

Rema Sarkissian – Board Member

A native Californian, Rema grew up in the Los Angeles area. She received her Bachelors Degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Shortly after graduating, Rema joined the Communication Division at Nestle USA where she has held various positions within the past twelve years. Rema began her community involvement at age of fifteen for the YMCA, supporting youth programs. The experience led her to seek new opportunities to improve the lives of others over the years. She has lead and supported many organizations including Girl Scouts of America, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, AGBU Mentorship Program, Revlon Run Walk - Fight Against Breast Cancer, Junior League of Pasadena, Nestle Very Best In Youth Program and the Ararat Guild Senior Center. She has discovered her passion in volunteerism and believes strongly that ones character is shaped by their positive actions towards others. Ripple Kids provides an arena for youth to showcase their projects and inspire action by others in hopes of make a difference in their community and for their causes. In her free time, Rema enjoys taking karate lessons, dance classes, traveling and spending time with her family.

Neal E. Weisman – Board Member

A founding member of Ripple Kids Foundation, Neal Weisman, is a native of Southern California. Neal has been working with businesses large and small throughout California, Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada since 1989. Neal's connection to the community through his professional, personal and charitable relationships lead him to build and grow a technology company, "Interactive Ideas" This international-based strategic business planning, website development, Ecommerce, and Hosting firm was established in 1994. The company works with government entities, professional service businesses, non-profit organizations and Casino/Gaming clients throughout the valley. I2net represents such clients as the Wynn Resorts, Mirage, Bellagio and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce a loyal client since 2001.

Neal Weisman is a founding member of the National Youth Organization for Sober Educational Programs and Ripple Kids. Both organizations focus on the education of our communities' youth, teaching them to be respectable business men and women and to care about the community that they reside in. Additionally, Neal is passionate about charitable foundations and actively works with the Orangutan Foundation International, Sea Shepherds, ForestWatch and Every Fifteen Minutes.

Growing up in California, Neal graduated with both his bachelor's degree in communication (1997) from Cal State University Long Beach and his Master's of communication (2002) from the University of Hawaii.

Neal and his wife Shari, have one son, three cats, and one Newfoundland named Tia.