Our Mission, Vision & History
Understanding Our Why
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide access and opportunities to those looking to uncover their superpower. To guide and support people through professional coaching and mentoring to reach their full potential as engaged, emotionally balanced, spiritually grounded, financially stable, critical thinkers. We strive to cultivate responsible community members and meaningful contributors to society.
Our Vision
A world where the wealth gap is bridged and communities transformed through empowering coaching and transformative opportunities.
Our History
Duncan Tree Ventures, Inc. (formerly Duncan Tree Foundation, Inc.), a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible public charity, was founded in 2008 by Ms. Ouida Duncan with a bold vision: to uplift and transform lives in under-resourced communities across the country and beyond. From its inception, DTV has been a beacon of hope, championing access to education, healthcare, and emotional well-being for those often left behind.
For nearly a decade, DTV operated as a veritable "Doctors Without Borders" for spine surgery, delivering life-changing interventions for severe scoliosis to hundreds of adolescents. With a combined lifestyle and monetary impact of over USD 50MM, these missions extended to Jamaica (Kingston Public Hospital and Cornwall Regional Hospital), the Philippines (Southern Philippines Medical Center and Tebow CURE Hospital in Davao City), and Trinidad & Tobago (Princess Elizabeth Center, Port-of-Spain). More than 500 medical professionals were educated, and over 100 highly trained medical volunteers were mobilized across three developing nations and the U.S., ensuring that young people could stand taller—both physically and metaphorically—despite overwhelming challenges.
Recognizing that transformation extends beyond physical healing, DTV evolved its mission to empower high school students in under-resourced communities across the country, helping them unlock their potential and chart a path toward success. Through the In the Middle (ITM) Program, students interested in STREAM (Science, Technology, Real Property Investment, Arts, and Mathematics) careers receive emotional intelligence coaching, mentorship, and guidance from professionals in these fields. Certified coaches and experienced mentors use cutting-edge assessment tools to help students recognize their strengths and take tangible steps toward meaningful careers.
DTV's commitment to community impact has been unwavering. From 2009 to 2011, it partnered with various organizations to provide free cancer screenings and educational resources to underserved communities in the U.S. and Jamaica. In 2012, the Scoliosis Care Fund (SCF) was launched in Jamaica, dramatically reducing waiting times for scoliosis treatment. Between March 2012 and March 2020, DTV conducted over two dozen scoliosis missions, performing free corrective spine surgeries for almost 200 adolescents with curvatures between 50-135 degrees. Thanks to the contributions of world-renowned surgeons—including Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei (retired Chief of Scoliosis Surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery), Dr. Kenneth Paonessa (retired Norwich Orthopedic Group), and Dr. Vincent Arlet (UPenn Medicine)—Jamaica saw the introduction of neuromonitoring technology, significantly enhancing surgical outcomes.
DTV’s vision continues to expand, touching lives not only through healthcare but through holistic personal and professional development. In response to COVID-19 in 2020, DTV pivoted to online engagement, launching the Duncan Tree Podcast with Ouida to share inspiring conversations and insights on resilience, leadership, and transformation. Today, the organization is preparing to launch the In the Middle (ITM) Program to democratize access to transformational career and personal development coaching for people in under-resourced communities, empowering them to rise, lead, and thrive.
At DTV, we believe that every individual possesses unique gifts waiting to be discovered. Through our commitment to education, mentorship, and empowerment, we are helping to shape a future where everyone has the opportunity to unleash their full potential and stand in their power.
Our roadmap
Our past
We've helped hundreds of adolescents with severe scoliosis by providing them with free access to expensive spine surgery. We've also worked to improve the skills of local healthcare workers such as orthopedic spine surgeons, nurses, and technicians through various Scoliosis Mission Trips. Our efforts have also contributed to building capacity at public and private hospitals in Jamaica, The Philippines, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Thanks to our dedication, our spine program has been recognized as a Centre of Excellence by the Scoliosis Research Society in Jamaica. We're proud to have successfully completed 200 surgeries, making a huge difference in the lives of adolescent patients while saving these governments over $50 million dollars in the process.
* on average patients were between the ages of 10-22 years old and typically had severe curvatures of 50-135 degrees.
Our present
We're thrilled to announce the launch of the first season of the Duncan Tree podcast series, focused on wellness. In the upcoming episodes, we'll be diving into the four pillars of wellness that the Foundation has established in response to the pandemic: emotional, spiritual, physical, and financial wellness.
We're just like you, still figuring it all out. But with our diverse backgrounds and resources, we're confident that we can not only heal ourselves but also support you on your own journey toward healing. So let's embark on this journey together!
Present and future
We're teaming up with our M/WBE partner, White River Consulting, and Coaching partner iPEC and others to make a real difference for inner-city youth interested in STREAM (science, technology, real-investment, engineering, arts, and math) related careers. Our goal is to provide mentorship and coaching programs that empower and inspire them to pursue STREAM careers while bridging the wealth and education gap.
Together, we're committed to creating a roadmap for these young people to have sustained success. We're excited to see what we can accomplish when we work together towards a common goal!