Ten Strands continues to introduce its staff through statements of purpose that reveal the motivations and ambitions behind their work. Today, we hear from chief development officer Abby Cruz Ouimet, whose personal and professional commitment to building a just, sustainable future through education and environmental stewardship is inspired by the curiosity and courage of her four children.
As someone who volunteered as a young person and has worked in the nonprofit sector my entire career, it’s safe to say that I’ve always felt a drive to give back, help others, and make the world a better place. However, nothing has shaped my desire to pay attention and leave the world better than I found it more than being a mom.
I have four curious and compassionate boys who challenge me every day to live with greater intention, urgency, and care for our world and others. Their questions about the future, the past, the health of our planet, the fairness of our systems, and the ways they can carve their own paths fuel my deep belief in the power of home, education, investment, and community to drive transformation.
Our family is fortunate to live in a beautiful, natural, wild space where my children have the opportunity to learn from the world around them simply by walking outdoors. They come home with muddy shoes, frogs and tadpoles in their hands, stories about water cycles, salmon, and black bears, and questions about how we all fit together. Watching them grow in this kind of learning and living environment has been transformative for them and for me. As a mom, why would I not want all children to experience that kind of wonder?
That is what brought me to Ten Strands.
My boys’ innocence and courage inspire me to work for a future that protects their possibility. I want them to live in a world where clean air and safe drinking water are rights, not privileges; where caring for our environment is embedded in every classroom; where students of every background are connected to nature and to their own power to make change. I want them to grow up knowing they are part of something bigger, that their choices matter, and that we have done the very best we can for them—knowing that in just a few short years, they’ll be leading the way.
Education is one of the most powerful levers we have to influence the future and leave a legacy we can be proud of. My goal as chief development officer is to build bridges between visionaries, funders, educators, and systems who care and want to act. My work is fueled by the knowledge that we are running out of time—and yet, we still have everything to gain.
I’ve seen firsthand the impact that outdoor learning and environmental education can have on a child’s confidence, identity, and sense of belonging. All children, not just a lucky few, deserve the chance to learn in ways that are relevant, joyful, and connected to the world they live in. Education should prepare them not only for jobs or tests but for the real challenges they will inherit and the leaders we’ll need them to become—or perhaps already are.
This work is personal. It’s about my kids. It’s about all kids. When I look at my children, and when I see them look out at the mountains, rivers, and forests that surround our home, I am reminded of what’s at stake. And I am reminded of why I do this work: to leave them, and their generation, a world that is more just, more sustainable, and more full of wonder.
