Theresa Tuaño is a writer and illustrator from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She was born into a family of artists and spent much of her childhood making pictures. She later nurtured her passion for drawing by working as a scientific illustrator while also pursuing a degree in marine biology. Theresa’s life took an unexpected turn after serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). She has since lived in nine countries on five different continents as a Foreign Service Officer with the United States Agency for International Development. Through her international humanitarian work, Theresa found insight into the power of illustration to bridge boundaries of language and culture, especially when communicating with children. Theresa’s stories are largely inspired by her love of nature, her Filipino-American heritage, and by the people and places she’s encountered around the world.

Theresa is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Eric Carle Museum. She currently serves as Co-Illustrator Coordinator for SCBWI’s New England Region.