Theresa Tuaño is a writer and illustrator from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Born into a family of artists, she nurtured her passion for drawing by working as a scientific illustrator while also studying marine biology. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and spent the next twenty-five years as an environmental conservation and international development specialist with the United States Government.

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 work is inspired by her love of nature, her Filipino-American heritage, and by the art and folklore she’s encountered while living abroad. She creates pictures with pencil, ink and digital techniques – either using intricate line work, or by carefully carving out shapes that evoke woodblock and linocut.

Theresa currently serves as the Massachusetts Illustrator Coordinator for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She holds a Bachelor’s in Marine Science from Long Island University with a minor in Art, and a Master’s in Environmental Policy from the University of Maryland.

Theresa is represented by Sera Rivers at Speilburg Literary Agency.