Tio Eshleman

Tio Eshleman is nothing if not passionate. From her early years in Pennsylvania to her exploration of the (inside) of a Pasadena mental hospital, she draws on her life as a gay, half-Japanese bipolar gal to create powerful stories of common humanity. Her stories pull you in. They make you giggle, ask you to sit with your tears and help you experience the “Ah…” of reflection. She is a highly-decorated physician and educator, recognized for her ability to connect with her patients and her students. If you don’t catch her in the middle of an operating room story to illustrate the beauty of grit, you’ll find her toodling about Little Rock, Arkansas. She can be found in the evenings relaxing by a backyard campfire with her mother, Setsuko, and with Sammy, her super smart poodle, IHHO.