Meet Eva Tenuto

We were lucky to catch up with Eva Tenuto recently and have shared our conversation below.

Eva, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I am the co-founder and executive director of TMI Project, a nonprofit true storytelling organization with a mission to change the world, one story at a time. In our workshops, we guide people who don’t often have the chance to tell their stories and be heard. We help them boldly share their “TMI” experiences to replace shame with freedom. The impetus for starting this organization is a TMI story in and of itself.

I grew up as the secret keeper in my family. At 11 years old, I listened in on a phone call and found out that my mother had a child when she was 16, whom she gave up for adoption. I was told not to tell my younger sisters. I was the only one who knew there was a child missing at the dinner table—the only one who knew my mother had been forced to give away one of her children. I grew up feeling immense pressure to keep the secret hidden, afraid that if I let it slip, I’d be responsible for tearing my family apart.

Secrets have a way of snowballing. At 12, I started to binge eat as a way to stuff the secrets down. It was my first foray into addiction. I was brutally bullied for my weight. I stopped talking in school. I became suicidal. At 13, I discovered what food restriction felt like and got high off the control and the newfound attention. Alcohol quickly replaced food. With my mounting insecurity and need for external validation, I became perfect prey for predators and started being groomed by a high school teacher my freshman year.

There were two things that got me through those early years: keeping a journal I shared weekly with an English teacher, and starting a lifelong love affair with theater. Writing down my story, sharing it with another human being, being seen, having my experience reflected back to me—combined with the release of getting on stage and sharing my pent-up emotions with a crowd who could help me hold it all—saved my life.

Now, more than 15 years later, helping others share their most authentic stories and shed their shame has become not just my work, but my life’s purpose.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

One of the most rewarding things about my work is witnessing people’s inner light come back on. Over and over again, I get to watch personal transformation happen before my eyes. Shame is powerful and halts our progress. When freed from it, people become unstoppable. After their work with us, their catharsis often ripples out into the world in the form of advocacy, education, and cultural change. Whether through a live performance, a podcast episode, or a short documentary, the stories we help bring into the world challenge stigma and invite connection across divides.

Our podcast, The TMI Project Story Hour, is one of the most accessible ways to experience our work. It pairs unforgettable true stories with conversations that unpack the deeper cultural issues at play—things like mental health, racism, gender-based violence, and queer identity.

Right now, I’m especially excited about how our storytelling is being used as a tool for change. We’re not only helping storytellers find their voice—we’re equipping them to influence real-world systems. You can check out all of our work at TMIProject.org.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

When I co-founded TMI Project, I had no nonprofit experience. What I did have was a wild, unshakable belief that telling the truth could change lives. I followed that belief even when I didn’t know what I was doing.

If you’re starting out, don’t wait until you feel “ready.” Don’t wait for your inner critic to go away—it won’t. Instead, have the audacity to say to your inner critic, “I hear you, but I’m doing this anyway.” Start with what you have and let the rest catch up.

To do this work, I had to become a master listener—not just hearing people’s words, but holding space for the full emotional truth of what they’re sharing. Whether you’re building a movement or a business, empathy isn’t a soft skill—it’s a superpower. It’s hard to create anything that lasts if the foundation isn’t rooted in connection.

There is no linear path in creative or mission-driven work. Everything meaningful I’ve ever done has been a response to the moment—a crisis, a conversation, a calling. I’ve learned to follow the current instead of forcing the plan.

The best advice I can give? Stay open. Learn to listen and listen to learn. Keep showing up. Don’t expect to go viral overnight—that rarely happens. Be steadfast and persistent. And perhaps most importantly, don’t try to do anything alone. Acknowledge where you shine. Focus on that. Find people who excel at the things you don’t and partner with them. Get comfortable asking for help.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

This is so individual. What helps one person might make another feel worse. I’m a sensitive, empathetic, introvert. I need a multi=pronged approach to keep my nervous system in check! I’ve found it crucial to have a team and a slew of support tools at my beck and call. As I said earlier—ask for help. Why would I spend 12 hours on a budget that someone else could complete more skillfully in a quarter of the time? Engage people. Delegate. Set ambitious goals, but always honor your capacity. If you don’t, burnout will happen before success does.

I’ve learned that overwhelm is often a sign I’ve abandoned my own needs or taken on too much responsibility for things outside my control. When that happens, I pause and ask: What do I need right now to feel grounded again?

As for my own practices… I write every morning—not to create a masterpiece, but to dump whatever noise is clogging my thinking. A morning brainwash so I can start my day with a clear head. I’m in recovery and surrounded by people who are available to give and receive support in equal measure. I don’t just believe in going to therapy—I believe in staying in it. Why wait for a problem to arise? During manageable times, therapy has helped me dream bigger.

I make sure to reserve time just for fun. For me, that’s dancing. I dance multiple times a week. More than anything, being in the creative process is my spiritual practice. Painting and fiber arts have saved me, time and time again.

My advice: Let the overwhelm speak. Don’t push it away—listen to it. And then do one small thing that brings you back to yourself.

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