About Tess
Tess Padmore was born on March 13, 1953, and grew up in New York City. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Drexel University in Philadelphia and later completed an MBA at New York University. Her professional journey began as a staff auditor in the Banking and Finance Division at Arthur Andersen & Company. She then moved on to Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, a leading global biopharmaceutical firm, where she was a member of their accounting think tank.
In 1982, following a childhood dream, Ms. Padmore relocated to Alaska. Settling in Juneau, she began working for the State of Alaska as a Legislative Auditor. She later advanced to the role of Deputy Director of the Division of Pioneers’ Benefits, where she oversaw all administrative operations, including budget development. The Division served Alaska’s senior citizens by providing a monthly stipend and managing the state’s residential and skilled nursing facilities, known as the Pioneers’ Homes. Under her leadership, the Division operated with a $76 million operating budget, a $25 million capital budget, and a workforce of 1,000 employees across seven different bargaining units.
Next, Ms. Padmore joined the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), the state's ferry transportation network serving Southeast and Southwest Alaska. She held the position of Support Services Manager, carrying out responsibilities similar to those in her previous role, including oversight of administrative functions. AMHS was comparable in size and scope to the Division of Pioneers’ Benefits. She remained with AMHS for nine years before moving on to a new role within the state.
Ms. Padmore’s final role in Alaska was as the Administrative Director for the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council (the Council), which was formed following the 1991 civil settlement of $900 million stemming from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. During her one-year tenure, she was tasked with identifying how the initial $300 million of settlement funds had been spent, as well as preparing the Council’s first set of financial statements and developing an operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
In 1994, relocating to Rochester, New York, Ms. Padmore stepped away from her professional career to pursue her lifelong passion for learning and the arts. Immersed in a region home to seventeen universities, colleges, and community colleges, she accepted a position as Department Administrator in the Division of Community and Preventive Medicine at the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry. While there, she completed over 100 hours of postgraduate coursework in Film Studies, Spanish, Cultural Studies, and Education at the master’s level, and completed all but two courses toward a doctoral degree in Education. Tess also shared her knowledge through teaching roles at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Monroe Community College, and the OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
In 2001, Ms. Padmore survived brain aneurysm that ruptured twice and a pulmonary embolism, resulting in a traumatic brain injury along with a complex mix of autoimmune and chronic health conditions. She faced another pulmonary embolism in 2004, and in 2006 was officially diagnosed as permanently disabled, bringing an end to her professional career and formal academic pursuits. However, unwilling to give up, Ms. Padmore reinvented herself in 2011 as an entrepreneur, inventor, and writer of creative nonfiction, including children's books.
In 2011, Ms. Padmore invented and patented a recreational swim cap designed specifically for individuals with abundant hair, launching the brand Egghead Soques®. The idea was born out of her own health recovery journey, which involved aquatic therapy—and the challenge of finding a swim cap that actually fit. The brand’s tagline, “All You Need Is A Head ®,” reflects its commitment to inclusivity, offering products suitable for all hair types, lengths, textures—or no hair at all. Egghead Soques® features a range of headwear designed for active lifestyles, fashion, and individuals experiencing medical hair loss.
Ms. Padmore began writing in 2006 as a part of her mental health recovery and quickly discovered it to be a powerful creative outlet. She went on to establish her own publishing imprint, The Old Souls Café Publishing. Her debut children’s book, Remember Rudy—a story about grief—was published in January 2020, followed by Twin Tails in December 2020, which explores the theme of adoption. Both books are available in English and Spanish.
Now retired from both the State of Alaska and the University of Rochester, Ms. Padmore has fulfilled another childhood dream by relocating to Big Sky Country — Montana. She dedicates her time to family, writing, and managing her small business, Kai Wolf.