Tish Litchfield spent her childhood surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes of the Northwest, which ignited her passion for outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, running, and kayaking.
She attended the University of California, Davis, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Dietetics. Later, at San Jose State University, she combined her love for writing with her interest in sports and conducted comprehensive research for her thesis on the diets of endurance sports athletes. She later earned a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Science from San Jose State University.
Tish Litchfield is joyfully paddling, Kaneohe Bay, HI, 2018.
In 2011, Tish Litchfield was diagnosed with breast cancer and started journaling about her healing journey.
A Miracle Within You: Paddling Through Cancer is her debut book, which narrates her personal story and intimate journey from darkness to the light of grace. Tish attributes her recovery from breast cancer to her deep love for paddling. A breast injury while paddling actually led to the detection of cancer and ultimately saved her life. Throughout her book, Tish’s passion for paddling is evident as she shares how her determination to return to the water and paddle the 72-mile shoreline of Lake Tahoe played a pivotal role in her physical, mental, and spiritual healing. During her cathartic journey paddling through breast cancer, Tish focused on transitioning from fear to grace.
Tish achieved tremendous success working as a Dietetic Technician in hospitals and later as a Registered Dietitian. She spent over 30 years serving as a School Nutrition Services Director, during which she served as the California State President of the School Nutrition Association. She received awards such as the USDA’s Outstanding School Lunch Program and was dedicated to lobbying for childhood hunger issues at both the California State Capitol and in Washington, D.C. Additionally, she served as the editor of Poppy Seeds, the California journal of the School Nutrition Association. Throughout her career, she was actively involved in various state and national committees, including leadership and strategic planning, to provide funding, improve and expand nutrition and health services for children nationwide. Tish was honored to receive a prestigious Assembly Resolution from the California State Legislature for her lifetime achievements in the field of child nutrition and volunteer organizations.
Tish had a busy schedule! In addition to her day job, she taught night classes as an instructor at the Hospitality Management Division of Mission-West Valley Community College. She also coordinated and spoke at numerous workshops on nutrition and food systems management at the county, state, and national levels. Outside of work, Tish dedicated her time for many years volunteering with Los Medicos Voladores, providing health services to villagers in remote areas of Sonora, Mexico. Moreover, she served as a California State Parks docent in the Redwoods and enjoyed hiking the trails during her free time.
After retiring and transcending breast cancer, Tish now enjoys excellent health and lives in the peaceful Santa Cruz Mountains, surrounded by majestic redwood trees and the California Central Coast. She is grateful to be able to spend time each year at one of her favorite places, the Hawaiian Island of Oahu in Kaneohe. Her greatest passion is paddling watercraft, whether it’s an outrigger canoe, kayak, SUP, or surfboard; she loves them all! Her love of paddling has taken her to explore many islands of the South Pacific, where she deeply connected with the Polynesian culture through racing outrigger canoes. Tish, a mermaid at heart, finds peace in swimming, being in or on the water, and paddling. She also has an adventurous spirit and has traveled to 29 countries on six of the world’s seven continents, with plans for more adventures in the future.