Jennifer Tsao

is a creature of Northern California. Born in San Francisco, raised in Santa Cruz, and professionally forged in Silicon Valley, she spent her entire life near the Pacific Ocean. But it wasn’t until 2021 when she discovered a way to get in that ocean every day. Through open water swimming, Jennifer found a lifeline, a practice that helped her develop beautiful friendships, community she had longed for, a deep appreciation for nature, and unexpected improvements in her health.

Jennifer currently resides in San Francisco with her family. She holds a Masters in Journalism from Columbia University and an undergraduate degree in literature from Stanford University. She began her career writing music news at MTV and has worked as a journalist in print and online. A non-athlete — even formerly a non-swimmer — Jennifer is eager to share the story of her ocean swimming journey with readers in her forthcoming book, The Hot Water Bottle Club.