Jill Chalsty has devoted her life to the transformative power of education. As the founder of Overcoming Obstacles, the nonprofit she launched in 1992, Jill pioneered life skills instruction that has now reached more than 180 million students in over 200 countries. 

When grief shattered her world, Jill boarded the Queen Anne in 2025 on its maiden world voyage to find healing and purpose. Packets of Hope: A Journey of Healing and Rediscovery is a deeply personal memoir that follows Jill through twenty-six ports of call across the globe. With every stop—be it the spiritual resilience of Tonga, the harsh beauty of Namibia, or the hopeful faces of children in China—she weaves together intimate reflections, human connection, and her life’s mission to equip young people with essential life skills. Since its launch in October 2025, it has consistently been one of the top downloads for Amazon's free memoirs.

Socials:

Packets of Hope website: https://www.packetsofhope.com/

Overcoming Obstacles website: https://www.overcomingobstacles.org/

LinkedIn: Jill Siegal Chalsty

FB: Packets of Hope

Insta: Jill Chalsty @jillchalsty

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