About Jo

Jo Packham has been one of the most notable figures in the creative industry for more than 30 years. She is a successful entrepreneur with her own publishing company, she is partnering with Stampington & Company to produce their new magazine: WHERE WOMEN CREATE, she has personally authored more than 40 arts-and-crafts titles, and she has co-owned three retail stores with her daughter, Sara Toliver.

Jo's publishing company Chapelle Ltd., is a 30-year-old Utah corporation that authors, packages, and co-publishes successful coffee table, instructional, and gift publications ranging from home decorating and gardening to master woodworking and antique needlework. The numerous titles written by Jo include the three best-selling publications Where Women Create, Organizing Your Craft Space, and Decorate Rich.

With more than 400 published titles, Chapelle is the premier co-publisher of arts-and-crafts books. Chapelle works with literally hundreds of leading arts-and-crafts authors to ensure that their publications are the most innovative and of the highest quality in the industry today.

Between the years 2000 and 2005 Jo and her daughter Sara were the co-owners of three Ogden-based retail stores: Ruby & Begonia, The White Fig, and Olive & Dahlia; all located on Historic 25th Street. By introducing these upscale boutiques to the heart of Ogden's commercial district, Jo was instrumental in revitalizing downtown Ogden.

Jo is actively involved in her community and the revitalization of its historic district. Her most notable community endeavor is the Christmas Village in downtown Ogden, Utah. This event –an Ogden tradition - had virtually disappeared until Jo brought it back to life, creating a magnificent "Santa's Village, on an entire city block, with over 65 cottages decorated and brightly festooned in over one million Christmas lights. Each year, hundreds of volunteers give a combined 10,000 hours of their time. With attendance numbers over 100,000 per year, this event continues to be the highlight of the Christmas season in Ogden.

On a personal note Jo is the mother of Sara and Justin, a mother-in-law to Brett, and the very proud "grammy" of twins Olivia and Jackson. Her life has been a journey that seems as if it were taken straight from the pages of a storybook. She looks forward to the promises of tomorrow and is proud to say that every single day she is blessed to be able to do what she loves, that she is surrounded by family and friends whom she adores and respects, and that she is trusted enough to represent those who work with their hands. She resides in Ogden Utah.