Coming to Western Stage College sight unseen in 2009, Joey instantly fell in love with the Gunnison Valley. Graduating from the renamed Western Colorado University in 2013 with a degree in Recreation & Outdoor Education with an emphasis in Outdoor Leadership, the next several years were spent River Guiding in Utah & Colorado, amassing avalanche certifications (and many powder days), and generally recreating as much as possible. Thousands of river miles and many hundreds of ski days later, he entered the Parks & Recreation department with the Town of Crested Butte in 2017. Following personal passion for Federal Land Management strategy he was able to take over the Open Space & Trails division in 2021 in the newly restructured Parks, Recreation, Open Space & Trails Department (PROST). He has participated as a primary representative for Town organizing details for various conservation projects such as title acquisitions, conservation easements, funding partnerships, the Mt. Emmons Land Exchange and Mineral Relinquishment, the GMUG Forest Plan Revision, recreational trail easements, forestry work, wetland restoration and stewardship, alongside many others. His passion for conservation, stewardship, recreational access, and playing outside continues to drive the work that Town, in partnership with many local organizations, is able to accomplish in such a small community.