“Globally-minded, service-driven Catalyst, and Top 3 International Hugger.”
“Globally-minded, service-driven Catalyst, and Top 3 International Hugger.”
As a Project Officer, Joey provides technical assistance, consultation, and collaborative learning services to community leaders and funding partners. His perspective and expertise strengthens Healthy Places by Design’s position as a trusted thought leader and advances the field of healthy communities.
Joseph “Joey” Peele was born and raised in North Carolina (Beaufort and Halifax Counties, respectively). He holds a B.S. in Journalism & Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from North Carolina A&T State University. Upon graduation, Joey worked with the Carolina Panthers, the NC General Assembly and with the US Senate before joining the Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation as the Rockingham County Catalyst for Healthy Eating and Active Living. In this role as Catalyst, Joey has assisted in county-wide health strategies to support transformational change that create places where healthier choices are available and easier to make, as well as in coordinating efforts that will have long-term impact for residents across the county.
Joey’s passions are public service, promoting positive community, and world travel. In his free time, Joey loves spending time with his family and friends, making beats, videography, college sports, laughter, and gifs. He also co-founded a local travel group, a farmer’s market, and a musicians’ studio.
My interest in health equity dates back to my childhood, growing up in rural northeastern North Carolina where race, a lack of affordable and quality health services, and gender pay informed my understanding of how socioeconomic factors can affect quality of life. That experience fueled my passion to help strengthen marginalized communities.
The community where I was raised, Big Swamp, is designated as a food desert, meaning the people in the county do not have adequate access to healthy food. In addition, there are not enough opportunities for active living. After our family moved from Beaufort County, I lived in Halifax and Rockingham Counties, where I began to truly understand how many other rural communities were experiencing barriers to adequate healthcare and quality of life, and what factors lead to those obstacles. My aspirations are to bring communities like Big Swamp, and others across the nation, together to focus on healthy living, and to motivate them to take action toward improving health outcomes. As a Catalyst, I developed valuable insight and a strong interest in working with regional and statewide organizations to bring together and motivate communities to improve healthy eating and healthy living.