Joey Colby-Begovich
Vice President, Guest Experience
What he loves about his work at the Commanders: As Vice President of Guest Experience, Joey is always thinking about the overall sensory experience of being at FedExField – whether that's food and beverage, the arrival of fans or gameday entertainment! What Joey appreciates most about his role here is that everything is a possibility. He loves that he's in an environment where people have permission to try cool projects, suggest ideas and collaborate in innovative ways.
What Pride Month means to him: "For me, Pride Month is an opportunity and a reminder to tell our stories as queer people. It's a time to stop and celebrate that we are here, we exist and we have done so much for ourselves, our community, our country and our world. It's also an opportunity to recognize the places we still need to go and the work that still needs be done to achieve full equality."
What he wants people to know about the LGBTQ+ community: "I want people to know that, on the one hand, we're just like everybody else. We're husbands and fathers. We're your neighbors, your public servants, your vice presidents of guest experience at your favorite NFL team. These things that are so mundane and normal. On the other hand, I want people to know that we as queer people struggle for visibility, representation and for just the simple comfort of wanting to be like everybody else. Unfortunately, we are not at a place where we have equal representation or equal rights in so many ways. You see all of the things happening around the country that are targeting, specifically right now, queer children, trans youth. It's upsetting. Queer youth have become targets and are the most vulnerable group to attack. They are 4x more likely to commit suicide, 4x more likely to be homeless. I want people to know that the reason that we are here and we have pride and we are visible and we are loud is not because we want to impose on anyone, it's because we just want people to let people be. Until we have equity, we will continue to speak for those who have no voice."
Favorite thing to do outside of work: "My favorite thing is spending time with my family. I have a four-year-old daughter and to experience the world through her eyes is the most joyous thing. In terms of my hobbies, I love camping. I'm a home improvement enthusiast. And in the winter months, we love to ski in any place that has mountains."
Favorite quote/mantra: "Always assume positive intent" and "As much as possible, live in a space of joy."