Joey Cheek

Joey Cheek is co-founder and president of Team Darfur, an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. Joey was invited to be a Member of the 2006 Clinton Global Initiative, where his member commitment was to create a coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about Darfur.

Originally an inline skater from North Carolina, Joey quickly mastered the ice and became a world record-setting speed skater. At the 2006 Turin Olympics, Joey represented the United States as a member of the men's USA Speed skating team. After winning gold in the 500m race and silver in the 1000m, he donated the $40,000 awarded him to Right To Play, an international aid organization focused on bringing the benefits of sport and play to the most disadvantaged children in the world. Joey's donation inspired his sponsors and other athletes to collectively donate over one million dollars to children in Darfur.

After his Olympic press conference, Joey was elected by his teammates to carry the US flag into the closing ceremonies, and Time magazine named him one of their "100 people who shape our world." Joey is the recipient of the DHL Olympic Spirit award, the 2006 National Sportsmanship Award, and the inaugural Heisman Humanitarian Award. Joey was also featured on a Wheaties Box. Joey has spoken at countless corporate and non-profit events, including the April 30th Save Darfur: Rally to Stop Genocide in 2006, alongside luminaries such as Elie Wiesel, George Clooney and Barack Obama.

Joey is currently a freshman at Princeton University where he studies economics and Chinese, and regularly attends Princeton Tigers football games.