As a thirty-year resident of Shandaken, Joseph Prieboy often relied on the Shandaken Historical Museum for research while working on local restoration projects. His background is in New York entertainment industry marketing, video, and computer graphics. In his early career, he received grants for after school projects that he developed and taught.

He has worked for museums such as the International Center of Photography, the New York Fire Museum, the Field Museum of Natural History and the Walker Art Center.