Melissa Fitzgerald

As an actor, Melissa Fitzgerald is best known for her captivating role as Carol on The West Wing, but her journey extends far beyond the screen. While in Hollywood, Melissa co-founded Voices in Harmony, a theater-focused mentoring program for teens. She took Voices in Harmony to war-torn northern Uganda to work with former abducted child soldiers, resulting in the award-winning documentary “After Kony: Staging Hope.” She is also co-executive producer of “Halfway Home,” a film that profiles several returning veterans as they share their struggles reintegrating after experiencing the trauma of war. In 2013, Melissa left Hollywood to champion justice system reform in the nation’s capital, where she now serves as director of strategic engagement at the nonprofit organization, All Rise, promoting treatment and recovery support instead of incarceration for individuals impacted by substance use and mental health disorders. Melissa and former The West Wing castmate, Mary McCormack, recently co-authored their first book, “What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy Of Service,” which became an instant New York Times Best Seller. She is also a recipient of the Secretary of the Army’s Public Service Medal.