# Melissa Fitzgerald
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{{short description|American actress and activist}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2013}}
{{infobox person
| name = Melissa Fitzgerald
| image = Melissa Fitzgerald, ILO, 2013-crop.jpg
| caption = Fitzgerald in 2013
| birth_date=
| alma_mater = [University of Pennsylvania](/source/University_of_Pennsylvania)
| occupation = Actress, nonprofit administrator
| spouse = {{marriage |[Noah Emmerich](/source/Noah_Emmerich)|1998|2003|reason=divorced}}
}}
'''Melissa Fitzgerald''' is an American [actress](/source/actress) and the senior director of the [nonprofit organization](/source/nonprofit_organization) Justice For Vets. She played [Carol Fitzpatrick](/source/Carol_Fitzpatrick) on ''[The West Wing](/source/The_West_Wing)''.
==Early life and education==
Fitzgerald grew up in the [Chestnut Hill](/source/Chestnut_Hill%2C_Philadelphia) area of Philadelphia.[{{cite news |last1=Eichel |first1=Molly |title=Giving a voice to Ugandan teens |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/philadelphia-daily-news-melissa-fitzgera/175014591/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=October 31, 2011 |page=44|via = [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) }}] Her father is Pennsylvania judge James Fitzgerald; her mother, Carol, is involved in politics and volunteer work in Philadelphia.[{{cite news |last1=Gray |first1=Ellen |title='Wing'ed angel: She finds mentors for city kids |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/philadelphia-daily-news-melissa-fitzgera/175014966/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=March 15, 2000 |page=67|via = [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) }}]
Fitzgerald graduated from [Springside School](/source/Springside_School) in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), in 1983, and earned a B.A. in drama and literature from the [University of Pennsylvania](/source/University_of_Pennsylvania) in 1987. Fitzgerald studied acting at [The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre](/source/Neighborhood_Playhouse_School_of_the_Theatre) in New York City.[{{cite web|url=https://www.chestnuthilllocal.com/stories/west-wing-star-melissa-fitzgerald-brings-movie-to-philly-film-festival,1302|last=Lear|first=Len|title=West Wing star Melissa Fitzgerald brings movie to Philly Film Festival|work=Chestnut Hill Local|access-date=August 9, 2023|date=October 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810231342/https://www.chestnuthilllocal.com/stories/west-wing-star-melissa-fitzgerald-brings-movie-to-philly-film-festival,1302 |url-status=live |archive-date=August 10, 2023}}]
==Career==
Fitzgerald is the founder of [Voices in Harmony](/source/Voices_in_Harmony), a non-profit community theater in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).[{{cite web |title=Voices in America Form 990 |url=https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2014/954/577/2014-954577430-0c1deef8-9.pdf?_ga=2.207914452.770123608.1606378873-1495163244.1606378873 |publisher=Candid |access-date=26 November 2020}}] From 1999 to 2006, she played Carol Fitzpatrick, assistant to press secretary [C.J. Cregg](/source/C.J._Cregg), on ''[The West Wing](/source/The_West_Wing)''.
On January 19, 2007, [Nicholas D. Kristof](/source/Nicholas_D._Kristof) of ''[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)'' announced that Fitzgerald had won a writing contest he had sponsored on [Darfur](/source/Darfur).[{{cite web|url=https://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/we-have-a-winner-your-turn-the-darfur-genocide/|title=We Have a Winner... 'Your Turn': The Darfur Genocide|first=Nicholas D.|last=Kristof|date=19 January 2007 |publisher=}}]
On May 17, 2008, Fitzgerald received the [Chestnut Hill College](/source/Chestnut_Hill_College) Medal, and she was the commencement speaker.[{{cite web |title=Humanitarian and Actress Melissa Fitzgerald to Deliver Commencement Address |url=http://www.chc.edu/page_template.asp?section=1&file=homepage_commencement |website=Chestnut Hill College |access-date=March 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510155937/http://www.chc.edu/page_template.asp?section=1&file=homepage_commencement |archive-date=May 10, 2008}}]
In November 2013, Fitzgerald joined Justice For Vets as its director of strategic engagement. The organization advocates for veterans treatment courts.[https://allrise.org/our-team/#public]
In August 2024, Fitzgerald and [Mary McCormack](/source/Mary_McCormack) published "What's Next", a behind the scenes look into the creation and legacy of [The West Wing](/source/The_West_Wing)[{{cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/669218/whats-next-by-melissa-fitzgerald-and-mary-mccormack-foreword-by-aaron-sorkin-introduction-byallison-janney/|date=13 August 2024|title=Penguin Random House: "What's Next"}}]
== Personal life ==
Fitzgerald married actor [Noah Emmerich](/source/Noah_Emmerich) in November 1998.