Ryvell D. Fitzpatrick is an attorney, educator, and education advocate whose career has focused on advancing educational equity, strengthening public education systems, and helping students and families navigate complex institutional processes. He currently serves as a Staff Attorney with the Mississippi Center for Justice’s Education Equity Campaign, where he represents and advocates on behalf of students and families across Mississippi.
A native of Ruleville, Mississippi, Fitzpatrick began his career as a public school teacher in the Mississippi Delta. He later earned his Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law, where he served as a Fellow in the Office of the Student Advocate in Washington, D.C., focusing on student discipline and education policy reform.
Following law school, Fitzpatrick served as Assistant Ombudsman for the D.C. State Board of Education and later as Ombudsperson for Montgomery County Public Schools. In these roles, he worked with students and families to resolve concerns, navigate educational systems, and identify opportunities for policy and systemic improvement. He subsequently served as Chief of Staff to the Prince George’s County Board of Education, supporting the Board in its governance and oversight of one of the nation’s largest public school systems.
Fitzpatrick returned home to Mississippi to join the Mississippi Center for Justice, initially working with the Economic Justice Campaign’s Justice Court Pilot Program to expand access to justice in Mississippi’s justice courts. His return to the Education Equity field brings together his experience in the classroom, education advocacy, public school governance, and law in service of Mississippi students and families.
Fitzpatrick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education from Mississippi State University and a Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law. He is an alumnus of the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Education Policy Fellowship Program and The Change Collective and is a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.