The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) has hired Mike Barrett as the new staff associate for education. 

In his new position, Barrett will manage FCCB’s professional-education duty resources, in addition to coordinating and representing Catholic schools and the issues that they face in the state of Florida, along with collaborating with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). In addition to these responsibilities, Barrett will be working alongside school-choice groups and special-needs organizations. 

Barrett taught math at Jean Ribault High School in Jacksonville, where he was a member of 2011’s Teach for America Jacksonville Corps, coached a number of varsity sports and held the position of math department chair from 2013-14. 

Barrett served in the area of campus ministry at Northeastern University Catholic Center in Boston from 2010-11. 

Barrett graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science and history from Florida State University and a Juris Doctor degree from Notre Dame Law School. While in law school, he interned with the Honorable William J. Zloch of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. 

After law school, Barrett came back to his home state of Florida and worked in the Tallahassee office of Vezina, Lawrence, and Piscitelli, P.A. While working with the firm, he learned about complex civil litigation, administrative law, and appellate law.

“We are very pleased that Mike has joined the team here at the Conference,” Michael B. Sheedy, executive director of FCCB, said in a release on the Conference's website. “His experience as an educator and his legal background will serve us well as he advocates for a strong education system and for parental choice in it.” 

Barrett and his wife reside in Tallahassee and are parents to a new baby. They attend the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More.