Leonardo Bevilacqua, a former Mississippi Today fellow and Delta public school teacher, is joining the newsroom in a full-time role as Delta/Education Reporter.

Leo, a New York native with family ties to Mississippi, just completed a 12-week fellowship at Mississippi Today, where he deeply covered criminal justice, education and culture. He holds degrees from Columbia University in American Studies and Investigative Journalism, and his work appears in the Christian Science Monitor and at Byline.

Before becoming a journalist, he taught high school English in Indianola, Leland, and Jackson, and worked in nonprofit after-school enrichment programs in Clarksdale and Cleveland. He also directed community theater with the Delta Arts Alliance.

“The phrase ‘hit the ground running’ is trite but seems no better description for Leo,” said Debbie Skipper, Mississippi Today’s Justice Editor. “From the moment he joined our investigative team as a summer fellow from Columbia University, he has kept a pace that is truly remarkable, gleaning insights from Mississippians across the state dealing with real issues like childcare access and affordability, crime victim compensation, undocumented workers, teacher pay and local school control. He never just speaks to officials. As he takes on his new role, Mississippi couldn’t ask for a better journalist to report the stories that touch the lives of everyday Mississippians.”

Leo will serve on Mississippi Today’s newly formed Education Team, which is dedicated to covering all aspects of the state’s education system with a special focus on the challenges and solutions in Mississippi schools that can engage youth and strengthen communities.

The reporting on areas of educational pathways, funding and postsecondary opportunities will be produced in Mississippi Today’s signature style — in-depth, with attention to background and context. This will include a mix of daily news and longer-form pieces involving investigation and data analysis, with a special focus on schools and families in the Mississippi Delta.

That Delta focus makes Leo uniquely qualified for this job.

“I’m humbled to be reporting on a region where I began my professional career as a teacher,”  Bevilacqua said. “The Delta deserves high-impact, accountability journalism. I look forward to  joining a team of journalists I’ve long revered.”