Login | September 13, 2024
Longtime Probate Court Administrator Lisa Zeno Carano retires
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: August 30, 2024
When she was 18, Lisa Zeno Carano left Akron to attend Adelphi University in New York on a full dance scholarship.
She had spent much of her life preparing for the opportunity, training under choreographer and Ohio Ballet founder Heinz Poll and Joyce Flynn, her teacher since she was a child.
“My plan was to be a ballet dancer,” said Carano.
But during her second year as an undergraduate at the Long Island university she tore her Achilles tendon, putting an end to her initial career plans.
“It was very difficult to accept, but injuries happen to a lot of dancers,” said Carano. “Without the scholarship I was not able to continue with my education so I moved back to Akron.”
At the time, she said she could never have imagined the path her life or career would take.
Now decades later, Carano not only has two adult children and one grandchild, but she is retiring from her longtime position as court administrator at Summit County Probate Court.
“I never thought I would work for the court system, let alone develop such a passion and love for it,” said Carano, whose last day is today Aug. 30.
“But looking back now I can honestly say I am very satisfied with the way things turned out,” she said. “I’ve worked for several courts during my decades-long career and each one has been like a little family.”
Summit County Probate Court Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer said she is sorry to see Carano leave.
“Lisa has an outstanding skill set,” said Judge Stormer. “She had excellent credentials when she started and I was very lucky to hire her away from the elected position she held at the time.
“Lisa has done an excellent job in updating the technology and keeping things running smoothly,” said Judge Stormer. “She was also instrumental in bringing a culture of service and teamwork to the organization.
“Her leaving is bittersweet,” she said. “We are happy that she is in good health and can now enjoy doing a lot of other things that she could not do while working full time, but we really don’t want her to go.”
Assistant Court Administrator Michael Radic will take over Carano’s duties on Sept. 3.
“Filling Lisa’s shoes will be a tall order,” said Radic. “She has been working in the court system for almost 30 years and has a great deal of institutional knowledge.
“Lisa was an absolutely amazing court administrator,” he said. “She is meticulous, organized and pays attention to details. She is always on top of her game and worked hard to try and better the court and the staff.”
“It’s been a pleasure learning from her,” said Radic.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” Carano said. “I loved dancing but realistically it was not something I could have done my entire life even if I did not injure myself.
“Instead I was given the chance to help ensure that several court systems ran smoothly, which benefits the public by assisting in the administration of justice.”
Carano’s entryway into the court system came in 1995 when a neighbor informed her that then Summit County Juvenile Court Judge Saundra Robinson was looking for a part-time deputy traffic clerk to work in the evenings.
“I was going through a divorce at the time and I really needed something stable to take care of my young daughters,” said Carano. “I had been working a variety of jobs to make ends meet.
“I did not have any court experience, but Judge Robinson took a chance and hired me and I am forever grateful.”
A few months after she started she became a full-time deputy clerk in the main office of the juvenile court.
“I received amazing training from the clerks from the time I began as a part-time deputy clerk,” she said. “I was very interested in what I was doing so I embraced any type of work I was given.”
In 1998, she was promoted to administrative assistant, working under the court administrator, the assistant court administrator and the finance director at the juvenile court.
“I learned the other side of court operations,” she said.
In 2007, Carano was appointed and then elected clerk of courts in Cuyahoga Falls.
By that time, Carano was also a member of the Tallmadge City Council, after being elected in 2005.
“I learned a lot about court administration from court administrators David Alexander and Bob Bickett, who held the positions while I was at juvenile court.”
After the Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court moved to Stow, Carano continued to oversee the operations of the clerk’s office, winning a full six-year term in 2009.
While Carano said she enjoyed what she was doing, when Judge Stormer offered her the position of court administrator she said the opportunity was too good to pass up.
“Judge Stormer contacted me after she won the election in 2012 and I started at the beginning of 2013 after she took the bench,” said Carano.
“As court administrator, I oversaw the operations of the court, making sure that it ran efficiently and effectively and served the public appropriately.
“I have always stressed customer service,” she said. “Unlike other courts, we do not deal with defendants, but we do deal with life and death situations involving marriage licenses, estates, guardianships, adoptions and mental illness cases.”
During her time at the probate court, Carano became a certified court manager through the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College and the National Center for State Courts Institute for Court Management and earned a professional certification through the Ohio Association of Municipal/County Court Clerks.
“We made a number of improvements over the years, upgrading the technology to provide easier access and more transparency to the public, among other things,” said Carano.
“Judge Stormer has been an excellent mentor to me,” Carano said. “She cares a great deal about people and her staff.
“I’m grateful that I was given the opportunity to work for her and implement many positive changes at the court.”
As Carano looks ahead to what her future now holds in retirement, she said she hasn’t made any major plans yet, but she does intend to spend more time with her family, especially her five-year-old grandson Jameson.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” said Carano. “My late husband Patrick was a wonderful husband and father to my two daughters. He really helped me to see how much I could accomplish. Without his support, I probably would not have run for my council seat or the clerk’s position.
“Things did not go as I originally planned, but I am very much at peace with the way my life turned out.”