Candidates
Amber Zibritosky
Stow Clerk of Courts
Northeast Ohio, Local
Clerk of Courts for the Stow Municipal Court is a former elected prosecutor and the only licensed attorney running for this seat. She has a decade of experience and a track record of working collaboratively across agencies and other courts to safeguard the pursuit and administration of justice so that it works for all of us. As Clerk, she currently runs an office of 20 employees with a $1.2 million budget and $7.5 million in annual revenue. If elected, Amber will continue to work to ensure court collections are done ethically by offering affordable payment plans and utilizing civil collection methods as opposed to criminal and provide access to legal and social services that empower people to break the cycle of crime, poverty, and addiction.
In 2020 Amber will continue her work as Stow clerk of courts.
FacebookMeet the Candidate
Can you tell our members a little bit about your journey to filing as a candidate?
The simplest answer is I am running for public office because I believe in a life full of purpose and meaning. For me, an essential part of living a life full of meaning and purpose means finding a way to use your skills and talents to serve others. Since graduating law school, I have dedicated my entire career to public service. I want my children to see and learn firsthand about the importance of community involvement and service. I want to show them that making the world a better place means dedicating yourself, your skills and your talents toward a goal that is bigger than yourself. My talents and skills as a licensed attorney with nearly a decade of experience have given me the opportunity to serve my community by working within the criminal justice system. As the Clerk of Courts, I plan to continue to safeguard the pursuit and administration of justice so that it works for all of us, no matter where you are from, no matter how you pray, no matter how much money you have, and no matter your race, gender or sexual orientation.
Tell our members about a friend or family member who inspired you to become a leader.
There are three people in my family that have inspired me to take the leap into running for elected office, first in 2015 and now again this year. My mother and grandmother together inspired me to always strive for my goals, even if that meant being the first in the family to do something. My grandmother lived this when she started working for the first time at the age of 60 as a cashier to help support her family. She had never worked a full time job before but she didn’t let fear and uncertainty stop her. My mother lived this when she became the first woman in her family to graduate from college and work as a professional. She taught me the importance of hard work and that yes, moms can have careers and follow their dreams too. But the person most directly responsible for my decision to run for office is my husband. When the possibility appeared in 2015 and now in 2019 to run, he was right there telling me that I could do this even though neither of us really had a blueprint for how. He is still right there with me planning every step of the campaign and filling in as mom and dad at home when the campaign demands it. He is a true partner and views the campaign and my commitment to elected office as an adventure for our entire family.
Some of you are military veterans, some small business owners, some professionals, some mothers and grandmothers, some homemakers. How did one of these experiences shape who you are as a person and leader?
My professional background and experience as a licensed attorney and prosecutor for nearly 10 years has prepared me well for my current position and the challenges of elected office. Attorneys are essentially trained to solve problems and help people in crisis. As a result, I am very skilled at managing stressful situations, analyzing problems calmly, and negotiating creative solutions that work for everyone. I am also trained and certified in Lean project management and have experience leading teams to efficient solutions within a government setting that almost always includes a tight budget and a number of regulatory constraints. All of this is absolutely necessary to lead a public office that is responsive to the needs and concerns of the constituents I serve.
The Matriots PAC has a goal to see 50% of all elected offices in Ohio held by women by 2028. What is your vision for Ohio in 2028?
I have a very similar goal. I would love to see elected officials in my community be more representative of the populations we serve. I also would love to see more people in my generation run for elected office. Every generation has a different perspective to offer and I think the millennial generation’s focus on diversity, equality, community and environmentally friendly policies is needed now more than ever in government.
Tip O’Neill famously said that “all politics is local.” What are the top-two issues your community or our state face today?
The opioid epidemic is still a major problem for Summit County. Thousands continue to die from overdoses each year and the criminal justice system continues to struggle with the underlying problems of addiction and mental health. The problem is also compounded by the state’s repeated slashing of appropriations to the local government fund in recent years. Without the support of a robust local government fund, our cities are finding it difficult to fund normal operations, let alone fund the programing needed to adequately deal with the added expense of this epidemic. Our courts and local communities need more state funding to support drug courts, intervention programs and solutions that are tailored to each community’s unique needs. Establishing a healthy local government fund and increased state funding for court interventions is vital to solving this problem locally.
Tell us something personal about yourself.
I’m a pretty big nerd. I love mainstream fantasy movies like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and even Star Trek. I absolutely hate chocolate, with the sole exception of Reese’s cups, and would die without cheese. I also have a mild addiction to Diet Coke and it is not uncommon for my employees to prank me by leaving a sculpture of my empty Diet Coke cans in my office when I go on vacation.