City Manager Thomas Ambrosino has been selected as the next Court Administrator of the Trial Court in Massachusetts by the justices of the Supreme Judicial Court.
Ambrosino also served as mayor in Revere for over a decade, first defeating four-term Mayor Robert Haas in 1999.
Thomas Ambrosino.
In 2012, Ambrosino was hired as the executive director of the Supreme Judicial Court, and in 2015, he was selected by the Chelsea City Council to replace Jay Ash as City Manager.
“We are so pleased to appoint Tom Ambrosino as Court Administrator,” said Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly Budd. “Tom is an experienced leader who has managed public sector entities with vision, professionalism, and compassion. We are excited that he will bring his many talents to the court system.”
Ambrosino expressed his love for the city of Chelsea, and said that his time as City Manager was nearing an end, adding he expected to retire at the end of 2023.
“This has nothing to do with the city of Chelsea,” he said. “I love the community and the time I have spent here.”
However, Ambrosino said the court administrator position was one he was familiar with from his time with the Supreme Judicial Court and one he had an active interest in.
In addition to his experience in legal and court settings, Ambrosino said he hopes he can bring the leadership skills he has honed over the last seven years in Chelsea to his new position.
Ambrosino will begin his new position on Jan. 30 of next year, where he will succeed John Bello, who will leave the position at the end of the year.
“During the time that I worked at the SJC, one of my roles was to assist the Chief Justice in helping to onboard the inaugural Court Administrator, and I saw what a significant impact the position has,” said Ambrosino. “I now look forward to working with Chief Justice Locke and having the opportunity to advance the courts’ efforts to deliver justice with dignity and speed.”
Locke said that he is confident that together, he and Ambrosino will continue to grow the capabilities of the Trial Court and build upon recent successes in using technologies and improving operations.
Ambrosino said some of the accomplishments he is proudest of during his time in Chelsea include how the city reacted and mobilized in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, a focus on development in the city, especially downtown, the city’s relationship with the school department. He noted that he is proud of the strong relationship he has with current Superintendent of Schools Dr. Almi Abeyta.
The Massachusetts Court Administrator co-leads the Trial Court, the largest component of the Massachusetts Judicial Branch with seven court departments and over 6,000 employees, across 94 courthouses throughout the Commonwealth. The position of Court Administrator for the Massachusetts Trial Court was created by court management legislation enacted in 2011.
Working together with the Chief Justice of the Trial Court, the Court Administrator is responsible for shaping administrative functions that support the Trial Court’s delivery of justice to the people of Massachusetts. Duties include budget preparation and oversight, labor relations, information technology, capital projects, security, and personnel policy.
Ambrosino said it is up to the City Council to begin the process of finding a new City Manager, and he expected that process to get underway in early January.
The past year has also seen several major departures in the city. In the fall, Council President Roy Avellaneda stepped down from the council. The year also saw long-time Police Chief Brian Kyes appointed as the US Marshal from Massachusetts, and long-time clerk to the City Council Paul Casino announce his pending retirement at the end of the year.