Seattle woman to head Carson City Senior Center

A Carson City Senior Center director was named Tuesday, relocating from the northwest to assume her new duties at the end of this month.

City Manager Nick Marano and Mike Pavlakis, center advisory board member, announced Courtney Warner was hired from Seattle, Wash., after a search and interviews of candidates with pertinent background and education. She will start at an annual salary of $96,197, plus benefits, according to city government’s Human Resources Department.

Warner has a bachelor’s in kinesiology and leisure science from Whittier College and a master’s in sports administration and leadership from Seattle University. She has seven years of senior program development and operational experience at Skyline and Mirabella, two prominent startup continuing care retirement communities in Seattle, according to Tuesday’s announcement.

“Courtney is highly qualified and was chosen after a competitive search process,” Marano said. “She is a dynamic, personable leader and will enhance the qualify of programs available at the senior citizen center.”

He said she’s relocating from Seattle, is married to Mike Warner and they have two children.

“I think she’ll fit right in,” Marano said, “and I look forward to working with her to provide great programs and services for our senior citizens.”

Pavlakis expressed confidence in the choice.

“My observations are that we had a number of qualified applicants,” he said. “We are pleased with the selection of Mrs. Warner, and we are confident that she will not only carry on the great tradition of the Carson City senior citizens center, but that she will introduce new programs and help revitalize our operations and expand our outreach.”

Warner in Seattle was responsible for developing programs catering to a diverse group of seniors, among them fitness and wellness initiatives, educational lectures, resources for promoting healthy and independent lifestyles, along with special interest programs, according to city government’s announcement.

The panel who handled the interviews consisted of both city government staff and members of the senior center advisory board.

Marena Works, former deputy and interim city manager, was director at the senior center for a short time but decided earlier this year to take a position as director of operations with the not-for-profit Nevada Health Centers. Before her roles as center director and at City Hall, she headed city government Health and Human Services. A nurse, she was with the Carson City school system prior to joining city government. Her predecessor at the senior center was Janice McIntosh, who spent about 15 years as director there before retiring. The center is located at 911 Beverly Dr. in north Carson City.