In 2016, Zayas became the first person of Latino heritage elected to a Court of Appeals in Ohio; she was re-elected in 2018.

[1][3][5] Zayas was born in 1964 in East Harlem, New York City, United States, to a family of Puerto Rican migrants who spoke little English.

[4] Zayas first joined Ohio’s First District Court of Appeals in 2016 after her election to fill an unexpired term.

[3] Prior to joining the First District Court of Appeals, Zayas served the community as an attorney for nearly 20 years.

Her family includes her three adult children and two adopted rescue dogs, Thor and Sparkle Lou.