Lisa Thanos Harrod, '96, Leads and Inspires as Manteno Schools Superintendent
By Tony Scott

Lisa Thanos Harrod, '96, currently serves as superintendent of schools for the Manteno Community School District 5.
(Photo credit: Lisa Thanos Harrod) 

Lisa Thanos Harrod, ’96, saw a literal sign that she should attend NIU while studying at a local community college. 
 

“I chose NIU after attending an orientation in Oak Brook, Illinois, with a friend who was going to school in Iowa,” she said. “I had begun studying at a community college and, true story, when we were leaving the Oak Brook area, I saw a sign that said ‘NIU this way’ on I-88. I went home and told my mother that I literally saw a sign and I wanted to go to NIU.”

Thanos Harrod, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders, praised the NIU staff who helped her enroll and register.

“I never looked back; it was truly meant to be,” she said.

Her first job after graduating from NIU was at Hiawatha School District 426 in Kirkland, Illinois, where she served in a variety of roles. 

“I was blessed to work in a Pre-K through 12th grade district where I was able to provide speech therapy, coach cheerleading and dance, as well as mentor students and tutor," she said. "From there, I worked in a special education cooperative and an elementary school district before moving into administration in the areas of special education and curriculum, instruction and assessment.”
 

She currently serves as the superintendent of schools for Manteno (Illinois) Community Unit School District 5.

“I work on a wonderful team with the board of education, administrators, educators, and support staff that make decisions in the best interest of the students and staff,” she said. “That alone is something that I do not take for granted. My balance is to be involved in the buildings and classrooms as much as I can.”

Thanos Harrod believes in hard work and resiliency, and the power of positive thinking, something she learned while a student at NIU.

“I believe that you cannot wait for opportunities to appear; you have to work to open every door possible and work hard to where you want to be in life,” she said. “You have to build your resiliency skills to keep moving forward when life gets tough and keep working to obtain your goals. No regrets! Life is about balance and somedays it is better than others, but you must keep working to build the life you want to live.”

She continued, “I learned at NIU the importance of not giving up and following your passion. When one door closes, if you work hard, a better door will open and that is the one worth waiting for. I believe in the power of positivity and there is no such thing as a complete bad day. There are challenging moments, yes, but our purpose keeps us going!”

Thanos Harrod grew up on Chicago’s South Side, the child of two educators. Her father served as a history and P.E. teacher and a school librarian during his career, and her mother was a special education teacher and administrator. Her father also coached football in Catholic and public leagues in Chicago, she said.

“I developed a love of high-quality instruction from watching them in action,” she said of her parents. “I believe watching them form those relationships played a crucial piece in making sure students have what they need on both an academic and social-emotional level.”

She was nervous to be leaving home and attend NIU and was a bit overwhelmed by the independence, but she said being at NIU taught her time management, organizational skills and how to navigate the university experience.

“I lived in Neptune West all four years on a co-ed floor,” she said. “Between that and becoming heavily involved in Greek Life, I also had connections with people and was always able to have people looking out for me from a safety standpoint. Now that I am older, I have grown to appreciate that even more.”

Thanos Harrod joined the Sigma Lambda Sigma sorority and served on its leadership board and many committees. 

“The ability to have those opportunities presented to me set the tone for my path and foundation in leadership, even if I did not realize it at the time,” she said of her Greek experience. “I was involved in many of the service activities and appreciated the ability to give back. Greek Life was my foundation to working with people and respecting their perspectives. I loved both the social and service side and working to network with others.”

As an alumna, Thanos Harrod continues to be involved in Greek Life at her alma mater. She recently began serving as chapter advisor for Sigma Lambda Sigma.

She counts Professor Howard Schwartz as a meaningful mentor at NIU.

“He was the instructor for the course Remediation of Stuttering,” she said. “It was one of the toughest courses, but you were extremely proud of the grade you worked so hard for, and I continue to use the information I learned in that course.”

She also counts her parents as mentors. 

“They were sharing their stories in education and helping me prepare to navigate securing a position after college and discussing graduate school,” she said. 

Thanos Harrod encourages students to build their own professional networks as they navigate NIU.

“Growing your professional network is something that students will never regret investing time in,” she said.

She has three children who she said keep her busy by being involved in several school district and travel sports. The two youngest are enrolled in her own school district, and her oldest son recently graduated from the district’s high school and will be attending NIU this fall as a freshman. 

“I cannot wait for him to experience all that NIU has to offer,” she said. “I am impressed with the focus on the whole student and all of the opportunities and support available to all students!”
 

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