Williamson Succeeds Meyers as Director of Probation and Court Services for County 

Print

(MOLLY WILLIAMSON)

Chief Judge Martin W. Siemer of the Fourth Judicial Circuit has announced the appointment of Molly Williamson as Director of Probation and Court Services for Effingham County, effective April 4, 2025. She succeeds Cheryl Meyers, who retired as of April 2, 2025.

Williamson is in her thirteenth year serving as part of the Effingham County Probation Department. She received her Associate Degree from Lake Land College in 2009. She graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 2011 with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Sociology.

Dedicated to the Effingham area, Williamson began her employment with the Effingham County Probation Department in September 2012. As an Adult Line Probation Officer, often working with high-risk offenders, she has worked to help promote community safety while instilling long-term behavioral change in offenders sentenced to probation. With extensive training and practical experience within the Effingham Probation Department, Williamson will continue Effingham County’s long history of energetic leadership in probation services.

Williamson succeeds Cheryl Meyers, who retired after a long and distinguished career spanning four decades. Meyers began working for the Effingham County Probation Department in 1986 and was named Director in July 1999. During her time as Director, Meyers received numerous community and professional awards. Among others, she received the 2000 Recognition Award for outstanding dedication to the youth and families of Effingham County from the Effingham Youth Commission and the 2010 Community Service Excellence Award from CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation. The Illinois Probation and Court Services Association also honored Meyers with multiple awards.

(CHERYL MEYERS)

Meyers served on the Illinois Supreme Court Probation Advisory Board, the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Probation Education, the IPCSA board of directors, the Fourth Circuit Juvenile Justice Council, the Fourth Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council and the Illinois Association of Problem-Solving Courts board of directors.

The Effingham County Probation Department works to ensure and maintain a safe community, providing services and programs to those placed on probation by the courts. Its programs are designed to lessen the re-occurrence of crime, while encouraging positive change in the lives of clients.

Upon her appointment, Williamson said, “I look forward to working closely with the courts and with law enforcement to bring continued and innovative probation services to serve and help secure Effingham County. I thank Cheryl Meyers for her many years of leadership. I hope to continue that proud tradition.”