SLO Superior Court chief executive to retire Friday

Susan Matherly, who’s served as chief executive officer for the San Luis Obispo Superior Court for eight years, will retire Friday after 30 years of court administration.

The court announced in a news release Tuesday that Matherly, 60, has worked for six months with Assistant CEO Michael Powell, who will take over as the top officer of the court next week.

“(Matherly) has been, first and foremost, a tireless advocate for fair and efficient access to justice,” Superior Court Presiding Judge Barry LaBarbera wrote in a prepared statement. “She is the consummate professional and she will be greatly missed.”

Matherly joined San Luis Obispo Superior Court in 2006 and assumed the position of CEO in 2008. During her tenure, she managed significant changes to the court’s operations, allocated resources during major budgetary and staff reductions, and oversaw the implementation of a new computerized case management system.

Powell, 50, has worked at the Superior Court since 1999, and has served as manager of the court’s Family Services and as director of strategic planning. The position pays $143,997 to $175,029 in base salary; no specifics were available on Powell’s salary Tuesday.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 5:13 PM with the headline "SLO Superior Court chief executive to retire Friday."