POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino has recognized Probation Director Mary Ellen Still, who will retire on April 30th after more than four impressive decades with the County.
Still has served as Probation Director for 22-plus years and spent 46 years in Dutchess County’s Office of Probation and Community Corrections, distinguishing herself as a compassionate and respected national and statewide leader in restorative justice. She is the longest-tenured active department head in Dutchess County.
“Mary Ellen Still has dedicated her professional life to Dutchess County’s Office of Probation and Community Corrections, ensuring public safety through her innovative solutions – in the process, becoming an esteemed national authority on restorative justice,” Serino said. “Dutchess County is grateful to Mary Ellen for her decades of services, and we wish her every success in her next chapter.”
Still began her tenure in County government as a Probation Officer trainee in 1978, eventually serving every function in the Office of Probation and Community Corrections, being promoted to Senior Probation Officer, Supervisor and Deputy Director, respectively, before then-County Executive William R. Steinhaus tapped her as Director in 2002.
In 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Still to serve as Commissioner on the State Probation Commission to advise and consult on all matters relating to probation in New York State.
“Over my career, I have witnessed a transformative journey of rehabilitation and growth in the criminal justice system,” Still said. “I have been a proud proponent for restorative justice because I have seen, firsthand, the power of second chances and the resilience of the human spirit. I carry with me the belief that compassion and understanding can reshape lives. This has not been a career for me; it is a testament to the possibility of transforming lives and the enduring pursuit of a better tomorrow.”
