Henry County Advisory Roundtable with Cheri Matthews, County Manager, Henry County

Cheri Matthews
County Manager
Henry County

Cheri Matthews has been serving Henry County as its County Manager since 2017 however she began her professional career by gaining a wealth of city, county and federal experience. She is a graduate and Eisenhower Fellow of Alabama A&M University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Community Planning & Urban Studies, specializing in Environmental Planning. She continued her education, going on to earn her Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, specializing in transportation planning.
She has been a member of the American Planning Association since 1995, and previously worked with the City of Decatur in Alabama, and the Federal Highway Administration-Department of Transportation in Washington, DC.
Matthews began her career with Henry County in 2002 as a Planner II and was promoted within the organization to Chief Planner, then to Director and Assistant Director of Planning and Zoning and Director of Transportation Planning, winning top honors from the Georgia Planning Association for Outstanding Planning Document. She continued to rise through the ranks to become the Interim Division Director for Community Development where she supervised the Planning and Zoning, Building, GIS and Community Development Block Grant departments. Continuing her career path by gaining valuable experience and knowledge, she served as Deputy County Manager prior to being appointed County Manager.
Although her accomplishments are too numerous to list in full detail, under Matthews’ leadership, Henry County Government has achieved numerous initiatives including implementing strategic planning for public safety, constituent services and transportation; developing a capital improvement plan; and implementing technology upgrades for many critical departments.
Matthews was also instrumental in several key projects, including the opening of the Real Time Crime Center, the first on the Southside of Metro Atlanta to utilize a system of cameras and advanced technology to enhance public safety; overseeing  plans for the $22 Aquatic Center project; and guiding the opening of a new Field Base of Operations (FBO) for Henry County’s Atlanta Speedway Airport.
In 2022, Matthews was honored by the Georgia State House with House Resolution 833. Sponsored by several state legislators, the resolution recognized her work as a leader and her service to the community in Henry County Government. She also was recognized by Engineering Women Most Influential 100 and was named the inaugural recipient of the Gary Barham Legacy Award. She was also a recipient of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce’s Billy Carter Public Service Award. This past year, Matthews was also recognized by the ACCG for successfully completing the core requirements for the ACCG and the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s Lifelong Learning Academy.
In addition to her busy role as County Manager where she oversees a workforce of nearly 1,700 employees and manages a $216,907,158  million budget, she also lends her time and talents to various charitable and civic endeavors, currently serving on the Board of Directors for Leadership Henry and as a Board Member for Prevent Child Abuse Henry County. 
Matthews resides in Henry County with her husband and two daughters.