CASA Names Bailey Johns Executive Director

Johns, who briefly served as interim director, takes over leadership of the Seventh Circuit CASA Program.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People

Photograph of a granite outcropping and pine-covered ridgeline above a modest civic building in the Black Hills, with no people visible. — Bailey Johns took over as executive director of the Seventh Circuit CASA Program on Oct. 26, succeeding longtime leader Kehala Two Bulls after serving as interim director. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The Seventh Circuit CASA Program named Bailey Johns executive director, effective Oct. 26, succeeding Kehala Two Bulls, the program's longtime leader. Johns had briefly served as interim director before the appointment.

Why it matters

The leadership change places a longtime advocacy program manager at the head of an organization that supports children in the court system across Pennington, Custer and Fall River counties. Continuity in leadership matters for the program's volunteer recruitment and advocacy services.

Johns has spent more than six years with the Seventh Circuit CASA Program, which has served more than 5,221 children over its 40-year history. The announcement does not address plans for expanding services or changing the volunteer base.

The players

Bailey Johns

Johns is the newly appointed executive director of the Seventh Circuit CASA Program, having previously served as its advocacy program manager and briefly as interim director.

Kehala Two Bulls

Two Bulls was the longtime leader of the Seventh Circuit CASA Program before departing the role.

Chris Hornick

Hornick is the board president of the Seventh Circuit CASA Program, who publicly praised Johns' leadership.

The details

Johns, previously advocacy program manager, took over as executive director on Oct. 26 after briefly serving as interim director following the departure of Kehala Two Bulls. Board President Chris Hornick praised Johns' leadership.

1986: The program was established as South Dakota's first CASA program.
Oct. 26, 2026: Johns took over as executive director.
2027: The program is recruiting volunteers for its upcoming training classes.

Organizational Lineage

The program was established in 1986 as South Dakota's first Court Appointed Special Advocate program, and this leadership change marks a new chapter four decades later. Johns' appointment continues a pattern of internal promotion from within the organization's own advocacy staff.

Residents interested in supporting children in Pennington, Custer and Fall River counties can apply for the 2027 volunteer training classes. Recruitment for these classes is currently underway through the program.