Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Prince George’s County is pleased to announce the appointment of Yolanda Johnson as the organization’s next executive director, effective May 8, 2023.

Ms. Johnson is a seasoned leader with in-depth knowledge of Maryland’s systems and services for children and young people, and a background in nonprofit leadership, civic and community engagement, education and training. She was most recently the senior director of Community Initiatives for Street Law, Inc., a global nonprofit designed to advance civic and legal education to empower all people to positively transform their world. Through multi-sector partnerships with criminal justice, child welfare, corporate, and education, Yolanda successfully scaled a national civic and legal education program to advance justice for youth and adult populations most vulnerable to injustice, including survivors of trafficking and domestic violence.

Prior to Street Law, Ms. Johnson spent 12 years at the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS), where she held roles as a case management specialist supervisor in Montgomery County, and Assistant Regional Director in Baltimore City.

“We are excited to have a leader with Yolanda’s background and particular strengths in areas that are critical to CASA’s success as we continue to support young people and families during extremely challenging times,” said Bruce Edwards, President of the Executive Board of Directors for CASA/Prince George’s County. “A passionate youth advocate herself, Yolanda has dedicated her career to improving lives and outcomes for vulnerable groups. We know her contributions will continue to build on the good work our partners throughout the community have come to expect from us, and that our young people deserve.”    

Yolanda succeeds Ann Marie Binsner, who led the organization for more than 20 years prior to her departure in late 2022.

“I’ve been very familiar with the work of the organization over the years, and I’ve seen firsthand how CASA volunteers make a tremendous difference in the lives of children,” said Johnson. “I’m humbled and honored to build on CASA’s incredibly strong foundation, and my goal is to serve even more young people in need in Prince George’s County.  I look forward to continuing to engage the greater community so we can bring our collective resources together to meet this goal.”

Yolanda has a bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent studies from Bowie State University and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Nyack College.  She is also a Certified Diversity Executive. ®

Yolanda holds leadership roles in a number of civic and community organizations, including serving as board president for Equipment Connections for Children since 2017 and as vice president of membership for the American Business Women’s Association, Maryland Capital Chapter, where she was recently awarded the 2023 Top Ten Business Woman award for her career and community contributions.

About CASA

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/ Prince George’s County, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization that partners with the juvenile court to improve the lives of children living in foster care who have suffered from abuse and neglect. With a strong commitment to diversity, CASA/ Prince George’s County trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child’s individual needs. By providing a voice to children in the foster care system, it is our goal to help children and promote the timely placement of those we serve in safe, permanent homes.