Bartlesville Radio » News » CASA of Northeast Oklahoma Names Emily Bowling New Executive Director

Emily Bowling of Bartlesville has been named the new executive director of CASA ( Court-appointed special advocates) from northeastern Oklahoma. Although “new” is a relative term when it comes to Emily Bowling and CASA. Bowling has served with CASA for 12 years, starting as advocacy coordinator in 2012, rising to deputy director in 2014, and serving as interim executive director since June of this year.

Her responsibilities include the overall management of the agency and all aspects of agency operations in the six counties (Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Ottawa, Rogers, Washington) of northeastern Oklahoma where services are provided. The service area covers 3,859 square miles and services are provided by a staff of three full-time, two part-time, and 56 volunteers. In fiscal year 2024, services were provided to 175 children in 95 cases.

CASA of Northeast Oklahoma is a regional, nonprofit court-appointed special advocate program whose mission is to improve the well-being of children in Northeast Oklahoma through child welfare and family strengthening interventions that are individualized and culturally sensitive.

“While my duties as Executive Director may now change, my goal and the goal of CASA of Northeast Oklahoma have not changed. Through our traditional Court-Appointed Special Advocacy Volunteer Program or our new pilot Family Advocacy CASA Program, the goal is the same, to give a voice to children who are going through what is likely the worst time of their lives and to make sure they are safe and have a safe, permanent, and caring home,” said Emily Bowling.

It began in May 1995 as Tri-County CASA under the direction of Judge Dyndy Post (retired), Judge Terry McBride (retired) and other interested citizens in the 12th Judicial District, which includes Craig, Mayes and Rogers Counties. Today, as CASA of Northeast Oklahoma, it provides services in the 11th, 12th and 13th Judicial Districts, which includes six counties – Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Ottawa, Rogers and Washington, as well as the Shawnee Tribal Court in Ottawa County. Services include both the traditional Court-Appointed Special Advocacy Volunteer Program and the new pilot Family Advocacy CASA Program.

“I cannot express enough how dedicated our volunteers and staff are to making a difference in the lives of these children every day. We are a team and we work as a team. I want to recognize the promotion of Sandra Rains to our new assistant director and the recent additions of Treasa Walker and Lori VanNoy as advocacy coordinators,” Bowling said.