Kari Johnston is originally from Watertown, SD, and graduated in 1986. She attended SDSU and then taught high school English for 4 years. She returned to get her masters degree from SDSU in counseling.

Kari worked at a community mental health center and addictions placement in Iowa for 3 years before returning to Watertown as the Children and Family Coordinator at HSA in 2000. She was promoted to COO of BH in 2005, then promoted to CEO in 2019. Kari is licensed as a professional counselor of mental health and a qualified mental health professional.