Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College announces the selection of Dr. Kollin Napier to the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) AI Advisory Board. Napier, chief artificial intelligence officer of the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN), has also been selected as chair of the Operational Capacity & Efficiency workgroup of the NASH AI Advisory Board.

As workgroup chair, Napier serves on the board’s Steering Committee, which sets direction across all five workgroups. His workgroup focuses on how AI can strengthen institutional operations, workforce productivity, and organizational capacity.

MAIN, Mississippi’s statewide AI initiative, is housed at MGCCC. Napier’s participation brings a statewide perspective on AI education and responsible adoption to the board’s work with public higher education systems.

NASH publicly announced the board on September 22, 2026. Dr. Mark Hagerott, NASH Senior Fellow and former chancellor of the North Dakota University System, chairs the board.

The NASH AI Advisory Board is the first national AI effort built exclusively for public university systems. Convened by NASH, the board brings together sitting and emeritus chancellors, system presidents, and chief AI officers to move public higher education from isolated experimentation toward coordinated, sustainable system-level AI readiness.

The board’s mission is anchored in systemness: bringing together collective expertise to develop practical resources that help public higher education systems assess readiness, strengthen institutional capacity, and advance responsible AI practices within their unique contexts. Its work is designed for policy rather than specific tools, focusing on the governance, leadership, workforce, and decision-making capabilities that remain valuable regardless of which platform is in place.

Through five specialized workgroups covering Teaching & Learning, Student Success & Advising, Data Infrastructure & Privacy, Governance, Ethics & Risk, and Operational Capacity & Efficiency, the board is developing three public deliverables: a System AI Readiness Self-Assessment, an AI Readiness Playbook, and ongoing thought leadership including briefs, case studies, webinars, and conference sessions. The assessment and playbook enter development in Fall 2026, with national publication scheduled for Spring 2027.

“Every system is starting from a different place, and the resources we are building respect that,” said Claire Brady, Lead AI Strategist and Advisor for the NASH AI Advisory Board. “The goal is not to prescribe one approach across every campus. It is to help system leaders understand where shared capacity exists, where greater alignment is needed, and where the system can help individual institutions move further and faster together.”

For the board’s charge, complete membership roster, and project updates, visit nash.edu/AI.

About MAIN

The Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) is Mississippi’s statewide AI initiative and the first of its kind in the nation. Anchored at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, MAIN leads statewide coordination of AI education, workforce development, and responsible adoption. It connects K–12 education, all of Mississippi’s public and private universities, and all 15 community colleges with government, workforce, industry, and technology partners. Learn more at mainms.org.

About NASH

Founded in 1979, the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) works to advance the role of multi-campus systems and the concept of systemness to create a more vibrant and sustainable higher education sector. NASH represents the 110 public higher education systems in the U.S., which include more than 1,450 institutions and serve 16.2 million students nationwide. Learn more at www.nash.edu.