Member News and NASAA Resources

NASAA Welcomes Jhai James as Communications Director

Jhai James joined NASAA in 2026 as our new communications director. Jhai oversees organizational messaging across multiple platforms, leads media and public relations efforts, strengthens digital communications and helps shape storytelling that advances the NASAA’s visibility, partnerships and organizational impact. Her professional career spans over 20 years in state government, nonprofit, media and cultural institutions. A graduate of Columbus State University with a bachelor of arts degree in communications, Jhai has held leadership roles in communications with Georgia Council for the Arts, the Georgia Institute of Technology and, most recently, the Springer Opera House, a regional producing theatre and National Historic Landmark. Her background also includes freelance communications with Harpo Productions, professional theatrical work in New York City and creative services director for WRBL, a CBS network affiliate. She has traveled extensively throughout her career, including collaborating with international media in São Paulo, Brazil. Jhai enjoys playing the piano, writing about the arts for local and niche publications and serving on the board of a living history museum dedicated to preserving and interpreting post-Reconstruction 19th-century Southern history.

Register for NASAA Assembly 2026

NASAA Assembly 2026, taking place October 7-9 in Washington, D.C., brings together state and jurisdictional arts agency leaders from across the country for timely conversations, practical strategies and peer-to-peer learning on the most pressing issues in the field. Participation supports strong return on investment by providing timely federal and state policy insight, cross-sector approaches and job-alike peer learning that directly strengthen agency planning, partnerships and decision making.

Need help making the case to attend? NASAA is happy to provide tailored justification language for your supervisor or agency leadership. We hope to see you in Washington this fall. Register today.

Sparking Connection

Before the fireworks light up the sky, we’re celebrating another force that brings people together: creativity.

From local traditions and cultural celebrations to performances, exhibitions and public art, creativity helps tell the story of who we are—and invites us to imagine who we can become. State arts agencies play a vital role in nurturing that creativity in every corner of the country.

That’s why NASAA works every day to strengthen state arts agencies and advance their work. Join us in celebrating the power of arts and creativity by making a gift to NASAA today. Together, we can sustain this important work and showcase the role creativity plays in connecting people, strengthening communities and enriching the American story. Thank you!

P.S. Keep the spark going all year long with a recurring monthly gift.