Jhai James joined the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies in 2026 as communications director. She 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.
Outside of her professional work, Jhai remains closely connected to the arts, culture and storytelling communities that have shaped much of her career. She 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. Across both her work and personal interests, she is driven by a commitment to connecting people with stories, places and shared cultural experiences.
