NASH names Jim Johnsen as next president

The National Association of Higher Education Systems has appointed former University of Alaska system president James R. Johnsen to lead the organization starting Jan. 1, 2027. The move comes as NASH expands system-level tools and programs aimed at helping public colleges and universities work together more effectively.

Why it matters: - NASH is betting on a leader with deep system-level experience to push public higher education systems toward more coordinated action. - The appointment lands as colleges and university systems face pressure to improve student outcomes, workforce alignment and operational efficiency. - NASH says its model of “systemness” can help systems achieve more for students and states than individual campuses can on their own.

What happened: - NASH appointed James R. Johnsen as president. - Johnsen will begin his tenure on Jan. 1, 2027. - Johnsen succeeds Nancy Zimpher, who retires at the end of 2026. - Johnsen is a former president of the University of Alaska system, where he served from 2015 to 2020.

The details: - Clayton Christian, chair of the NASH Board of Directors and commissioner at the Montana University System, said Johnsen brings “a rare combination of intellectual depth and the resolve to lead.” - Johnsen has already been involved with NASH through service on its Board of Directors and on the team that developed the Power of Systems strategic plan. - Johnsen has served as chief systemness officer, supporting system leaders through research, publications, consulting and leadership development. - Johnsen helped create NASH’s Executive Fellows program. - Johnsen’s career spans more than 20 years in higher education systems, including work at the University of Minnesota. - Johnsen also held private-sector executive roles, including vice president of executive search at Greenwood Asher. - Johnsen is the editor of Public University Systems: Leveraging Scale in Higher Education from Johns Hopkins University Press, published in 2024. - Johnsen is a co-author of Systemness in Action: An American Experiment in Public Higher Education from Johns Hopkins University Press, published in 2027. - Johnsen has also served as a commissioner of the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, a member of the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association and a visiting scholar at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley. - Johnsen earned degrees from the University of California, Santa Cruz; the University of Chicago; and the University of Pennsylvania. - NASH is expanding practical support for members through system-level data tools, improvement science applications, workforce alignment initiatives and leadership development programs.

Between the lines: - Johnsen’s appointment signals continuity rather than a pivot. He already helped shape NASH’s strategy and internal programs. - The choice also reflects NASH’s focus on turning shared practices into measurable systemwide gains. - Zimpher’s comments suggest the organization wants a successor who can keep scaling what NASH sees as effective approaches. - National partners framed the move as part of a broader push to help systems translate knowledge into action across campuses.

What’s next: - Johnsen will lead NASH as the association advances its strategic framework. - NASH plans to keep building tools and programs that help systems apply shared knowledge to campus and student challenges. - Johnsen said he wants to listen to members and build on the foundation Zimpher and the NASH team established. - NASH will continue working with system leaders and national partners on efforts to scale proven solutions across public higher education.

The bottom line: - NASH is handing its top job to a longtime systems leader who already knows the organization’s strategy, people and playbook.