NASH Welcomes New President

Dear Members & Friends,

We are thrilled to share an exciting and pivotal moment in the history of the National Association of Higher Education Systems. Following a unanimous vote by our Board of Directors, we are proud to announce the appointment of Nancy Zimpher as the next President of NASH. 

Nancy is no stranger to the NASH community or to the transformative potential of higher education systems. She previously served as Chancellor of the State University of New York. Her deep understanding of system-level leadership is underscored by her past roles as Chair of the NASH Board of Directors and, more recently, as Interim Executive Director and then Special Advisor to the President. 

Her experience and unwavering commitment make Nancy an ideal captain to guide us into our next chapter. NASH’s strategic plan is a product of her vision in championing systemness: the idea that we can achieve so much more together than we ever could on our own. Nancy believes that NASH is an organization focused on both membership and impact. More than just being at the table, joining NASH means enabling, measuring, and creating change at scale.

This appointment also provides a moment to express our gratitude for the exceptional orchestration of Jessica Todtman, who has served with dedication as Interim President for over a year. Jessica stepped into this critical role during a period of transition and, through her tireless efforts, not only stabilized the organization but also propelled NASH to unprecedented heights. 

We are delighted that Jessica will continue to support NASH as Executive Vice President, providing programmatic, strategic, and operational expertise. Her effective stewardship has led to significant revenue growth, raising over $5.3 million in philanthropic support since July 2024. She hosted the largest Superconvening ever, implemented a plan for predictable membership dues, expedited the development of NASH’s data dashboards, boosted the College Is Worth It marketing campaign’s reach eightfold, launched a new tier of Affiliate Partners, and forged a one-of-a-kind partnership with Google around microcredentials. Under her leadership, and thanks to the combined efforts of our incredible staff, NASH was recognized as an “Institution to Watch” in Deloitte’s 2025 Higher Education Trends report. 

Together, Nancy, Jessica, and the entire NASH team will build on the strong foundations they have laid over the past several years. They will further integrate the concept of systemness into every facet of our work, ensuring that our collective efforts continue to unlock the full potential of public higher education systems to advance prosperity for the nation.

We look forward to NASH’s growth, driving forward the “Power of Systems” to lift up students and communities across the country.

Sincerely,

Brian McCall
Chair, NASH Board of Directors
Chancellor, Texas State University System