Dr. Claire Brady Named as Lead AI Strategist and Advisor for National Higher Education AI Initiative

Glass Half Full Consulting President Helps Guide NASH AI Advisory Board's Work to Advance AI Readiness Across Public Higher Education Systems

ORLANDO, FL — October 2026 — Dr. Claire L. Brady, President of Glass Half Full Consulting and a nationally recognized higher education leader and AI strategist, is serving as Lead AI Strategist and Advisor for the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) AI Advisory Board, a national initiative bringing together senior higher education leaders to advance responsible AI readiness across public university systems.

The initiative represents a significant shift in how higher education approaches artificial intelligence, moving beyond individual campus experimentation toward coordinated, sustainable strategies that leverage the collective capacity of public higher education systems.

The NASH AI Advisory Board brings together an accomplished group of sitting and former chancellors, university presidents, system executives, chief AI officers, and higher education experts. Through five specialized workgroups, the Board is examining AI readiness across governance, ethics and risk; data infrastructure and privacy; operational capacity and efficiency; teaching and learning; and student success and advising.

As Lead AI Strategist and Advisor, Brady works alongside Board Chair Dr. Mark Hagerott, former Chancellor of the North Dakota University System, and NASH leadership to guide the initiative's strategic direction, support the workgroups, synthesize emerging insights, and help develop two national resources: a System AI Readiness Self-Assessment and a companion AI Readiness Playbook.

Both resources are expected to be released nationally in spring 2027.

“Higher education doesn't have a shortage of AI activity. What we need is the organizational capacity to make good decisions about AI repeatedly, responsibly, and at scale,” said Brady. “That's what makes this work so important. We're helping public higher education systems think beyond individual tools and pilots to the leadership, governance, workforce, infrastructure, and institutional capabilities they need for the long term.”

The initiative is grounded in NASH's concept of systemness: the idea that public higher education systems can accomplish more through coordinated action than individual institutions can achieve independently.

For Brady, that distinction is central to the work.

“Systemness doesn't mean every campus should do the same thing,” Brady added. “It means understanding where shared capacity and coordination create value, where greater alignment is needed, and where institutional autonomy should be preserved. The goal is to help systems make intentional decisions that advance their missions and serve their students.”

Brady brings more than 27 years of higher education experience to the initiative, including service as a senior university executive, educator, executive coach, and consultant. Through Glass Half Full Consulting, she advises colleges, universities, and higher education leaders on AI strategy, governance, organizational readiness, and leadership development. She is also the author of AI with Intention: The Leadership Guide for Higher Education (2026).

The NASH AI Advisory Board's work is designed to help public higher education systems assess their current capabilities, identify strategic priorities, and develop practical pathways for responsible AI implementation. Its resources will emphasize enduring organizational capacity rather than specific technologies, recognizing that systems differ significantly in mission, resources, structure, and readiness.

“This is an opportunity to contribute something practical and lasting to higher education,” Brady said. “I'm grateful to work alongside leaders who understand both the complexity of our institutions and the opportunity we have to strengthen them. If we do this well, systems will be better equipped not just to respond to AI today, but to navigate what comes next.”

About Glass Half Full Consulting

Founded by Dr. Claire L. Brady in 2023, Glass Half Full Consulting partners with higher education institutions and leaders to strengthen strategy, organizational capacity, and leadership effectiveness. The firm specializes in AI strategy, governance, readiness, professional learning, and executive coaching, with an emphasis on practical approaches that help institutions lead change with intention.

About the NASH AI Advisory Board

Convened by the National Association of Higher Education Systems, the NASH AI Advisory Board is the first national AI initiative developed exclusively for public university systems. The Board is creating practical resources to strengthen AI readiness, institutional capacity, and responsible implementation across public higher education.

Learn more about the initiative, its leadership, and its forthcoming resources at https://nash.edu/AI/.