Coastal Mississippi is entering 2026 with a leadership cohort focused on outcomes. Through the MAIN and GCBC partnership, leaders will use practical artificial intelligence (AI) to turn regional priorities into coordinated action.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Business Council (GCBC) has launched the 2026 Masters Leadership Program. This year, the cohort will build a regional plan for Coastal Mississippi. Importantly, the plan will align with existing strategies already adopted by cities, counties, and regional organizations.
MAIN and GCBC partnership: Why it matters for Coastal Mississippi
Coastal Mississippi is positioned for growth. However, growth creates pressure. For example, leaders must address economic development, housing, transportation, and workforce readiness at the same time.
That is why the program focuses on execution. GCBC is developing leaders who can move from ideas to implementation. At the same time, MAIN is helping the cohort apply AI in ways that are responsible, realistic, and measurable.
How MAIN supports the 2026 GCBC Masters Leadership Program
As a partner, the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) is providing applied AI foundations. As a result, cohort members can plan with clarity and avoid hype. Specifically, leaders will learn to:
- Assess what AI can and cannot do for planning and decision-making
- Set guardrails for responsible use, including limits and risks
- Spot high-value use cases that improve coordination and outcomes
- Define success metrics that teams can track over time
In practice, this keeps the work grounded. It also helps teams design plans that they can execute, measure, and improve.
Dr. Kollin Napier’s role in the 2026 Masters cohort
Dr. Kollin Napier, Director of MAIN, is participating in the 2026 Masters cohort. In addition, he led a kickoff session on AI Foundations, Capabilities, and Constraints.
The session gave the cohort a shared baseline. As a result, participants can evaluate AI opportunities with a clear view of tradeoffs, limits, and responsible adoption.
What happens next
Over the coming months, the cohort will refine a regional plan that connects Coastal Mississippi priorities to actionable AI-enabled strategies. Meanwhile, MAIN and GCBC will keep supporting leaders as they move from planning to implementation.
Learn more
If you live or work in Mississippi, you can build practical AI skills through MAIN. You can also explore GCBC’s regional leadership work and the Masters Leadership Program.