Harrison Moar

Vice President for Development

Harrison Moar is vice president for development at the Cato Institute. He is responsible for leading and overseeing the Institute’s fundraising efforts, which includes management of operations and aligning the philanthropic priorities of Cato Partners with the strategic priorities of the Institute.

Before becoming head of development in August 2017, he held various roles and responsibilities in the department. Harrison joined Cato in 2008, and from 2009 to 2013 served as editor and manager of media relations in the defense and foreign policy studies department. He is also a past editor of the Cato‐​at‐​Liberty blog.

Harrison received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from Georgetown University.

Maria Santos Bier

Director, Foundation & Corporate Relations

Maria Santos Bier is the director of foundation and corporate relations at the Cato Institute, and has worked at Cato since 2015. She previously worked as a journalist, and has published articles in the Washington Post, Weekly Standard, and elsewhere. She received a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts from Thomas Aquinas College.

Preston Cornish

Director of Development

Preston Cornish is director of development at the Cato Institute. He joined the team in March 2023. Based in Phoenix, Preston focuses primarily on relationships with Cato Partners west of the Rocky Mountains.

Before joining Cato, Preston was chief development officer at the Goldwater Institute, director of development communications at the American Enterprise Institute, and director of policy development at Reason Foundation.

Prior to working at Reason, Preston spent five summers working at Goshen Scout Reservation in Virginia, where he taught sailing, rowing, and waterskiing. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Furman University.

Preston was born in Washington, DC, and raised in Maryland. His hobbies include traveling and playing golf.

Josh Ferencik

Associate Director of Development

Josh Ferencik is the associate director of development at the Cato Institute. Before joining the development team full time in 2016, Josh worked as a Cato intern, focusing on health policy issues. His Cato internship invigorated his dedication to liberty and influenced his career path. Josh graduated from the Ohio State University in 2015 with degrees in neuroscience and public affairs.

Currently, Josh is responsible for expanding Cato’s community of supporters in the Northeast and Midwest. He also meets with Cato Partners to discuss the Institute’s urgent opportunities to advance liberty and, most importantly, to expresses his gratitude for making the Institute’s stand possible.

Audrey Grayson

Director of Development Communications

Audrey Grayson is director of development communications at the Cato Institute. Her primary responsibilities include oversight of the Institute’s direct mail program and overall strategy for communicating Cato’s impact and influence to Partners.

Prior to joining Cato in January of 2019, Audrey served as executive director of communications at the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering and worked as a medical journalist for ABC News. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University.

Jenna Huhn

Director of Development

Jenna Huhn is director of development at the Cato Institute. As a member of the development team for more than 11 years, she has served in various roles including development assistant, development coordinator, special events manager, and associate director. Jenna also interned at Cato during the summer of 2009. She earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations and political science from Boston University. Based in Naples, Florida, Jenna focuses primarily on relationships with Cato Partners across Florida and Texas.

Brian Mullis

Senior Director of Partnerships

Brian Mullis is the senior director of partnerships at the Cato Institute. Serving as the in‐​house planned giving expert and director of Cato’s Legacy Society, Brian works with Partners throughout the gift planning process to identify contributions that match each individual’s financial and philanthropic priorities. Cato is privileged to have Partners committed to advancing a freer, more prosperous, and peaceful world by investing and partnering in the Institute’s activities. Brian regularly meets with Cato’s Partners to share reports on the impact created by their financial support and to collect valuable feedback for the Institute’s strategic planning.

Brian joined Cato in 2014, with prior experiences as a staffer in the North Carolina General Assembly, U.S. Congress, political campaigns, and his family’s small businesses. He received his bachelor’s in public policy and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.