Welcome to the new executive director of the Miller Academy

Dear DU community members, 

This past fall, during my State of the University address, I shared that the University of Denver would soon launch the John and Sandy Miller National Academy for Free Expression and Pluralism. Since that time, we have been working diligently to find the exact right individual to lead this exciting and bold addition to the University.  

Today, I am thrilled to share that Mary Kate Cary will join DU on June 15, 2026, as executive director for the Miller Academy.  

Mary Kate is coming to DU from the University of Virginia (UVA), where she has been serving as assistant vice president and deputy chief of staff—a role that reflects the trust placed in her leadership and judgment. Across UVA, she has also made a remarkable impact in a range of pivotal roles that draw on her deep experience in American democracy, free expression, communication and rhetoric, and free inquiry. In addition: 

• She brings meaningful classroom experience as an adjunct professor in UVA’s Department of Politics, where she has taught courses in political speechwriting and earned a student council award for excellence in teaching. She was also recognized by USA Today for co-teaching courses on the 2020 and 2024 elections with a colleague whose political views differ from her own. 
• She is the host of UVA’s docuseries “Speaking of America,” which examines the impact of 25 great speeches on our democracy, and she is the director of UVA’s initiative to promote free speech and viewpoint diversity, with a focus on student-facing programming. 
• She served on the committee that shaped UVA’s free speech policy, which closely mirrors the values and ethos of DU’s approach.  
• She is chair of the school’s Heterodox Academy community, which focuses on faculty engagement and was the winner of the 2024 Heterodox Academy Leadership Award. 

These experiences underscore both what Mary Kate has built at UVA and why she is uniquely equipped to lead the Miller Academy at DU. Through convening diverse voices, advancing scholarship rooted in open inquiry, and creating opportunities for deeper engagement on campus and beyond, the Miller Academy will strengthen our commitment to free inquiry, critical thinking, and pluralism. Mary Kate brings the rare combination of intellectual leadership, convening power, and communication skills needed to turn that vision into impact.  

In addition to her exemplary work in higher education, Mary Kate has also had an impactful career in the American political sphere: 

• She brings extensive experience in political communications, including service as a White House speechwriter for George H.W. Bush (1989-1992), and currently chairs the advisory council for the George and Barbara Bush Foundation. For six years, Mary Kate was a senior fellow for presidential studies at UVA’s Miller Center, which is dedicated to the study and understanding of the American presidency.
• She served as a contributing editor at U.S. News & World Report and a regular political analyst for National Public Radio. 
• Mary Kate serves on the Darden School of Business Executive Communications Council. She is an emeritus member of the Board of Trustees of UVA’s College Foundation and is an incoming board member of the Freedom Forum. 

Mary Kate is excited about the role and is grateful to John (BSBA ’75 MBA ’76) and Sandy Miller (BA ’76) for their vision. “Thanks to the leadership and generosity of John and Sandy Miller, the University of Denver can become a leader in building a strong culture of free expression across higher education. I am deeply honored to be a part of that and cannot wait to get started,” says Mary Kate. “My career has been focused on the idea that one person speaking up—using persuasive arguments and reason, rather than insults and violence—can change our democracy for the better. We need that more than ever today, especially when it comes to young people who are the next generation of leaders in our democracy.” 

Mary Kate holds a BA in international relations from the University of Virginia. She and her husband, Rob, look forward to joining the DU community here in Denver.  

Please join me in giving a very warm welcome to Mary Kate Cary as DU’s inaugural executive director of the John and Sandy Miller National Academy for Free Expression and Pluralism. I am confident she will build on our momentum and help position DU as a national leader in this space.  

Sincerely, 

Jeremy Haefner

Chancellor