Al Canata joined Atlas Network in 2018 as Director of Development. Prior to Atlas Network, Al spent 13 years at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) in various fundraising roles. While at CEI he developed and executed a strategy that increased fundraising for the annual dinner to over $1 million annually and set records seven years in a row. He also helped launch CEI’s direct mail program. Al has also spoken numerous times on fundraising topics.

He is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated with an economics degree from the University of California, San Diego. Al also did coursework at Foothill College and the Middle East Institute. He enjoys cooking, exploring historical sites in the Washington, D.C. area, and reading books on history.

Al lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, mother-in-law, and two smokers. In addition to English, he speaks Farsi.