List of Northern Arizona University alumni

Notable alumni of Northern Arizona University :

Alumni

Academia

• Valeen Tippetts Avery – historian
• Harvey Butchart  – author and professor known for hiking exploits near Grand Canyon
• Aimée Classen – ecologist
• Frederick Colwell – microbial ecologist
• Lattie F. Coor – President of Arizona State University and the University of Vermont
• Elizabeth Hadly – biology professor
• Nellie Shaw Harnar – historian
• Lomayumtewa C. Ishii – hopi researcher
• Hartman H. Lomawaima – director of the Arizona State Museum
• Randi Martinsen – geologist
• John Marzluff – wildlife professor
• Katrina Miranda – biochemistry professor
• Brad McRae – ecologist
• Raymond R. Rogers – geology professor
• Joseph Shepard – President of Western New Mexico University
• Cathy Small – anthropologist
• William A. Stein – professor and founder of CoCalc
• Lydia Tederick – White House Curator
• Kimberly A. With – ecologist
• Evangeline Parsons Yazzie – Navajo educator

Actors and television

• Rutanya Alda  – actress
• Seamus Dever  – actor in Castle ^[1]
• Camille Ford – actress and presenter of Food Wars
• Marjean Holden  – actress ^[2]
• Quentin Oliver Lee – Grammy Award-winning stage actor

Artists

• R.C. Gorman  – Native American artist
• Ted Larsen – sculptor
• Ray Manley – photographer
• R. Carlos Nakai  – 11-time Grammy nominated Native American flutist
• Ryan Singer  – artist
• Joe Sorren – painter
• Mary Antonia Wood  – artist

Business

• Richard Bitner – real estate publisher
• Martin Casado – co-founder of Nicira Networks
• Cheryl Casone – Fox Business news anchor
• Robert Maynard Jr. – founder of LifeLock

Government and politics

• J. Christopher Ackerley – Member of the Arizona House of Representatives
• Brent T. Adams – Judge, Nevada Second Judicial District Court
• Cesar Aguilar – Member of the Arizona House of Representatives
• Andreas Borgeas – Member of the California State Senate
• Chad Campbell – Member of the Arizona House of Representatives
• Howard Cannon – U.S. Senator from Nevada
• Richard A. Carranza – Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education
• Heather Carter – Member of the Arizona State Senate
• Raul Hector Castro  – 14th Governor of Arizona; U.S. Ambassador to Argentina, Bolivia, and El Salvador
• Doug Coleman – Member of the Arizona House of Representatives
• Charlene Fernandez – Democratic leader of the Arizona House of Representatives
• Carl Gatto – Member of the Alaska House of Representatives
• Anthony Hartsook – Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
• Theresa Hatathlie – Member of the Arizona State Senate
• Katie Hobbs – 24th Governor of Arizona
• John Huppenthal – Arizona superintendent, Member of the Arizona State Senate
• Jill Jim – Member of the COVID-19 Advisory Board
• Anthony Kern – Member of the Arizona State Senate
• Jonathan Lines – Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party
• Judith Loganbill – Member of the Kansas House of Representatives
• Lynda Lovejoy – Member of the New Mexico State Senate
• Jonathan Nez – 9th President of the Navajo Nation
• Jamescita Peshlakai – Member of the Arizona House of Representatives
• Rick Renzi – U.S. Representative from Arizona
• Tyrone Thompson – Member of the Nevada Assembly
• Myron Tsosie – Member of the Arizona House of Representatives
• Dennis Van Roekel – labor leader

Literature

• C. Dean Andersson – fantasy author
• Dia Cha – author
• Diana Gabaldon  – author of the Outlander series ^[3]
• Paul Genesse – fantasy author
• Kevin Hearne – author of The Iron Druid Chronicles series
• Carlton Mellick III – absurdist author
• Todd Robert Petersen – fiction writer
• Jennifer Roberson – fantasy author

Military

• Robin Braun  – United States Navy rear admiral
• Jay R. Vargas  – United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient

Science and engineering

• Philip Johnston – code talker
• David Mangelsdorf – pharmacologist, chemist
• Michael Reeves – YouTuber and roboticist
• Tajana Rosing – computer engineer

Sports

• Greg Adams  – National Hockey League
• Geordie Beamish – New Zealand long-distance runner
• Travis Brown  – National Football League, quarterback
• Dave Cahill  – National Football League, defensive tackle
• Darren Carrington  – National Football League, safety
• Víctor Castillo – Venezuelan long jumper
• Allan Clark  – National Football League, running back^{[ citation needed ]}
• Shawn Collins  – National Football League, wide receiver
• Diego Estrada – Mexican-American long-distance runner
• Casey Frank  – American-New Zealand professional basketball player
• George Grantham  – Major League Baseball, infielder^{[ citation needed ]}
• Luis Grijalva – Guatemalan-American long-distance runner
• Tim Handel – German tennis player
• Michael Haynes  – National Football League, wide receiver^{[ citation needed ]}
• Mike Jankowski  – skiing and snowboarding coach
• Maya Kalle-Bentzur  – Israeli Olympic runner and long jumper
• Tara Koleski – soccer player
• David Lang  – National Football League, running back
• Jeff Lewis  – National Football League, quarterback
• Goran Lingmerth  – National Football League, kicker
• Mark Lomas  – National Football League, defensive lineman
• Lopez Lomong  – South Sudanese-born track and field athlete and Olympian ^[4]
• Peter Lomong – long-distance runner
• Pete Mandley  – National Football League, wide receiver
• Derek Mason – current defensive coordinator for Auburn Tigers
• Todd McMillon  – National Football League, cornerback
• Mike Mercer  – National Football League
• Rex Mirich  – National Football League, defensive tackle
• Samantha Monahan – Professional soccer player
• Lee Mulleneaux  – National Football League^{[ citation needed ]}
• Abdihamid Nur – Somolian-born American long-distance runner
• Keith O'Neil  – National Football League linebacker, Super Bowl XLI champion with Indianapolis Colts
• Josh Oppenheimer  – Israeli-American professional basketball coach, and former professional basketball player
• Eleanor Pilgrim – Welsh professional golfer
• Frank Pollack  – offensive tackle, San Francisco 49ers
• John Rade  – National Football League, linebacker
• Claire Robertson – beach volleyball player
• Seton Sobolewski – college basketball coach
• Andre Spencer (1964–2020) – basketball player
• Brian Stewart  – National Football League and college coach
• Rayna Stewart  – National Football League, safety
• Francis St. Paul – football player
• Cathy Thaxton-Tippett – rower
• Rusty Tillman  – National Football League, linebacker
• Andy Trouard – long-distance runner
• Nico Young – long-distance runner
• Kasandra Vegas – Samoan discus thrower
• Futsum Zienasellassie – long-distance runner

Other

• Latif – Saudi Arabian gamer
• Kayla Mueller  – humanitarian and Islamic State hostage
• Lisa Olson  – sports journalist

Notable faculty

• Harvey Butchart  – mathematics
• Lomayumtewa C. Ishii – Hopi researcher
• Cathy Small – anthropology
• Clyde Tombaugh – astronomer and discoverer of Pluto
• Chad Trujillo – astronomer and co-discoverer of Eris and Sedna

References

1. "Pine – Fall 2012 – 12".
2. "Starlet receives award in Prescott". 31 May 1996. p. 7a. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
3. "From science to fiction – the Difference That Matters – NAU". Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
4. "2,350 grads run with Lopez Lomong to NAU finish line – NAU News".