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List of Northern Arizona University alumni
Last updated
August 30, 2025
Notable alumni of
Northern Arizona University
:
Contents
Alumni
Academia
Actors and television
Artists
Business
Government and politics
Literature
Military
Science and engineering
Sports
Other
Notable faculty
References
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
Gordon Swann
– astrogeology (adjunct professor)
[
5
]
Clyde Tombaugh
– astronomer and discoverer of
Pluto
Chad Trujillo
– astronomer and co-discoverer of
Eris
and
Sedna
References
↑
"Pine – Fall 2012 – 12"
.
↑
"Starlet receives award in Prescott"
. 31 May 1996. p.
7a
. Retrieved
13 April
2010
.
↑
"From science to fiction – the Difference That Matters – NAU"
. Archived from
the original
on 11 November 2013
. Retrieved
29 January
2014
.
↑
"2,350 grads run with Lopez Lomong to NAU finish line – NAU News"
.
↑
"Gordon Swann Obituary"
.
Arizona Daily Sun
. Flagstaff, AZ. 28 May 2014
–
via
legacy.com
.
v
t
e
Northern Arizona University
Located in
:
Flagstaff, Arizona
Academics
W.A. Franke College of Business
Athletics
NAU Lumberjacks
Football
Men's basketball
Women's basketball
Cross country
Ice hockey
Facilities
Ashurst Auditorium
Lumberjack Stadium
Walkup Skydome
History and media
2015 Northern Arizona University shooting
KLJX-LP
KNAU
KPUB
People
Alumni
Founded
: 1899
Students
: 28,090
Endowment
: $225.9 million
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