List of University of Puget Sound alumni

The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college in Tacoma, Washington. Following is a list of its notable alumni.

Art and architecture

Name	Class	Notability	References
Dale Chihuly	Non-degreed	Glass artist

Business

Name	Class	Notability	References
Alex Israel		Businessman, founder of ParkMe and Metropolis Technologies
Erik Voorhees	2007	American cryptocurrency entrepreneur
Nicolas Cary	2007	Co-founder of Blockchain.com

Clergy

Name	Class	Notability	References
Ray Ortlund	Non-degreed	Evangelical speaker, Presbyterian minister, and author who cofounded Renewal Ministries

Education

Name	Class	Notability	References
Suzanne Anderson	1979	Professor of Geophysics at the University of Colorado Boulder	[1]
Robert Lee Barker	1959	Professor of social work and author of The Social Work Dictionary
Janet Beery	1983	Historian of mathematics who serves as a professor of mathematics and computer science at the University of Redlands.
Jessica N. Berry	1994	Philosopher and professor of philosophy at Georgia State University.	[2]
Terry Castle	1975	Professor of English at Stanford University	[3]
Gary Hansen	1980	Macroeconomist at the University of California, Los Angeles
Robert Huey	1973	Professor of Japanese Literature at the University of Hawaii at Manoa
John Chester Miller		Professor of history at Bryn Mawr College and at Stanford University
Rebecca Ann Parker	1975	President of Starr King School for the Ministry, theologian, and author
Jeffrey T. Parsons	1988	Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Hunter College and The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY)
Sara B. Pritchard		Associate professor of science and technology studies at Cornell University
Melissa Thomasson	1992	Julian Lange Professor of Economics at Miami University
Bang Wong	1994	Creative director of the Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard University
Zelda Zabinsky		Professor of industrial engineering at the University of Washington,

Entertainment

Name	Class	Notability	References
Kiʻilani Arruda	2025	Miss Teen USA 2020
Jori Chisholm	1997	Champion bagpiper	[4]
Katie Harman	Non-degreed	Classical vocalist and actress who won the Miss America 2002 and Miss Oregon 2001 pageants
Bayard Johnson		Screenwriter ( The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo , Tarzan and the Lost City )	[5]
Erik Scott Kimerer		Voice actor and professional wrestler under the name 'Sassy Assassin'
Irshad Manji	Honorary 2008	Emmy Award nominated film producer, journalist, and television presenter
Rachel Martin	1996	Host of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday	[6]
Chris Pirih		Creator of SkiFree, one of the seminal computer games in the early days of Microsoft Windows
Roald Reitan		Metropolitan Opera star	[7]
Casey Sander		Actor
Ross Shafer	1975	Comedian and motivational speaker	[8]
Jeff Smith	1967	TV Chef, The Frugal Gourmet	[9]
Hari Sreenivasan	1995	Correspondent for the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer	[10]
Darby Stanchfield	1993	Actress known for Mad Men and Scandal
Rick Steves	Non-degreed	Producer and presenter of Rick Steve's Europe on PBS and author of Rick Steves' tour guidebook series
Adam West	Non-degreed	Actor most notably portraying Batman. Transferred to Whitman College

Law

Name	Class	Notability	References
Charles W. Johnson	JD, 1976	Associate Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court
Frank Prewitt		Attorney and government affairs consultant.
Christine Quinn-Brintnall	JD, 1980	Washington state Court of Appeals judge	[11]
Hugh J. Rosellini	Non-degreed	Chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court
Nicole Shanahan	BA, 2007	Silicon Valley–based attorney, independent candidate for vice president in 2024	[12]

Military

Name	Class	Notability	References
Burton C. Andrus		U.S. Army officer who was the commandant of the Nuremberg Prison
Jose Calugas	1961	Medal of Honor recipient
Roosevelt Mercer Jr.	1975	Retired United States Air Force major general

Politics

Name	Class	Notability	References
Bill Baarsma	1964	Mayor of Tacoma, 2002–2009	[13]
Ramona Bennett		Puyallup leader and activist
Gwendalyn F. Cody		Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Dennis Flannigan	Non-degreed	Washington House of Representatives
Rosa Franklin		Washington State Senate
Tom Huff		Washington House of Representatives
Daniel Nguyen		Businessman and member of the Oregon House of Representatives	[14]
Rochelle Nguyen		Attorney and member of the Nevada Assembly
T'wina Nobles		Educator and member of the Washington State Senate
George Obiozor	1969	Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S.	[15]
Sean Parnell	JD; 1987	Governor of Alaska
Debbie Regala		Former member of the Washington State Legislature
Brian Sonntag	Non-degreed	Washington State Auditor
Thomas A. Swayze Jr.		Washington House of Representatives
Bob Tiernan		Former member of the Oregon House of Representatives
Max Vekich		Former member of the Washington House of Representatives and commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission
Hal Wolf		Washington House of Representatives

Science and medicine

Name	Class	Notability	References
William Canfield	1976; 2008	Glycobiologist who developed an enzyme that can stabilize Pompe disease	[16]
Helen Engle (née Harris)		Conservationist and activist
Edward LaChapelle	1949	Avalanche researcher and glaciologist	[17]
Kurt Jensen, MD		Noted pulmonologist and critical care physician
Richard Stolarski	1963	Atmospheric scientist who played a critical role in discovery of the ozone hole	[18]

Sports

Name	Class	Notability	References
Kai Correa		Major League Baseball coach for the San Francisco Giants
Craig Driver		Professional and college baseball coach
Gretchen Fraser	1941	Gold medalist in the slalom at 1948 Winter Olympics	[19]
Grady Fuson		Professional baseball scout and executive who is a special adviser for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball.
Erik Scott Kimerer		Professional wrestler under the name 'Sassy Assassin' and voice actor
Charles Lappenbusch	Non-degreed	Athlete and sports coach at Western Washington University
Charlie Lowery		Professional basketball player
Judy MacLeod		Commissioner of Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference
Mike Oliphant	1988	Professional (NFL) football player	[20]
Mike Price	1969	Head football coach at Washington State University and the University of Texas at El Paso	[21]
Lael Wilcox	2008	Ultra-distance cyclist who won the Trans Am Bike Race
Milt Woodard	1933	Sports executive, co-founder of American Football League	[22]

Other

Name	Class	Notability	References
Ted Bundy	Non-degreed	Serial killer
Marion Higgins	1897	Supercentenarian who died at age 112 and was briefly the oldest California resident	[23]

References

1. "Suzanne Anderson | People | INSTAAR | CU-Boulder". instaar.colorado.edu. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
2. "Jessica Berry". College of Arts & Sciences. August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
3. Alumnae Reference for Terry Castle
4. "A pipe dream come true: Jori Chisholm '97". University of Puget Sound. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
5. Barnes, Mike (February 12, 2016). "Bayard Johnson, 'Tarzan and the Lost City' Screenwriter, Dies at 63". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved March 5, 2016.
6. "Rachel Martin". NPR. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
7. "Tacoma Philharmonic Society". Pan Pipes of Sigma Alpha Iota. 66. George Banta Company: 65. 1973.
8. University of Pugent Sound alumni magazine Arches Unbound: "Laughter is Golden" Archived 2011-05-15 at the Wayback Machine (profile)
9. "Jeff Smith". www.nndb.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
10. Alumnus reference for Hari Sreenivasan
11. Alumnus reference for Christine Quinn-Brintnall Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
12. Maslow, Nick (July 6, 2023). "Nicole Shanahan 'Moving On' 1 Year After Alleged Elon Musk Affair, Sergey Brin Split (Exclusive)". People.
13. Biography Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
14. "Representative Daniel Nguyen Biography". Oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
15. Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Archived 2008-06-10 at the Wayback Machine
16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
17. Alumnus Reference for Edward LaChapelle
18. >
19. "OTPT UPS Athletes Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved December 11, 2006.
20. Alumnus reference for Mike Oliphant
21. "KVIA.com El Paso, Las Cruces - Weather, News, Sports - Mike Price - Head Coach". Archived from the original on February 28, 2006. Retrieved June 12, 2006.
22. Milt Woodard 1930-33 Archived 2007-06-09 at the Wayback Machine
23. Thurber, Jon. "Obituaries; Marion B. Higgins, 112", Los Angeles Times , March 4, 2006.

External links

• Official website