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
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, wide receiver
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
Francis St. Paul – football player
Andre Spencer (1964–2020) – basketball player
Brian Stewart – National Football League and college coach
Rayna Stewart – National Football League, safety
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

^ "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".