# 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
* Camille Ford – actress and presenter of Food Wars
* Marjean Holden – actress
* 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
* 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
* 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
* Luis Grijalva – Guatemalan-American long-distance runner
* Tim Handel – German tennis player
* Michael Haynes – National Football League, wide receiver
* 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
* 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
* 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