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
• Lisa Callan - member of the Washington House of Representatives

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