67 Notable alumni of California State University – Sacramento
Updated: June 15, 2026 EliteDegrees
California State University – Sacramento is ranked #1,086 in the world and #282 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 67 notable alumni from California State University – Sacramento sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with California State University – Sacramento won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Angelo Tsakopoulos
1936-. (aged 90)
businessperson
Angelo K. Tsakopoulos is a Greek-American businessman, real estate developer and philanthropist in Sacramento, California. He is the founder and owner of AKT Development, presently serving as co-chairman and CEO. Tsakopoulos attended California State University, Sacramento.
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2. Troy Selvey
1980-. (aged 46)
basketball player
Troy Selvey is an American former basketball player who played until December 2007 for Bc Mures, in the Romanian Basketball Division A. He plays center or power forward positions and his height is 2,03 m (weight: 116 kg). His previous teams were: Sacramento State Hornets, Los Piasas de Cabo San Lucas (CIBACOPA in Mexico), Coventry Crusaders (England), Essex Leopards (England)...
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3. Graham Streeter
1964-. (aged 62)
cinematographer
screenwriter
film director
Graham Streeter is an American film director, screenwriter and cinematographer.
4. Kim Ransom
politician
Kim Ransom is a Colorado politician and a former member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 44th District, which encompassed portions of northeast Douglas County, including the communities of Acres Green, Grand View Estates, Lone Tree, Meridian, Parker, and Stonegate.
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5. Jan Nolta
scientist
Jan A. Nolta is an American scientist and the director of the stem cell program at the UC Davis School of Medicine and Institute for Regenerative Cures. She is Scientific Director for the UC Davis Good Manufacturing Practice and editor of the journal Stem Cells. Nolta is known for her work with stem cell-related regenerative medicine. Nolta's current research focuses...
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6. Dan Logue
1950-2021 (aged 71)
politician
Daniel Russell Logue was a Republican assemblyman who represented California's 3rd State Assembly district. He was first elected in November 2008. Prior to serving in the Assembly, Logue served as a Yuba County Supervisor.
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7. Zack Nash
1989-. (aged 37)
American football player
Zack Nash is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent. He played college football for the Sacramento State Hornets.
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8. Joe Cook
1985-. (aged 41)
basketball coach
Joseph Michael Cook is a professional basketball coach.
9. Nick Hornsby
1995-. (aged 31)
basketball player
Nick Hornsby is an American basketball player who plays for Hangtuah Jakarta of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL). He played college basketball for the Sacramento State Hornets.
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10. Dale Carlsen
businessperson
Dale R. Carlsen founded The Sleep Train Mattress Center in 1985, and has guided the company to become the largest retailer of mattresses on the West Coast, and one of the top three in the United States. In 2002, Dale purchased 54 of Mattress Discounters' stores in California during that company's bankruptcy—more than doubling Sleep Train's size. In August 2006,...
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11. Max Alvarez
1991-. (aged 35)
association football player
Max Alvarez is an American soccer player.
12. Colleen Burton
1958-. (aged 68)
politician
Colleen Burton is an American politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for the 40th district from 2014 to 2022.
13. Neil McCarthy
1940-2021 (aged 81)
basketball coach
Neil McCarthy was an American college basketball coach. He was head coach of the Weber State Wildcats team from 1974 to 1985 and at the New Mexico State Aggies from 1985 to 1997.
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14. Theresa Claiborne
1959-. (aged 67)
aircraft pilot
Theresa M. Claiborne is American Veteran and Airline Captain. On June 20, 1981, she became the first female African-American pilot to serve in the United States Air Force (USAF).
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15. Edward C. Noonan
1948-. (aged 78)
politician
Edward Clifford Noonan is an American politician, who served as the chairman of the American Independent Party from 2006 to 2008.
16. Beverly Yanez
1988-. (aged 38)
association football player
Beverly Goebel Yanez is an American soccer coach and former professional player. She is the head coach of Racing Louisville FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Yanez played as a forward for Reign FC in the NWSL, Melbourne City in the Australian W-League, INAC Kobe Leonessa in the Japanese Nadeshiko.League, and PK-35 in Finland's Naisten Liiga, as well...
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17. Robert Rivas
1980-. (aged 46)
politician
Robert A. Rivas is an American politician currently serving as the 71st speaker of the California State Assembly. A Democrat, he represents the 29th Assembly District, which encompasses the Pajaro and Salinas valleys of the Central Coast. Prior to being elected to the State Assembly, he served on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors. Rivas was first elected to...
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18. Only Won
1974-. (aged 52)
beatboxer
actor
engineer
stunt performer
choreographer
Baldwin Chiu, known professionally as Only Won, is an American rapper, actor, producer and stunt performer. As a hip hop artist, he writes/performs rap, beatboxing, and singing. He is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild involved in acting and choreographing stunt work. Only Won started rapping professionally in 1991 after being influenced by hip hop pioneers Run DMC,...
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19. Wally Herger
1945-. (aged 81)
cattle rancher
businessperson
politician
Walter William Herger Jr. is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for California's 2nd congressional district from 1987 to 2013. A member of the Republican Party, his district was the state's largest congressional district by area. It covered almost all of interior Northern California including Chico, Redding and Red Bluff. On January 10, 2012, Herger announced he...
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20. Debra Fischer
1951-. (aged 75)
astrophysicist
astronomer
Debra Ann Fischer is an American astronomer and professor emerita at Yale University. She is known for her work in the discovery and characterization of exoplanets using the radial velocity method.
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21. Melissa Hurtado
1988-. (aged 38)
politician
Melissa Hurtado is an American Democratic politician currently representing the 16th Senate District, encompassing Bakersfield, Kings County, and parts of Tulare County, in the California State Senate. Prior to being elected to the State Senate, she served on the Sanger City Council.
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22. Cathleen Galgiani
1964-. (aged 62)
politician
Cathleen Galgiani is an American politician who served in the California State Senate. A Democrat, she represented the 5th Senate District, which encompasses San Joaquin County, and portions of Stanislaus and Sacramento counties.
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23. Rene Syler
1963-. (aged 63)
journalist
René Syler, is an American broadcast television journalist and author. Syler co-hosted CBS News' The Early Show from October 2002, when it debuted in its four-anchor format, until she left the program in December 2006. She has interviewed First Lady Laura Bush, former President Jimmy Carter, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Senator John McCain, and NASA's first female shuttle...
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24. Troy Hayden
Troy Hayden is the weekday evening news anchor for 12 News on NBC affiliate KPNX-TV in Phoenix, Arizona. He started his media career as a sports writer at the Sacramento Bee, then worked in television in Sacramento, Eureka, and Reno. He graduated from Sacramento State University. He has been named Anchor of the Year by the Associated Press. He is...
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25. John Fund
1957-. (aged 69)
columnist
journalist
pundit
political reporter
author
John H. Fund is an American political journalist. He is currently the national-affairs reporter for National Review Online and a senior editor at The American Spectator.
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26. Ward Connerly
1939-. (aged 87)
politician
Wardell Anthony "Ward" Connerly is an American political and anti-affirmative action activist, businessman, and former University of California Regent (1993–2005). He is also the founder and the chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, a national non-profit organization in opposition to racial and gender preferences, and is the president of Californians for Equal Rights, a non-profit organization active in the...
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27. Lonie Paxton
1978-. (aged 48)
American football player
Leonidas E. "Lonie" Paxton III is an American former professional football long snapper who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Sacramento State Hornets and was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent after the 2000 NFL draft. Paxton also played in the NFL for the Denver Broncos.
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28. Richard Montoya
1959-. (aged 67)
actor
theatrical director
film director
Richard Montoya is an American actor, director, producer, screenwriter, playwright, comedian, and co-founding member of the San Francisco based performance troupe Culture Clash. His work in theatre is largely comedy-based and centers around ideas of racism, immigration, discrimination, and identity in Latin-American communities. He follows in the steps of his father, activist José Montoya, and is known for creating social...
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29. Steven Cheung
1982-. (aged 44)
political adviser
Steven Cheung is an American political advisor who been the White House communications director since 2025.
30. Marvin Menzies
1961-. (aged 65)
basketball coach
Marvin Eugene Menzies is an American college basketball coach who is currently the men's head coach at the University of Missouri–Kansas City.
31. Mel Ramos
1935-2018 (aged 83)
painter
Pin-up-artist
printmaker
Melvin John Ramos was an American figurative painter, specializing most often in paintings of female nudes, whose work incorporates elements of realist and abstract art.
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32. Ann Bannon
1932-. (aged 94)
writer
novelist
linguist
university teacher
Ann Weldy, better known by her pen name Ann Bannon, is an American author who, from 1957 to 1962, wrote five lesbian pulp fiction novels known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. The books' enduring popularity and impact on lesbian identity has earned her the title "Queen of Lesbian Pulp Fiction". Bannon was a young housewife trying to address her own...
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33. Kevin McCarty
1972-. (aged 54)
politician
Kevin Michael McCarty is an American politician who has served as Mayor of Sacramento since 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2024, representing the 6th Assembly District, which encompasses a portion of the Sacramento metropolitan area and most of the city of Sacramento.
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34. Joe Enochs
1971-. (aged 55)
association football player
association football coach
Joseph Andrew Enochs is an American soccer coach and former professional player who spent the majority of his career at German club VfL Osnabrück.
35. Mike Lange
1948-2025 (aged 77)
sports commentator
Mike Lange was an American sportscaster best known for his 46-year career as a play-by-play announcer for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lange served as the team's play-by-play announcer in 1974 and again from 1976 to 2021. In 2001, he received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for his outstanding work as an NHL broadcaster.
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36. David So
1987-. (aged 39)
comedian
YouTuber
restaurateur
film actor
television producer
David So is an American comedian, YouTuber, actor, entrepreneur, podcast host and musician. He is known for his comedy videos on YouTube. As of January 2020, his main channel David So (formerly DavidSoComedy) has amassed over 1.45 million subscribers and over 310 million views.
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37. Janice Rogers Brown
1949-. (aged 77)
lawyer
journalist
judge
politician
Janice Rogers Brown is an American jurist. She served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2006 to 2017 and before that, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court from 1996 to 2006. She is a member of the Federalist Society and frequently features at events hosted...
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38. Ricky Ray
1979-. (aged 47)
Canadian football player
American football player
Ricky Ray is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts. He also briefly spent time in the af2, as well as with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). Ray is the all-time leader in passing yardage,...
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39. Alyssa Nakken
1990-. (aged 36)
coach
Alyssa Michelle Nakken is an American professional baseball coach for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). She is the first female full-time coach in MLB history, and the first to coach on the field during a major league game. In 2014 she was an analytical intern for the San Francisco Giants during the postseason, winning a World Series...
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40. Elaine Welteroth Singletary
1986-. (aged 40)
writer
editor-in-chief
journalist
reality television program judge
Elaine Marie Welteroth is an American journalist, editor, author, and television host. In April 2016, Welteroth was named editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, making her the second person of African-American heritage in Condé Nast's 107-year history to hold such a title. Her promotion to editor at age 29 makes her the second youngest editor in Condé Nast history, behind former Teen...
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41. James Outman
1997-. (aged 29)
baseball player
James Matthew Outman is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his MLB debut in 2022.
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42. Buck Martinez
1948-. (aged 78)
baseball player
John Albert "Buck" Martinez is an American former professional baseball catcher and manager, and was the television color commentator for the Toronto Blue Jays until his retirement in 2026. He played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Kansas City Royals, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Toronto Blue Jays. Since the end of his playing career, he has...
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43. Rhys Hoskins
1993-. (aged 33)
baseball player
Rhys Dean Hoskins is an American professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers.
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44. David Hodo
1947-. (aged 79)
singer
David Hodo is an American dancer and singer. He is best known as a member of the group Village People, in which he was the construction worker character from 1978 to 1982 and from 1987 to 2013.
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45. Anthony Sadler
1992-. (aged 34)
writer
film actor
Anthony Albert Sadler Jr. is an American author and television personality. Sadler, along with his friends Alek Skarlatos and Spencer Stone and several other passengers stopped a gunman on a Paris-bound train travelling from Amsterdam via Brussels in August 2015, gaining international recognition for their role in the event. Recognized by then-U.S. President Barack Obama and French President François Hollande,...
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46. Carlos Alazraqui
1962-. (aged 64)
television director
film editor
film actor
television producer
voice actor
Carlos Jaime Alazraqui is an American actor, stand-up comedian, impressionist, producer, screenwriter and director. His voice acting roles include the original voice of Spyro from Spyro the Dragon, the Taco Bell chihuahua in the Taco Bell commercials, Rocko on Rocko's Modern Life, Denzel Crocker on The Fairly OddParents, Lazlo and Clam on Camp Lazlo, Winslow on CatDog, Puma Loco on...
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47. Joan Lunden
1950-. (aged 76)
journalist
news presenter
Joan Lunden is an American journalist, author, and television host. Lunden was the co-host of ABC's Good Morning America from 1980 to 1997, and has authored over ten books. She has appeared on the Biography program and Biography Channel.
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48. Joe Carnahan
1969-. (aged 57)
blogger
film director
film producer
screenwriter
Joseph Aaron Carnahan is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and occasional actor whose films include Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane; Narc; Smokin' Aces; The A-Team; The Grey; and Boss Level. He also wrote and directed several episodes for the NBC television series The Blacklist.
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49. Lester Holt
1959-. (aged 67)
news presenter
musician
journalist
Lester Don Holt Jr. is an American journalist who was the news anchor for the weekday edition of NBC Nightly News, NBC Nightly News Kids Edition, and is currently news anchor for Dateline NBC. On June 18, 2015, Holt was made the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News following the Iraq War-reporting controversy of Brian Williams. Holt followed in the...
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50. Tom Hanks
1956-. (aged 70)
narrator
character actor
film screenwriter
television director
film producer
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Hanks is ranked as the fourth-highest-grossing American film actor. His numerous awards include two Academy Awards, seven Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe...
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51. Creed Bratton
1943-. (aged 83)
singer-songwriter
television actor
guitarist
actor
Creed Bratton is an American actor and musician. He is a former member of the rock band the Grass Roots, but he is best known for playing a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC comedy The Office (2005–2013), which earned him five nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
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52. Edward James Olmos
1947-. (aged 79)
actor
television actor
director
film actor
film director
Edward James Olmos is a Mexican-American actor and director. He is best known for his roles as Detective Gaff in Blade Runner (1982) and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in Miami Vice (1984–1989), high school math teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver (1988), Montoya Santana in American Me (1992) (which he also directed), William...
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53. Noreen Evans
1955-. (aged 71)
lawyer
politician
Noreen Marie Evans is an American lawyer and politician who was a member of the California State Senate. As a Democrat, she represented the 2nd district, encompassing Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake and Napa counties, as well as parts of Sonoma and Solano counties.
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54. Bridget Marquardt
1973-. (aged 53)
film actor
podcaster
television personality
model
television actor
Bridget Marquardt is an American television personality and podcast host, known for her role in the reality TV series The Girls Next Door, which depicted her life as one of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's girlfriends. Marquardt has appeared in pictorials with her Girls Next Door co-stars and fellow Hefner girlfriends Holly Madison and Kendra Wilkinson.
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55. Chi Cheng
1970-2013 (aged 43)
bass guitarist
musician
Chi Cheng is a Taiwanese politician and athlete in track and field. She was an Olympic medalist in 1968 and was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year for 1970. She was a former pentathlete turned sprinter.
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56. Ryan Coogler
1986-. (aged 40)
screenwriter
director
film director
writer
film producer
Ryan Kyle Coogler is an American filmmaker. He has received ten NAACP Image Awards, four Black Reel Awards, a Grammy Award and a Golden Globe Award, along with nominations for five Academy Awards and three BAFTA Awards.
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57. Michael Patrick Cronan
1951-2013 (aged 62)
graphic designer
Michael Patrick Cronan was an American graphic designer, brand strategist, adjunct professor, and fine art painter. He was one of the founders of the San Francisco Bay Area postmodern movement in graphic design, that later became known as the "Pacific Wave".
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58. Bill Emmerson
1945-. (aged 81)
dentist
politician
William Emmerson is a former Republican California State Senator who represented the 23rd district in Riverside County. He previously represented the 37th Senate District, having been elected in a June 8, 2010, special election and sworn into office the next day. Preceding his tenure in the State Senate, Emmerson served as California State Assemblyman from the District 63 representing the...
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59. Mervyn M. Dymally
1926-2012 (aged 86)
politician
Mervyn Malcolm Dymally was an American politician from California. A Democrat, he served in the California State Assembly (1963–1966) and the California State Senate (1967–1975), as the 41st lieutenant governor of California (1975–1979), and in the U.S. House of Representatives (1981–1993). Dymally returned to politics a decade later to again serve in the California State Assembly (2003–2008).
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60. Stephanie Kelton
1969-. (aged 57)
university teacher
author
economist
Stephanie A. Kelton is an American heterodox economist and academic, and a leading proponent of modern monetary theory. She served as an advisor to Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign and worked for the Senate Budget Committee under his chairmanship. She is also the author of The Deficit Myth, a New York Times bestseller, on the subject of modern monetary theory.
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61. Victor H. Fazio
1942-2022 (aged 80)
politician
lobbyist
Victor Herbert Fazio Jr. was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for California from 1979 to 1999.
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62. Frank Skartados
1956-2018 (aged 62)
politician
Frank Skartados was a Greek-American politician and businessman.
63. Bobby McFerrin
1950-. (aged 76)
beatboxer
animator
university teacher
recording artist
conductor
Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, and conductor. His vocal techniques include singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also rapidly alternating with arpeggios and harmonies—as well as scat singing, polyphonic overtone singing, and improvisational vocal percussion. McFerrin performs and records regularly as an unaccompanied solo vocal artist and...
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64. Claude Clark
1915-2001 (aged 86)
printmaker
painter
art educator
draftsperson
visual artist
Claude Clark was an American painter, printmaker and art educator. Clark's subject matter was the diaspora of African American culture, including dance scenes, street urchins, marine life, landscapes, and religious and political satire images executed primarily with a palette knife.
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65. Joseph Gutheinz
1955-. (aged 71)
lawyer
attorney at law
Joseph Richard Gutheinz is an American attorney, college instructor, commissioner, writer, and former Army intelligence officer, Army aviator, and Federal law enforcement officer. He is known as the founder of the "Moon Rock Project" which aims to track down missing Apollo Moon rock samples.
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66. Keith Brown
1964-. (aged 62)
baseball player
Keith James Brown is a Scottish politician serving as Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2018. He is a former Royal Marines commando and has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) since 2007, first representing the Ochil constituency from 2007 to 2011, then the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency since 2011. Brown previously served in the...
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67. Hossein Mousavian
1957-. (aged 69)
diplomat
Seyed Hossein Mousavian is an Iranian policymaker and scholar who served on Iran's nuclear diplomacy team in negotiations with the EU and International Atomic Energy Agency. He resides in the United States and was a visiting research scholar at Princeton University.
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