72 Notable alumni of James Madison University
Updated: June 12, 2026 EliteDegrees
James Madison University is ranked #861 in the world and #236 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 72 notable alumni from James Madison University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with James Madison University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Julian King
record producer
audio engineer
composer
Julian King is an American recording engineer, mix engineer, record producer and musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. King earned a Grammy as the recording engineer of Faith Hill's multi-million-selling, pop-crossover album Breathe.
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2. Richard D. Heinz
1967-. (aged 59)
military officer
Richard Duke Heinz is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who last served as the director of logistics of the United States European Command.
3. Charles A. Jenkins
1962-. (aged 64)
politician
Charles A. Jenkins is a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing Maryland District 3B, which covered Frederick and Washington County, Maryland. He was appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley to fill the vacancy created by Richard B. Weldon Jr.'s resignation.
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4. Wendy Maybury
comedian
Wendy Maybury is a stand-up comedian and photographer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her debut album She's Not From Around Here, produced by Grammy winner Dan Schlissel, was released June 26, 2020 on Stand Up! Records, and reached No. 1 on the Amazon comedy chart.
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5. Gene Fant Jr
1963-. (aged 63)
educator
writer
Gene Fant Jr., a leader in Christian higher education and prolific writer, is the current president of North Greenville University, which is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention and located in Tigerville, South Carolina. Gene was elected as president by the university's board of trustees and officially began his term on June 1, 2017. Gene became the university's first...
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6. Jeffrey Jablon
1964-. (aged 62)
military officer
Jeffrey Todd Jablon is a United States Navy vice admiral and submarine warfare officer who has served as deputy chief of naval operations for installations and logistics since December 2023. He most recently served as Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 29 April 2021 to 15 June 2023. He previously served as director of military personnel plans and policy...
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7. Mia LaBerge
1967-. (aged 59)
painter
Mia LaBerge is an American artist who painted the first Steinway Art Case Piano created to honor a university.
8. Anita Friedt
diplomat
Anita E. Friedt is an American diplomat and former U.S. Department of State senior official. She has served in various capacities related to international security, arms control, and nonproliferation. Friedt is known for strengthening transatlantic relations and advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives in Europe and beyond.
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9. Angela Orebaugh
1973-. (aged 53)
computer scientist
Angela Orebaugh is a cyber technology and security author and researcher. In 2011, she was selected as Booz Allen Hamilton's first Cybersecurity Fellow. She is an assistant professor at the University of Virginia Department of Computer Science. At the University of Virginia she developed a new computer science course teaching students how to design and use technology for positive advancements.
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10. D. J. Bryant
1989-. (aged 37)
American football player
Darrell "D. J." Bryant is an American former football outside linebacker. He played college football at James Madison University.
11. Jon Pineda
1971-. (aged 55)
poet
Jon Pineda is an American poet, memoirist, and novelist.
12. Herbert Altshuler
1945-. (aged 81)
military personnel
Herbert Lewis "Buz" Altshuler is a retired American major general who served as director of strategy and plans for USAFRICOM, and commanded United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) (USACAPOC) from 2001 to 2007.
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13. Zane David Memeger
1964-. (aged 62)
lawyer
Zane David Memeger is an American attorney who served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 2010 to 2016.
14. Paul Tine
1971-. (aged 55)
politician
Paul N. Tine was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, serving since 2013. Tine is also an insurance agent. Elected as a Democrat in 2012 and 2014, Tine left that party in January 2015, changed his registration to "Unaffiliated," and said he would caucus with the Republican House majority.
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15. Alexandra Dunn
1967-. (aged 59)
lawyer
Alexandra Dapolito Dunn is an American environmental lawyer and law professor, specializing in chemical and pesticide regulation, water quality issues, water treatment issues, urban development, rule of law, environmental justice, environmental conflict resolution, cooperative federalism, and implementation of the Clean Water Act and the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. She is the President and CEO...
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16. John C. Milhiser
lawyer
John C. Milhiser is an American attorney who serves as the Sangamon State's Attorney. He served as the United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois from 2018 to 2021. Prior to becoming a U.S. Attorney, Milhiser was previously the Sangamon County State's Attorney from 2010 to 2018. In January 2022, Milhiser announced...
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17. John-Paul Lee
1978-. (aged 48)
businessperson
John-Paul Lee aka 이창선 is the founder and CEO of Tavalon Tea, a New York City-based tea company that sells premium teas and related tea products from all over the world.
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18. Christina Julien
1988-. (aged 38)
association football player
Christina Marie Katrina Julien is a Canadian women's soccer plays who plays as a striker. She has played in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and won a gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games. Julien was named in the 2012 Olympic squad as an alternate player.
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19. Jason Healey
military personnel
Jason Healey is an American senior research scholar and adjunct professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. He is also a senior fellow with the Cyber Statecraft Initiative at the Atlantic Council, where he was the program's founding director. He has published many academic articles, essays, and books on the topic of cyber security and has...
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20. Joe Tartamella
1979-. (aged 47)
head coach
basketball coach
Joe Tartamella is the current head coach of the St. John's University women's basketball team.
21. Nina Willner
1961-. (aged 65)
author
human rights defender
intelligence officer
Nina Willner is an American nonfiction author, a former intelligence officer and human rights activist. Her first book Forty Autumns: A Family’s Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall is the story of Willner's mother's escape from communist East Germany at age 20, the large family she left behind the Iron Curtain, and their four-decade...
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22. Jonathan Barden
1992-. (aged 34)
association football player
Jonathan Patrick Barden is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League club Sutton United.
23. Nick Zimmerman
1987-. (aged 39)
association football player
Nick Zimmerman is an American former soccer player and currently the head coach of the Florida Gators women's soccer team.
24. Laurie E. Locascio
1961-. (aged 65)
academic administrator
civil servant
analytical chemist
biomedical engineer
university teacher
Laurie Ellen Locascio is an American biomedical engineer, analytical chemist, and president and CEO of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). She was formerly the under secretary of commerce for standards and technology and the 17th director of National Institute of Standards and Technology from 2022 to 2024. From 2017 to 2021, Locascio was vice president for research of University...
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25. Kembrew McLeod
1970-. (aged 56)
journalist
Kembrew McLeod is an author, artist, professor, and media producer whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, SPIN, Salon, and Slate. A Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Iowa, where McLeod is department chair, he has received several awards and honors for work that he has created in a...
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26. Dan Meyer
1952-. (aged 74)
baseball player
Daniel Livingston Meyer is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2004 to 2010 for the Atlanta Braves, Oakland Athletics, and Florida Marlins. Meyer's coaching career began in 2014, within the Braves organization. Prior to the 2022 season, he was hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2024, Meyer was hired by the Colorado...
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27. Clifton L. Corker
1967-. (aged 59)
lawyer
judge
Clifton Leland Corker is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
28. Rich Thompson
1979-. (aged 47)
baseball player
Richard Charles Thompson is an American professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball with the Kansas City Royals in 2004 and the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012. Thompson spent most of his 12-year career playing in Minor League Baseball, and retired in 2013 after a foot and head injury.
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29. Scott Lloyd
1979-. (aged 47)
lawyer
Edward Scott Lloyd is an American lawyer who served as the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). He ran the ORR during the period when it oversaw the detention of children who were separated from their families under the Trump Administration's family separation policy. Lloyd went on to serve as a senior advisor in the Center for Faith...
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30. Thomas Dominick Croci
1972-. (aged 54)
politician
Thomas Dominick Croci is an American politician and naval officer from the state of New York. A Republican, Croci represented the 3rd District of the New York State Senate from 2015 through 2018. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia in the Trump administration, from February 3, 2020 to January 19, 2021.
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31. Emmett Hanger
1948-. (aged 78)
politician
Emmett Wilson Hanger Jr. is an American politician of the Republican Party. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1983 to 1991, when he was unseated by Creigh Deeds. He then served as member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 24th district from 1996 to 2024. This district, located in the central Shenandoah Valley and...
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32. Sherman Dillard
1955-. (aged 71)
basketball coach
basketball player
Sherman Dillard is an American former basketball player and current coach. He was a head men's basketball coach at Indiana State University and at James Madison as well as an assistant at Maryland, California and Georgia Tech. He was an assistant basketball coach at the University of Iowa from 2010 to 2025 under head coach Fran McCaffery. Prior to being...
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33. Nikola Budalić
1978-. (aged 48)
association football player
association football coach
Nikola “Niki” Budalic is a Canadian retired soccer player who currently serves as a director of soccer operations for Inter Miami CF.
34. Ryan McDougle
1971-. (aged 55)
lawyer
politician
Ryan Todd McDougle is an American politician. A Republican, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 until 2006. He was elected to the Senate of Virginia. Since 2006, he has represented the 4th district, representing six counties and part of a seventh.
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35. Francisco Narbón
1995-. (aged 31)
association football player
Francisco Javier Narbón Cuadra is a Panamanian footballer who plays for Plaza Amador and the Panama national football team.
36. Jeff McKay
politician
Jeffrey Charles McKay is an American politician serving as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the board in 2007, representing the Lee district, which includes the Springfield and Franconia areas. In 2019, he was elected as chairman, taking office in 2020.
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37. Linton Townes
1959-. (aged 67)
basketball player
Linton Rodney Townes is an American former professional basketball player. He was a 6-foot-7-inch (201 cm) 190 pounds (86 kg) swingman from Richmond, Virginia, he played collegiately at James Madison University from 1978 to 1982. At James Madison, he helped lead the Dukes to their first NCAA tournament in program history. He played for four National Basketball Association (NBA) teams....
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38. Scott Surovell
1971-. (aged 55)
lawyer
politician
Scott Anthony Surovell is an American lawyer and politician, representing the Virginia's 34th Senate district, which encompasses the city of Fairfax and portions of Fairfax County, and serving as the current majority leader of the Virginia Senate. He previously represented the 36th district which also included portions of Prince William and Stafford counties until the 2023 redistricting and the 44th...
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39. Steve Buckhantz
1955-. (aged 71)
basketball player
sports commentator
Steve Buckhantz is a former American television play-by-play announcer for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association.
40. Jazmon Gwathmey
1993-. (aged 33)
basketball player
Jazmon Chameli Gwathmey is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for Lointek Gernika Bizkaia of the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto. She played for Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
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41. Billy Sample
1955-. (aged 71)
baseball player
William Amos Sample, is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves in parts of nine seasons spanning 1978–1986.
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42. Matt Rinaldi
1975-. (aged 51)
lawyer
politician
Matthew Daniel Rinaldi is an American attorney and politician who served as chairman of the Republican Party of Texas from 2021 to 2024. Rinaldi was a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 115 in Dallas County from 2015 to 2019 when he was defeated by Democrat Julie Johnson.
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43. Christopher Soghoian
1981-. (aged 45)
computer scientist
Christopher Soghoian is a privacy researcher and activist. He is currently working for Senator Ron Wyden as the senator's Senior Advisor for Privacy & Cybersecurity. From 2012 to 2016, he was the principal technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union.
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44. Charles Cooke
1994-. (aged 32)
basketball player
Charles Cooke III is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the James Madison Dukes and Dayton Flyers.
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45. Lorenzo Bundy
1959-. (aged 67)
baseball player
baseball coach
Charles Lorenzo Bundy is an American former professional baseball player and current manager for the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League. He has held Major League Baseball (MLB) coaching positions with the Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Miami Marlins.
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46. Chris Sprouse
1966-. (aged 60)
visual artist
illustrator
penciller
Chris Sprouse is an American comics artist. Sprouse has worked for multiple publishers and has won two Eisner Awards for his work on Tom Strong, a series he created with writer Alan Moore.
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47. Marcia Angell
1939-. (aged 87)
medical writer
physician
Marcia Angell is an American physician, author, and the first woman to serve as editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. She is currently a Corresponding Member of the Faculty of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.
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48. Dean Marlowe
1992-. (aged 34)
American football player
Dean Marlowe is an American former professional football safety. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent following the 2015 NFL draft. He played college football for the James Madison Dukes.
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49. Margaret Becker
1959-. (aged 67)
singer-songwriter
singer
Margaret Becker is an American Christian rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She has had twenty-one No. 1 Christian radio hits, won four Dove Awards, and been nominated for four Grammy Awards.
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50. Josh Wells
1987-. (aged 39)
baseball player
American football player
Joshua Ryan Wells is an American professional football offensive tackle. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football for the James Madison Dukes.
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51. Butch Taylor
1961-. (aged 65)
composer
keyboardist
Butch Taylor is a composer, writer, keyboardist and long time guest musician with Dave Matthews Band.
52. Kenny Brooks
1968-. (aged 58)
basketball player
head coach
basketball coach
Kenneth R. Brooks Jr. is an American college basketball coach who has been the head coach of the University of Kentucky women's basketball team since 2024. Previously, he was head coach at James Madison from 2003 to 2016 and Virginia Tech from 2016 to 2024.
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53. Ross Copperman
1982-. (aged 44)
singer-songwriter
singer
Ross Copperman is an American Grammy-nominated record producer, singer and songwriter. After his experience as an artist in the UK, Copperman went to Nashville, Tennessee, where he pursued a career in country music. He has written 41 No. 1 songs including Billy Currington's "Don't It", Luke Bryan's "Strip It Down", Keith Urban's "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16" and Kenny...
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54. Karen McCullah
1967-. (aged 59)
screenwriter
Karen McCullah is an American screenwriter and novelist most known for co-writing comedies such as 10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde, Ella Enchanted, The House Bunny, The Ugly Truth and She's the Man with her screenwriting partner Kirsten Smith. After graduating from James Madison University with a degree in marketing, McCullah worked various jobs before beginning to write....
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55. Kirk Cox
1957-. (aged 69)
politician
Marvin Kirkland Cox is an American retired politician and educator. A Republican and a former high school teacher, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1990 to 2022, representing the 66th District. From 2018 to 2020, he served as the 55th Speaker of the House of Delegates. Cox served as House Majority Leader from 2010 to 2018 and...
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56. Keith Howland
1964-. (aged 62)
guitarist
Keith Howland is an American guitarist. He was the lead guitarist for the veteran pop-rock band Chicago from 1995 to 2021.
57. Walter Shaub
1971-. (aged 55)
lawyer
jurist
Walter Michael Shaub Jr. is an American attorney specializing in government ethics who, from January 9, 2013 to July 19, 2017, was the director of the United States Office of Government Ethics. As of July 19, 2017, he joined the Washington D.C.-based election law organization the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) as senior director, ethics.
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58. Jennifer Morgan
1966-. (aged 60)
diplomat
executive
Jennifer Morgan is an American technology executive. She is currently CEO at UKG. Prior to her appointment in July 2024, Morgan was the first American woman ever appointed to the SAP Executive Board in 2017. Morgan was the first female Chief Executive of SAP, and she was the first female CEO of a company on the DAX index.
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59. Levar Stoney
1981-. (aged 45)
politician
Levar Marcus Stoney is an American politician who served as the 80th mayor of Richmond, Virginia, from 2017 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 through 2016, being the youngest member of Governor Terry McAuliffe's administration.
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60. Tamera Young
1986-. (aged 40)
basketball player
basketball coach
Tamera "Ty" Young is an American former basketball player and assistant coach with the Chicago Sky. After playing collegiately for James Madison University, Young was drafted by the Atlanta Dream with the 8th overall pick of the 2008 WNBA draft. She was traded to the Chicago Sky, and helped them to the WNBA Finals in 2014, then came back to...
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61. Phil Vassar
1964-. (aged 62)
singer
pianist
singer-songwriter
songwriter
musician
Phillip George Vassar Jr. is an American country music artist. Vassar made his debut on the country music scene in the late 1990s, co-writing singles for several country artists, including Tim McGraw ("For a Little While", "My Next Thirty Years"), Jo Dee Messina ("Bye, Bye", "I'm Alright"), Collin Raye ("Little Red Rodeo"), and Alan Jackson ("Right on the Money"). In...
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62. Wes Miller
1983-. (aged 43)
basketball player
head coach
basketball coach
Warren Weston Miller is an American basketball coach and former player, who is the head men's basketball coach at the University of Cincinnati. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, he played at the collegiate level for James Madison University and the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, where he graduated in 2007. Professionally, Miller played for London Capital of the British Basketball...
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63. Jason Miyares
1976-. (aged 50)
lawyer
politician
Jason Miyares is an American politician and attorney who served as the 48th attorney general of Virginia from 2022 to 2026. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for the 82nd district from 2016 to 2022.
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64. Lindsay Czarniak
1977-. (aged 49)
journalist
sports commentator
Lindsay Ann Czarniak is an American sports anchor and reporter. She formerly worked for Fox Sports as a sideline reporter for NFL games. After spending six years with WRC-TV, the NBC owned-and-operated station in Washington, D.C., Czarniak joined ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor in August 2011 and left ESPN in 2017.
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65. Reshma Shetty
1977-. (aged 49)
television actor
stage actor
actor
film actor
Reshma Shetty is a British-born American actress who is best known for her role as Divya Katdare on the USA Network TV series Royal Pains.
66. Tony Schiavone
1957-. (aged 69)
podcaster
sports commentator
Noah Anthony Schiavone is an American sports announcer, professional wrestling commentator and podcaster. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he serves as a senior producer and the play-by-play commentator for Collision, and formerly color commentator for Dynamite and Rampage. He has previously worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), World Championship Wrestling...
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67. Ben DiNucci
1996-. (aged 30)
American football player
Benjamin Anthony DiNucci is an American professional football quarterback. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers and James Madison Dukes and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft. He has also played for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL in 2023, leading them to the playoffs.
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68. LeRoi Moore
1961-2008 (aged 47)
jazz musician
songwriter
saxophonist
composer
music arranger
LeRoi Holloway Moore was an American saxophonist. He was a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band. Moore often arranged music for songs written by Dave Matthews. Moore also co-wrote many of the band's songs, notably "Too Much" and "Stay (Wasting Time)".
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69. Christina Tosi
1981-. (aged 45)
restaurateur
television presenter
television celebrity chef
chef
author
Christina Tosi is an American chef and cookbook author. She is founder and co-owner with Momofuku of Milk Bar and serves as its chef and chief executive officer. She also created Milk Bar Pie and Cereal Milk. Food & Wine magazine included her in their 2014 list of "Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink".
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70. Jim Acosta
1971-. (aged 55)
journalist
writer
Abilio James Acosta is an American broadcast journalist. From 2007 to 2025, he worked for CNN. He served as CNN's chief White House correspondent during the Obama and first Trump administrations, in which he gained national attention for his clashes with President Donald Trump at press briefings. In January 2021, Acosta was appointed CNN's anchor and chief domestic correspondent. On...
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71. Glennon Doyle
1976-. (aged 50)
writer
activist
novelist
teacher
blogger
Glennon Doyle is an American author and queer activist known for her books Untamed, Love Warrior, Carry On, Warrior, and We Can Do Hard Things. Doyle is also the creator of the online community Momastery, and is the founder and president of Together Rising, an all-women-led nonprofit organization supporting women, families, and children in crisis.
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72. John Roberts
1955-. (aged 71)
teacher
jurist
art theorist
lawyer
judge
John David Roberts is a Canadian-American television journalist. He has been working for the Fox News Channel, as the co-anchor of America Reports. Roberts joined Fox News in January 2011 as a national correspondent based in Atlanta. He was the Fox News Chief White House Correspondent from 2017 to 2021, covering the first Donald Trump presidency.
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