20 Notable alumni of SUNY College at Oneonta
Updated: June 13, 2026 EliteDegrees
SUNY College at Oneonta is ranked #4,121 in the world and #1,076 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 20 notable alumni from SUNY College at Oneonta sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with SUNY College at Oneonta won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. George William Thompson
1956-. (aged 70)
lawyer
George William Thompson is an American international trade attorney, an adjunct professor at George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government and a published author on international trade. He currently has his own firm, Thompson and Associates, in Washington, DC.
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2. John W. Sidgmore
1951-2003 (aged 52)
business executive
John W. Sidgmore was a corporate executive.
3. Farrukh Quarishi
1951-. (aged 75)
association football player
sports commentator
Farrukh Quraishi is an Iranian retired footballer. He spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Calgary Boomers. Since retiring from playing, he has held numerous executive positions with the United States Soccer Federation. Quraishi won the 1974 Hermann Trophy. Most recently he was the President and General Manager of the modern...
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4. Robin L. Higgins
official
Robin Lee Higgins is a former Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps.
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5. Jessamine S. Whitney
1880-1941 (aged 61)
statistician
Jessamine Sophia Whitney was an American statistician and public health professional, who worked at the National Tuberculosis Association for 22 years.
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6. Stacey Pheffer Amato
1966-. (aged 60)
politician
Stacey Pheffer Amato is a member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 23rd district, which includes portions of Queens. A member of the Democratic Party, Pheffer Amato was first elected in 2016.
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7. Patricia Turner
1955-. (aged 71)
historian
art historian
university teacher
Patricia A. Turner is an American folklorist who documents and analyzes the stories that define the African American experience. A professor in World Arts and Cultures/Dance and African American Studies at UCLA, Turner is the author of five books on topics ranging from rumors, legends and conspiracy theories to African American quilters and images of African Americans in popular culture....
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8. Al Schnier
1968-. (aged 58)
musician
guitarist
Al Schnier is a musician most noted for being one of two guitarists for the American jam band Moe.
9. Caryl M. Stern
1957-. (aged 69)
writer
Caryl M. Stern is an American author, child advocate, civil and human rights activist, and non-profit executive.
10. Marty Appel
1948-. (aged 78)
sports journalist
television producer
Martin E. Appel is an American public relations and sports management executive, television executive producer, baseball historian and author.
11. Tim Melia
1986-. (aged 40)
association football player
Timothy Melia is an American former professional soccer player. He spent the majority of his career as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City.
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12. Ronald J. Garan
1961-. (aged 65)
fighter pilot
engineer
astronaut
military officer
Ronald John Garan Jr. is a retired NASA astronaut. After graduating from State University of New York College at Oneonta in 1982, he joined the Air Force, becoming a Second Lieutenant in 1984. He became an F-16 pilot, and flew combat missions in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Before becoming an astronaut he was the Operations Officer of the 40th...
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13. Jack Smith
1969-. (aged 57)
lawyer
prosecutor
John Luman Smith is an American attorney who has served in the United States Department of Justice as an assistant U.S. attorney, acting U.S. attorney, and head of the department's Public Integrity Section. He was also the chief prosecutor at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, an international tribunal at The Hague tasked with investigating and prosecuting war crimes in the Kosovo...
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14. Don Garber
1957-. (aged 69)
chief executive officer
businessperson
board of directors member
sports official
sports executive
Donald P. Garber is an American sports executive who has been the commissioner of Major League Soccer (MLS) since 1999. Garber is also the CEO of Soccer United Marketing and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors.
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15. Sal Paolantonio
1956-. (aged 70)
writer
sports commentator
Salvatore Anthony Nicholas Paolantonio is a Philadelphia-based bureau reporter for ESPN. Since joining ESPN in 1995, Paolantonio has become a staple in their NFL coverage, as he contributes to shows such as SportsCenter, NFL Live, Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown (from the Monday Night Football site). In 2004, he added studio work to his duties, replacing Suzy Kolber...
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16. Bill Pullman
1953-. (aged 73)
stage actor
film director
television actor
film producer
film actor
William Pullman is an American actor. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater, he was an adjunct professor at Montana State University before deciding to pursue acting.
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17. Edward Burns
1968-. (aged 58)
television director
actor
writer
film actor
film producer
Edward Fitzgerald Burns is an American actor and filmmaker. He rose to fame with The Brothers McMullen (1995), his low-budget independent film that became successful worldwide. His other film appearances include Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Holiday (2006), 27 Dresses (2008), Man on a Ledge (2012), Friends with Kids (2012), and Alex Cross (2012). Burns directed films such as She's...
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18. James C. Zachos
1959-. (aged 67)
paleoclimatologist
oceanographer
James Zachos is an American paleoclimatologist, oceanographer, and marine scientist. He is currently a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary sciences at University of California, Santa Cruz where he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2017. His research focuses on the biological, chemical, and climatic evolution of late Cretaceous and Cenozoic oceans, and how past...
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19. Andy McKean
1949-. (aged 77)
politician
Andrew John McKean is an American politician and retired attorney in the state of Iowa. He represented various districts in the Iowa House of Representatives, including District 23 from 1979 to 1983 and District 44 from 1983 to 1993. Afterward, he served in the Iowa Senate, representing District 28 from 1993 to 2003. He served as a supervisor of Jones...
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20. Linda Swartz Taglialatela
1949-. (aged 77)
diplomat
Linda Swartz Taglialatela is a diplomat and she was United States Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate on December 9, 2015. On February 1, 2016, she presented her credentials to Sir Elliott Belgrave, the then Governor-General of Barbados.
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