46 Notable alumni of University of New Orleans
Updated: June 15, 2026 EliteDegrees
University of New Orleans is 986st in the world, 1st in North America, and 261st in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 46 notable alumni from University of New Orleans sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with University of New Orleans won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Anaïs St. John
1973-. (aged 53)
singer
Anaïs St. John is an American musician, musical educator, and dramatic performer from New Orleans. St. John has a bachelor's degree in Music from the Xavier University, and a master's degree from the University of New Orleans. She was originally a mezzo-soprano at the New Orleans Opera, but as a solo artist she has combined jazz, blues and R&B. Her...
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2. William D. Baumgartner
1958-. (aged 68)
military officer
William Dale Baumgartner was a United States Coast Guard rear admiral who served as the Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District. He was also the Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the United States Coast Guard. In this capacity, he was the Coast Guard's senior legal advisor and is responsible for all aspects of the service's legal program.
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3. Bin Ramke
1947-. (aged 79)
poet
Lloyd Binford Ramke is an American poet and editor.
4. Ruben Armiñana
1947-. (aged 79)
Ruben Armiñana is a political scientist who served as the sixth president of Sonoma State University from 1992 to 2016. He is the first Cuban-American to head a campus in the California State University system.
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5. Patrick Scheuermann
Patrick Scheuermann is the former Director of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center located in Huntsville, Alabama. He was named to become the center's twelfth director on September 25, 2012, and served in the role until November 13, 2015. Scheuermann succeeded Robin Henderson, who had served as acting director for the preceding two months. Scheuermann served as the director of...
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6. Calvin A. Johnson Jr
1985-. (aged 41)
musician
Calvin A. Johnson Jr. is an American saxophonist, bandleader, composer, producer, and actor from New Orleans, Louisiana. A multi-instrumentalist, he is best known as a tenor and soprano saxophone player but also performs and records on alto and baritone saxophones, clarinet, and flute. He has worked with many of the biggest names in New Orleans music, including Aaron Neville, Harry...
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7. Quincy Diggs
1990-. (aged 36)
basketball player
Quincy Johan Diggs is an American-Austrian professional basketball player for Oberwart Gunners of the Austrian Basketball Bundesliga.
8. Kathleen Alcalá
1954-. (aged 72)
writer
novelist
journalist
university teacher
Kathleen Alcalá is the author of a short-story collection, three novels set in the American Southwest and nineteenth-century Mexico, and a collection of essays. She teaches creative writing at workshops and programs in Washington state and elsewhere, including Seattle University, the University of New Mexico and Richard Hugo House.
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9. Jay C. Zainey
1951-. (aged 75)
lawyer
judge
Jay Christopher Zainey is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
10. Wally Whitehurst
1964-. (aged 62)
baseball player
Walter Richard Whitehurst is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher who played from 1989 to 1996 with the New York Mets, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Standing 6'3" and weighing 195 pounds, Whitehurst attended the University of New Orleans where he compiled a 37–15 record.
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11. Fady Qaddoura
1980-. (aged 46)
politician
Fady Qaddoura is an American politician from Indianapolis. A Palestinian American, and a member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to represent Senate District 30 in the Indiana Senate in the 2020 general election, becoming the first Arab Muslim lawmaker in the state's history. In the election, he defeated his Republican opponent, winning 52.5% of the vote.
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12. Jim Letten
1953-. (aged 73)
lawyer
military officer
James B. Letten is an American attorney. A career prosecutor, Letten served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana for more than eleven years. By the time Letten resigned as U.S. Attorney in December 2012, he was the longest-serving U.S. Attorney in the country.
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13. Joey Butler
1986-. (aged 40)
baseball player
Joseph Frank Butler is an American former professional baseball designated hitter and left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, and St. Louis Cardinals, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Orix Buffaloes.
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14. Bunny Matthews
1951-2021 (aged 70)
cartoonist
Will Bunn "Bunny" Matthews III was an American cartoonist and writer from the Greater New Orleans Area. He is best known for his depictions of New Orleans characters and local dialect, especially Vic and Nat'ly Broussard.
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15. Valerie Martin
1948-. (aged 78)
writer
novelist
Valerie Martin is an American novelist and short story writer. Her novel Property (2003) won the Orange Prize for Fiction. In 2012, The Observer named Property as one of "The 10 best historical novels".
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16. Jamison Ross
1987-. (aged 39)
drummer
Jamison Ross is an American jazz drummer and vocalist, singer, songwriter, and producer. He was the winner of the 2012 Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Competition for drums.
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17. Brian Palermo
1966-. (aged 60)
screenwriter
stage actor
television actor
actor
film actor
Brian Palermo is an American character actor, science communicator, improv instructor and comedian. He has appeared in a number of television shows, commercials and movies. Palermo is also a writer whose credits include Warner Brothers' Histeria! and Disney's The Weekenders and Dave The Barbarian, both created by Doug Langdale. He is also a co-author with Randy Olson and Dorie Barton...
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18. Randy Bush
1958-. (aged 68)
baseball player
Robert Randall Bush is a former Major League Baseball player and current front office member of the Chicago Cubs. He played 12 seasons for the Minnesota Twins from 1982 to 1993, mainly as an outfielder and designated hitter, compiling 96 home runs, 409 RBIs, and a career batting average of.251 in 1,219 games with Minnesota.
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19. Peter Halley
1953-. (aged 73)
painter
artist
university teacher
illustrator
photographer
Peter Halley is an American artist and a central figure in the Neo-Conceptualist movement of the 1980s. Known for his Day-Glo geometric paintings, Halley is also a writer, the former publisher of index Magazine, and a teacher; he served as director of graduate studies in painting and printmaking at the Yale University School of Art from 2002 to 2011. Halley...
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20. Johnny Giavotella
1987-. (aged 39)
baseball player
Johnny Arthur Giavotella is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, and Baltimore Orioles. He is currently the general manager for the University of New Orleans Privateers baseball program.
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21. Jan Aronson
1949-. (aged 77)
artist
Jan Aronson is a New Orleans-born artist working and living in New York City.
22. Chloé Valdary
activist
blogger
columnist
Chloé Simone Valdary is an American writer and entrepreneur whose company, Theory of Enchantment, teaches social and emotional learning in schools, as well as diversity and inclusion in companies and government agencies.
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23. Anita Ratnam
1954-. (aged 72)
choreographer
dancer
Anita Ratnam is an Indian classical and contemporary dancer and choreographer. Classically trained in Bharat Natyam, she has also received formal training in Kathakali, Mohiniattam, and tai chi and Kalarippayattu, thus creating a dance style which she has coined "Neo Bharatam".
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24. Bo McCalebb
1985-. (aged 41)
basketball player
Lester "Bo" McCalebb is an American-Macedonian former professional basketball player. He represented the senior Macedonian national team internationally. Standing at 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in), he played at the point guard position. Born and raised in New Orleans, he attended the University of New Orleans. A two-time All-EuroLeague selection, McCalebb was part of the All-Tournament Team at EuroBasket 2011.
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25. Ervin Johnson
1967-. (aged 59)
basketball player
Ervin Johnson Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who is a community ambassador for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in the NBA for the Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves as a center from 1993 to 2006.
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26. Paul Mainieri
1957-. (aged 69)
baseball player
Paul Mainieri is an American college baseball coach and former second baseman. He is currently the head baseball coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks. He played college baseball at LSU, Miami-Dade CC and New Orleans before pursuing a professional baseball career. He then served as the head coach of the St. Thomas Bobcats (1983–1988), the Air Force Falcons (1989–1994), the...
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27. Michelle Miller
1967-. (aged 59)
journalist
Michelle Miller is a national correspondent for CBS News and currently serves as a co-host on CBS Saturday Morning. She has also served as a substitute anchor on CBS Mornings and 48 Hours on ID.
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28. Brian Snitker
1955-. (aged 71)
baseball manager
baseball player
Brian Gerald Snitker is an American professional baseball coach, manager, and former player. He was the manager for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB) for 10 seasons from 2016 to 2025. Snitker has spent 49 years in the Braves organization, starting as a catcher and first baseman in the Braves' minor league system from 1977 to 1980.
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29. Pat Barry
1979-. (aged 47)
Thai boxer
kickboxer
mixed martial arts fighter
Pat Barry is an American former professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer who competed as a heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is particularly known for his low kicks.
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30. Dawn Richard
1983-. (aged 43)
singer
songwriter
Dawn Angeliqué Richard is an American singer from New Orleans, Louisiana. She began her career auditioning for MTV's Making the Band 3 in 2004, during which she formed the girl group Danity Kane.
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31. Mark Normand
1983-. (aged 43)
television actor
stand-up comedian
actor
comedian
Mark Normand is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He began performing stand-up in his hometown New Orleans in 2006. He has performed across the United States and abroad and has appeared on Conan, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
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32. Kim McGuire
1955-2016 (aged 61)
film actor
actor
television actor
Kim Diane McGuire was an American lawyer and author. A former actress, she was best known for her role of Mona "Hatchet-Face" Malnorowski in John Waters' 1990 comedy musical Cry-Baby.
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33. Ellen DeGeneres
1958-. (aged 68)
film actor
LGBTQ rights activist
television producer
voice actor
television presenter
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American retired comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She began her career in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, gaining national attention with a 1986 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She starred in the television sitcoms Ellen (1994–1998) and The Ellen Show (2001–2002). She also hosted the syndicated television talk show,...
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34. Frank Ocean
1987-. (aged 39)
composer
keyboardist
record producer
rapper
singer
Frank Ocean is an American singer and songwriter. His accolades include two Grammy Awards and a Brit Award. He has been credited by several music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre.
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35. Taryn Terrell
1985-. (aged 41)
actor
television actor
professional wrestler
model
stunt performer
Taryn Nicole Dryden is an American model, actress, stuntwoman, ring announcer and retired professional wrestler. She is best known for her tenures in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), under her real name, and in WWE, where she performed under the ring name Tiffany.
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36. Max Hardberger
1948-. (aged 78)
lawyer
novelist
Florian Max Hardberger is an American adventurer, ship captain, aviator, ship recovery specialist, admiralty lawyer, and author of maritime fiction and nonfiction adventures.
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37. Renée Gill Pratt
1954-. (aged 72)
politician
Renée Gill Pratt is an American politician from New Orleans, Louisiana. She was also Director of the Center for Student Retention and Success in Southern University at New Orleans. On July 25, 2011, she was found guilty of racketeering. For this crime, she served a four-year sentence.
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38. Jericho Brown
1976-. (aged 50)
poet
Jericho Brown is an American poet and writer. Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Brown has worked as an educator at institutions such as the University of Houston, the University of San Diego, and Emory University. His poems have been published in The Nation, New England Review, The New Republic, Oxford American, and The New Yorker, among others. He released...
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39. Shelley Puhak
1975-. (aged 51)
university teacher
poet
writer
Shelley Puhak is an American poet and writer. She was Eichner Professor of Creative Writing at Notre Dame of Maryland University. She won the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize for her poetry collection Guinevere in Baltimore. She was a National Poetry Series winner for her poetry collection Harbinger She is also the author of The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That...
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40. Luke Winslow-King
1983-. (aged 43)
singer
guitarist
lyricist
composer
musician
Luke Winslow-King Balzuweit is an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, and lyricist based out of Calatayud, Aragon, Spain. Winslow-King plays vintage blues and jazz music and is known for his slide guitar work. He is a music traditionalist, playing a mixture of "people's music" and improvisational jazz based in collective improvisation. He has been influenced by the music of New...
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41. Brenda Hatfield
1943-. (aged 83)
official
Brenda Ann Garibaldi Hatfield is an American woman who served as chief administrative officer of the City of New Orleans under Mayor Ray Nagin.
42. James H. Clark
1944-. (aged 82)
computer scientist
engineer
businessperson
James Henry Clark is an American entrepreneur and computer scientist. He founded several notable Silicon Valley technology companies, including Silicon Graphics, Netscape, myCFO, and Healtheon. His research work in computer graphics led to the development of systems for the fast rendering of three-dimensional computer images.
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43. James D. Kirylo
1958-. (aged 68)
writer
James David Kirylo is professor of education at the University of South Carolina who teaches courses that examine concepts associated with critical pedagogy, curriculum theorizing, teacher leadership, diversity and literacy. Among other books, he is author of Teaching with Purpose: An Inquiry into the Who, Why, and How We Teach, A Turning Point in Teacher Education: A Time for Resistance,...
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44. Joseph Boyden
1966-. (aged 60)
novelist
Joseph Boyden CM is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. He is best known for writing about First Nations culture. Three Day Road, a novel about two Cree soldiers serving in the Canadian military during World War I, was inspired by Ojibwa Francis Pegahmagabow, the legendary First World War sniper. Joseph Boyden's second novel, Through Black Spruce, follows the...
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45. Enamul Huq
1938-. (aged 88)
lawyer
Enamul Huq served as the Inspector General of Police of Bangladesh Police, and a member of the Law Commission from 2004 to 2007.
46. Sal Khan
1976-. (aged 50)
entrepreneur
computer scientist
electrical engineer
YouTuber
mathematician
Salman Amin Khan is an American educator and the founder of Khan Academy, a free online non-profit educational platform with which he has produced over 6,500 video lessons teaching a wide spectrum of academic subjects, originally focusing on mathematics and science. He is also the founder of Khan Lab School, a private, in-person school in Mountain View, California.
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