List of Pepperdine University people

The following is a list of notable people associated with Pepperdine University, located in the American city of Malibu, California.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Notable alumni

Academia

• Mike Aamodt (B.A., 1978) – Industrial and organizational psychology researcher
• Christopher Chetsanga (B.S., 1964) – Zimbabwean scientist who discovered two enzymes that repair damage to DNA
• Michael A. O'Donnell – Adolescent wellness researcher
• Michael Shermer (B.A., 1976) – Founder of The Skeptics Society
• Kirk Snyder (M.A., 1991) – LGBT business communication researcher

Business

• Sophia Hutchins (B.S., 2019) – chief executive officer of LUMASOL and Executive Director of the Caitlyn Jenner Foundation
• Rick J. Caruso (J.D., 1983) – chief executive officer of Caruso Affiliated
• Benjamin de Rothschild (1984) – Chairman of the Edmond de Rothschild Group
• Julia Hartz (B.A., 2001) – Founder and CEO of Eventbrite
• George Randolph Hearst III (B.A. 1977) publisher of the Times Union newspaper in Albany, New York and director of the Hearst corporation
• Rod Menzies (MBA, 1988) – entrepreneur
• Tiffany Monroe (Chief People Officer, H&R Block)
• Oscar Munoz (M.B.A., 1986) – President and CEO of United Airlines
• Greg Popovich - (M.B.A. 1996) Owner Castle Rock Winery
• Nicolette Rankin - Entrepreneur
• Jeffrey Sprecher - Founder and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange and current chairman of the New York Stock Exchange
• Dean Stoecker – Founder, chairman and former CEO of Alteryx
• Robert Tchenguiz (LL.B., 1982) – London-based property tycoon
• Neil Clark Warren (1956) – chairman and co-founder of eHarmony.com
• Kelly Zong (B.A., 2004) – President of the Hangzhou Wahaha Group founded by her father, Zong Qinghou
• Jean Trebek - Entrepreneur, philanthropist, blogger, widow of game show host and television personality Alex Trebek

Entertainment

• Nicole Kidman - actress
• Les Baxter – soundtrack and exotica composer
• Brittany Dawn Brannon – Miss Teen America 2007 and Miss Arizona 2010
• D.J. Caruso – film director
• Marshall Colt – actor, McClain's Law; later marriage and family therapist in San Diego
• Chace Crawford – actor, Gossip Girl The Boys
• Pat Dubar - singer, Mind Funk
• Cami Edwards – cast member, Laguna Beach
• Douglas Emerson – former child actor, The Blob and Beverly Hills, 90210
• Kim Fields (1995) – actress, U.S. TV sitcoms The Facts of Life and Living Single
• Kimberly Forsyth – Miss Arkansas USA 2006
• Brad Fuller – video game composer (M.S. technology management 2006)
• Lillian Glass – author, TV commentator, body language expert
• Madison Hildebrand – star of Bravo Channel's Million Dollar Listing
• Darby Hinton – actor, Daniel Boone
• Judy L. Wood– was an Off-Broadway actress who later studied law at Pepperdine University School of Law and had major accomplishments in the legal field. She was portrayed by Michelle Monaghan an actress (Mission impossible franchise &Gone Baby Gone) in the movie Saint Judy.
• Porntip Nakhirunkanok (Bui Simon) – Miss Universe 1988 and Miss Thailand 1988
• Kelly Hu – Miss Teen USA 1985 and actress
• Ashley Jones – television actress, The Bold and the Beautiful
• Montell Jordan – R&B recording artist famous for his hit 1995 single, "This is How We Do It"
• Till Kahrs – recording artist, singer-songwriter, communication skills expert
• Marlene King – television writer, creator of Pretty Little Liars
• John Lasseter – animator and Chief Creative Officer of Pixar Entertainment
• Carla Laureano – RITA award-winning author of Five Days in Skye
• Coco Lee - member of K-pop duo CocoSori
• Jeff Loveness – screenwriter, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Rick and Morty, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
• Chloe Lukasiak – Dance Moms
• Kate Mansi – television actress, Days of Our Lives
• Rob Moore – Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures
• Shana Morrison – singer/songwriter
• Tahj Mowry – television actor, the WB's Smart Guy and ABC Family's Baby Daddy
• Tamera Mowry – television actress, ABC and The WB Sister, Sister, Lifetime Television's Strong Medicine, and co-host and producer of The Real
• Tia Mowry – television actress, ABC and WB sitcom Sister, Sister, BET's The Game and Netflix's Family Reunion
• Brandy Norwood – Grammy Award-winning R&B artist, television, movie and Broadway actress, UPN sitcom Moesha , BET's The Game and Kennedy Center's Chicago.
• Eric Christian Olsen – actor
• Mike Richards – executive producer, The Price Is Right, Let's Make a Deal, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!
• Elena Rossini- filmmaker, documentary film The Illusionists.
• Meredith Salenger – actress
• George Schlatter – Emmy-winning television producer and director, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
• Francesca Marie Smith – voice actress, Helga Pataki on Hey Arnold!
• Matt "Money" Smith – southern California sports radio personality
• Clayton Snyder – actor, sitcom Lizzie McGuire
• Michael Waldron – screenwriter, Rick and Morty, Loki, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
• David N. Weiss – screenwriter, The Rugrats Movie, Shrek 2, The Smurfs

Literature and the arts

• Pierce Brown – author of the sci-fi dystopian Red Rising series
• Sharon M. Draper – realistic fiction and Young-adult fiction novelist
• Jamie J. Quatro – literary fiction writer
• Rebecca Zanetti – romance novelist

Fine arts

• Kevin A. Short – painter and printmaker

Media

• Dani Masten (B.A. in Broadcast Journalism) Multi-Media Journalist, Live Studio Anchor, Field Reporter for FOX5 Vegas KVVU & “MORE Fox 5.” Nominated for a 2023 Emmy in the “Newscast Morning/Daytime – Larger Markets” category.
• Stefan Holt - (B.A., 2009) - news anchor for WNBC-TV, New York
• Adam Housley (B.A. 1994) – national correspondent for Fox News Channel, Los Angeles correspondent, former Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers baseball player (& Emmy winner).
• Michelle Fields (B.A., 2011) – political reporter
• Anna Song (B.A., 1999) – KATU investigative reporter, weekend anchor (1999–present), 2007 Emmy for Human Interest News Series, 2007 Regional Edward R. Murrow award for investigative reporting
• Bill Weir – co-anchor of ABC News Nightline
• Joel Widzer (B.S., 1986) – author and correspondent, MSNBC

Politics and government

• André Birotte Jr. (J.D., 1991) – Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, 2014–present
• Rod Blagojevich (J.D., 1983) – Governor of Illinois, 2003–2009
• Jeffrey Boyd (J.D., 1991) – Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, 2012–present; former editor-in-chief of the Pepperdine Law Review
• Mike Cernovich (J.D., 2004) - Political commentator, social media personality, and conspiracy theorist.
• Talis Colberg (J.D., 1983) – Attorney General of Alaska, 2006–2009
• Chris DeRose (J.D., 2005) – Clerk of the Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona, 2018–2019
• Jennifer Dorsey (J.D., 1997) – Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, 2013–present
• Paris Dennard (B.A., 2005) – Republican Party political strategist
• Colleen Graffy (B.A., 1979) – U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, 2005–2009
• Ivan Doly Gultom (1991) - Member of the People's Representative Council of Indonesia, 2017–present
• James Hahn (B.A., 1972; J.D., 1975) – Mayor of Los Angeles, 2001–2005; Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, 2008–present
• Janice Hahn – U.S. Representative, 2011–2016, California's 36th Congressional District and California's 44th Congressional District; Supervisor of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 2016–present
• Brian Jack (B.A., 2010) – White House Political Director, 2019–2021
• Ted Kanavas – State Senator, Wisconsin State Senate, 2001–2011
• Michelle King - Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District, 2016-2018
• Joel Kleefisch (B.A., 1993) – State Representative, Wisconsin State Assembly, 2005–2019
• Jami Miscik (1980) – Director of the Office of International Affairs, CIA
• Khalid Abdul Muhammad African American black nationalist who came to prominence as a leader in the Nation of Islam and then the New Black Panther Party. After a racially inflammatory 1993 speech at Kean College, Muhammad was condemned and removed from his position in the Nation of Islam by Louis Farrakhan
• Danielle Outlaw – Chief of the Portland Police Bureau
• Bernard C. Parks – Los Angeles City Councilman, 8th District, former Los Angeles Police Chief
• Todd Russell Platts (J.D., 1991) – U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania, 2001–2013
• Amb. Pierre-Richard Prosper (J.D., 1989) – United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues
• Robin Sax (J.D., 1997) – author, legal analyst, victim advocate, former prosecutor for Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
• Diana Shaw - Acting Inspector General of the Department of State
• Keene Simonds (B.A., 1999) - Executive Officer, San Diego LAFCO, 2017 to Present
• Arthur K. Snyder – Los Angeles City Council member, 1967–1985
• Michelle Steel (B.S., 1997) – U.S. Representative, 2021–present, California's 48th Congressional District
• Kinga Tshering (MBA) – Bhutanese politician and businessman
• Kimberly Yee – Arizona State Treasurer, 2019–present

Religion

• Paul Egertson (B.A., 1955) – Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Sports

Luisa Stefani ,Tennis player, first Brazilian to win a medal in Olympic tennis and first Brazilian woman to win a mixed doubles title at the Australian Open

Yakhouba Diawara

Brad Gilbert

Noah Lowry

Jon Moscot

• Alex Acker (2005) – professional basketball player (2005–06; 2008–09 Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers)
• Brandon Armstrong (2001) – former professional basketball player (2001–04; New Jersey Nets)
• Sarah Attar – Olympic 800 meter runner
• Dain Blanton (1994) – 2000 Olympic gold medalist in beach volleyball
• Ricardo Brown (1980) – basketball player drafted in 1979 by Houston Rockets; Southern California Player of the Year in 1979; played professional basketball in the Philippine Basketball Association (1983–90); member of PBA Hall of Fame (2009) and Pepperdine University Hall of Fame (1995)
• Richard Cho – former General Manager of Portland Trail Blazers
• Doug Christie (1992) – retired professional basketball player (1992–2007; Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers)
• Bob Ctvrtlik (1985) – 1988 Olympic gold medal volleyball team member, member of International Olympic Committee
• Yakhouba Diawara (2005) – power forward for the Miami Heat
• Craig Edwards – former professional tennis player, semi-finalist in doubles at 1980 Australian Open.
• Eddie Edwards – former professional tennis player, 42 ATP singles, 40 ATP doubles
• Barry Enright (2007) – pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks
• Jim Everett – former NFL QB, received his MBA from Pepperdine
• Mike Fetters – former professional baseball player (1989–2004; California Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks and Minnesota Twins)
• Greg Genske – sports agent
• Brad Gilbert (1982) – former world # 4 tennis player; prominent coach of Andre Agassi, Andy Murray
• Jason Gore (2000) – professional golfer
• Dan Haren – professional baseball player; 2007 A.L. All Star Starting Pitcher (Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)
• Ginger Helgeson-Nielsen – former professional tennis player who holds the all-time match winning percentage at Pepperdine
• Kim Hill (2013) – USA Volleyball National Team
• Adam Housley (1994) – former professional minor league baseball player, drafted by the Montreal Expos
• Katherine Hull (2003) – professional golfer
• Daniel Johnson (2008) – professional basketball player (Adelaide 36ers, Australasian NBL)
• Dennis Johnson (1976) – Basketball Hall of Famer, former professional basketball player (1977–90; Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics)
• Chad Kreuter – former professional baseball player (1988–2003; Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, Anaheim Angels, Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Jennifer Lacy – professional basketball player, Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream
• Robert Lansdorp - Professional tennis coach who coached several players to #1 in the world
• Martin Laurendeau – former professional tour tennis player
• Mike Leach – head football coach at Texas Tech 2000–2009, Washington State 2012–2019 and Mississippi State 2020-present
• Noah Lowry – professional baseball player (San Francisco Giants)
• Stacy Margolin (born 1959) - tennis player
• Boaz Merenstein (born 1970) - Israeli tennis player
• Glenn Michibata – former professional tour tennis player
• Tim Montez (1984) – college baseball coach of Jacksonville
• Jon Moscot – American-Israeli major league baseball pitcher (Cincinnati Reds)
• Merrill Moses (2000) – water polo goalie for USA national team (2008 Olympic silver medalist)
• David Newhan – professional baseball player (Houston Astros)
• Will Ohman – professional baseball player (Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Leo Palin - Former professional tennis player, 92 singles ATP, 111 doubles ATP
• Rob Picciolo – former professional baseball player (1977–85; Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers and California Angels)
• Steve Rodriguez, major league infielder for the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers; player and head coach for the Waves baseball team
• Sean Rooney (2004) – USA men's national volleyball team, 2008 gold medalist
• Dane Sardinha – professional baseball player (Detroit Tigers)
• Mike Scott – former professional baseball player (1979–91; New York Mets and Houston Astros) and winner of the 1986 NL Cy Young Award
• Jesse Smith – USA men's water polo Olympic team 2000, 2004, 2008 (2008 Olympic silver medalist)
• João Soares - former professional tennis player. 74 ATP singles. 49 ATP doubles.
• Andy Stankiewicz – former professional baseball player (1992–98; New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Montreal Expos and Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Jackson Stormo (born 1999) - basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Andrew Sznajder – former professional tour tennis player
• Eric Thames - professional baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Sahith Theegala - 1-time PGA Tour winner. Current defending Fortinet Champion
• Malcolm Thomas – professional basketball player for Utah Jazz
• Derek Wallace – former professional baseball player (1996–99; New York Mets and Kansas City Royals)
• Robbie Weiss – former professional tennis player
• Lynn Williams (soccer) – professional soccer player, member of USWNT
• Randy Wolf – professional baseball player
• Danny Worth – professional baseball player (Detroit Tigers)

Notable faculty

• Michael Crooke, assistant professor of strategy; founding and lead professor of the Socially, Environmentally, and Ethically Responsible (SEER) Certificate program, Graziadio School of Business and Management; former Navy SEAL; CEO of Patagonia, Inc. (1999–2006)
• Geraldine Decker, opera singer with the Metropolitan Opera
• Craig Detweiler, director of Center for Entertainment, Media, and Culture
• Joel S. Fetzer, distinguished professor of political science
• Allen Fox (born 1939), tennis player (ranked as high as # 4) and coach
• Bruce Herschensohn (born 1932), senior fellow School of Public Policy
• Linda Livingstone, dean of the Graziadio School of Business and Management (2002-2014)
• Merrill Moses (born 1977), associate head coach in water polo, three-time Olympian and silver medalist
• Christopher Parkening, distinguished professor of music
• L. Timothy Perrin, former law school vice dean (2007–2012), former president of sister school Lubbock Christian University (2012–2019)
• Kenneth Starr, former law school dean
• Ben Stein, law professor (1990–97)
• Eliot Teltscher (born 1959), professional tennis player
• Cornel West (born 1953), American philosopher, political activist, social critic, actor, and public intellectual

External links

• Pepperdine University Alumni Association