This is a list of people from Spokane, Washington. It includes individuals who were born in or lived in the city. A person who lives in or comes from Spokane, Washington, is known as a Spokanite.
Authors Sherman Alexie, author Arthur C. Brooks, author David Eddings, author of The Belgariad and many other books Wilbur Crane Eveland, served in various functions as a US intelligence officer in the Arab East Quail Hawkins, bookseller and children's author Bruce Holbert, author, Washington State Book Award winner Katherine Kelley, journalist and author Kenn Nesbitt, Children's Poet Laureate (2013–2015) Jack Nisbet, author of several books on explorer David Thompson Shann Ray, author, American Book Award winner Rick Rydell, outdoor writer, worked at local radio stations as a radio talk show host David Shannon, author of No, David! and many other children's books Wayne Spitzer, author and low-budget horror filmmaker Terry Trueman, Printz Award-winning author of Stuck in Neutral and numerous other young adult novels Shawn Vestal, author, Washington State Book Award winner and recipient of the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, former writer for The Spokesman Review Jess Walter, author, recipient of the 2006 Edgar Allan Poe Award
Chefs and restaurateurs
Sarah Minnick, chef owner at Lovely Hula Hands and Lovely's Fifty Fifty
Comedians Kelsey Cook, stand up comedian Tom McTigue, actor and comedian, Baywatch, Quantum Leap, Boyhood Julia Sweeney, actor and comedian (appeared on Saturday Night Live)
Convicted criminals Kevin Coe, convicted "South Hill rapist" Keith Hunter Jesperson, serial killer Jack Owen Spillman, serial killer Rollen Stewart, kidnapper Robert Lee Yates, serial killer
Film, stage and television industry
Rick Alverson, film director Dyan Cannon, actress born in Tacoma, WA; attended North Central High School for the 9th grade before moving to Seattle with her familyDyan Cannon in Spokane: Sophia Anne Caruso, Broadway actress best known for playing Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice: The Musical Gary Frank, Emmy Award-winning actor, known for playing Willie in the ABC series Family Russell Hodgkinson, actor Cheyenne Jackson, singer and actor, known for United 93 Clifton James, film actor (Cool Hand Luke) Paul Johansson, actor, appeared in One Tree Hill Eric Johnston, former head of the United States Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America Chuck Jones, director of animated films, three-time Academy Award winner Neil LaBute, film director/playwright David Lynch, film director, known for Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks Darren McGavin, actor, known for starring in Kolchak: the Night Stalker and A Christmas Story John McIntire, actor on Wagon Train and The Virginian Michele Morrow, actress, appeared in Basement Jack, The Young and the Restless, and Alias Craig T. Nelson, actor, star of television series Coach and Parenthood, as well as the films The Incredibles and Poltergeist Deanna Oliver, actress and writer, known for her role in The Brave Little Toaster and work with Animaniacs and Casper Seena Owen, silent-film actress Gale Page, actress, starred in Knute Rockne, All American with Ronald Reagan Patrick Page, Tony-nominated actor best known as Hades in Hadestown Susan Peters, actress Matt Piedmont, film director and writer Troy Robertson, reality TV star (Survivor, Survivor: One World, and Survivor: Game Changers) Trevor St. John, actor; known for his role on One Life to Live (graduated from Whitworth University) Wayne Spitzer, low-budget horror filmmaker Hilary Swank, two-time Oscar-winning actress (father was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base) Sydney Sweeney, actress; best known for her role as Cassie Howard in Euphoria Tongolele, film and television actor Sarah Truax, stage and film actress, Spokane resident from 1912 to 1927 Mary Ann Wilson, nurse and TV fitness instructor Michael Winslow, actor and comedian, known for Police Academy
Artists Harold Balazs, sculptor Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, photographer/traveller Kenneth Callahan, painter from the Northwest School Brian Crane, cartoonist Jerry Holkins, writer for Penny Arcade Mike Krahulik, artist for Penny Arcade Tom Kundig, principal at Olson Kundig Architects George Nakashima, furniture maker, entrepreneur Clyfford Still, abstract-expressionist painter Paula Mary Turnbull, welding nun
Journalists Timothy Egan, journalist, winner of the National Book Award and the Washington State Book Award Neil Everett, journalist, ESPN SportsCenter anchor Julian Guthrie, journalist and author based in San Francisco Sue Herera, journalist, CNBC anchor Eric Johnson, journalist, former sports director for KREM 2; weeknight news anchor for KOMO 4 John Richards, journalist, radio personality, producer of The Morning Show and Audioasis on 90.3 FM KEXP Seattle Rick Rydell, journalist, worked at local radio stations KJRB, KZZU, and KKZX as a radio talk show host
Musicians Jim Boyd, musician Cami Bradley, America's Got Talent finalist and member of The Sweeplings Mike Clarke, member of the band The Byrds Bing Crosby, singer/actor Bob Crosby, bandleader and vocalist Paul D'Amour, former member of the band Tool Andra Day, singer-songwriter David Friesen, jazz bassist Calvin Hayes, British musician, co-founder and keyboardist for Johnny Hates Jazz Andy Gibson, singer-songwriter Theo Hakola, singer/songwriter, musician Dan Hamilton, member of Surf band The Ventures, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, and The T-Bones Thomas Hampson, baritone Dan Hoerner, lead guitarist and backup vocalist for the band Sunny Day Real Estate Myles Kennedy, lead singer of the band Alter Bridge Keyboard Cat and his handler Charlie Schmidt, performer on a viral internet meme Ryan Lewis, music producer, primarily with Macklemore George Lynch, former member of the rock band Dokken; member of Lynch Mob Chad Mitchell, member of the Chad Mitchell Trio Craig Montoya, former member of the band Everclear Matty Mullins, lead singer of the band Memphis May Fire Patrice Munsel, former Metropolitan Opera star Danny O'Keefe, singer-songwriter Eckart Preu, conductor of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra Jimmy Rowles, jazz pianist Ann Sandifur, composer Scott Thompson, former member of the Canadian band Lillix Billy Tipton, jazz musician Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, boogie-woogie and blues-rock pianist Tyrone Wells, singer-songwriter Merrill Womach, undertaker, organist and gospel singer, founder of National Music Service
Politicians Civic James Everett Chase, mayor of Spokane Jack Geraghty, mayor of Spokane; former Spokane County commissioner Dennis P. Hession, mayor of Spokane John Powers, mayor of Spokane David H. Rodgers, mayor of Spokane Ron Sims, former member of the King County Council; former King County executive; former member of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Jon Snyder, member of the Spokane City Council John Talbott, mayor of Spokane Mary Verner, mayor of Spokane James E. West, Washington state senator and Spokane mayor
Federal Michael Baumgartner, U.S. congressman from Washington's 5th congressional district (2025–present) Ryan Crocker, U.S. diplomat, former U.S. ambassador to Iraq Tom Foley, U.S. congressman, former Democratic speaker of the United States House of Representatives, former US ambassador to Japan Eric Johnston, former head of the United States Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America Mike McKevitt, U.S. congressman for (1971–73) Cathy McMorris Rodgers, U.S. congresswoman for (2005–2025) George Nethercutt, former Republican U.S. congressman, judge and attorney Ron Sims, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
State Andy Billig, Washington state senator James M. Geraghty, Washington State Supreme Court justice Sam C. Guess, Washington state senator Jon Hansen, Washington state senator and Spokane mayor Samuel G. Havermale, early Spokane pioneer, minister and politician Horace E. Houghton, Washington and Wisconsin state legislator, lawyer B. R. Ostrander, Republican, served in the Washington House of Representatives 1889–1891 Marcus Riccelli, Washington state representative James E. West, Washington state senator and Spokane mayor
Science and technology Michael P. Anderson, astronaut killed in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster Walter Houser Brattain, awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics Robert Dirks, computational chemist killed in a 2015 train wreck in New York Dorothy M. Horstmann, virologist, made important discoveries about polio Anne McClain, NASA astronaut, flight engineer for Expedition 58/59 to the International Space Station Wilder Graves Penfield, American-born Canadian neurosurgeon who mapped out the functional areas of the cerebral cortex and pioneered groundbreaking research into epilepsy treatment Irwin Rose, biologist awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Sports Auto racing Chad Little, NASCAR race winner Tom Sneva, Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Series champion
Baseball Jeremy Affeldt, Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher for the San Francisco Giants Ed Brandt, MLB pitcher (1928–38) Ed Kirkpatrick, former MLB outfielder and catcher Andrew Kittredge, pitcher for Tampa Bay Rays Larry Koentopp, Gonzaga University three-sport all-state selection, baseball head coach and athletic director Tyler Olson, pitcher for Cleveland Indians Mike Redmond, former MLB player for the Florida Marlins, Minnesota Twins, and Cleveland Indians; manager for the Marlins; (Gonzaga University graduate, 1993) Ryne Sandberg, 2005 inductee in the Baseball Hall of Fame, former second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, former MLB manager for the Philadelphia Phillies Kevin Stocker, former shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Anaheim Angels; current analyst for the Pac-12 Network Christine Wren, second female professional baseball umpire
Basketball Malik Hall, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League"The beautiful minds that made Malik Hall," The Athletic, December 17, 2020. Briann January, former Arizona State Sun Devils player; played for the WNBA's Indiana Fever (Lewis and Clark High School graduate, 2005) Adam Morrison, former Gonzaga player, former 2005–2006 first-team All-American, Charlotte Bobcats and Los Angeles Lakers basketball player (Mead High School graduate, 2003) John Stockton, NBA Hall of Fame former point guard for the Utah Jazz Wayne Tinkle, player for the Montana Grizzlies (Ferris High School graduate, 1984); former head coach for the Oregon State Beavers
Billiards Dorothy Wise, member of Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame
Boxing Chauncy Welliver, professional boxer
Extreme sports Jess Roskelley, youngest American (at the time) to climb Mount Everest Eric Uptagrafft, sport shooter
Football Bob Bellinger, football player Erik Coleman, former Washington State Cougars football player, former player for the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions (Lewis and Clark High School graduate, 2000) Joe Danelo, former kicker for the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants, and the Buffalo Bills (graduated from WSU and Gonzaga Prep 1971) Will Davis, former defensive back for the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF Steve Emtman, 1992 NFL No. 1 draft pick, former defensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts Bill Etter, held the Notre Dame record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game—146 yards Steve Gleason, NFL former special teams player for the New Orleans Saints and a graduate of WSU and Gonzaga Prep Jason Hanson, former kicker with the Detroit Lions Max Krause, running back for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins