This page lists notable alumni and former students, faculty, and administrators of California State University, Northridge.
Administrators Dick Dull – athletic director Dick Enberg – sportscaster and college administrator S. K. Ramesh – electrical engineer and university administrator Ruth Simmons – former president of Prairie View A&M University, Brown University, and Smith College Thor Steingraber – opera and theater director, and arts administrator
Alumni
Academia Eric V. Anslyn – distinguished professor of chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin Judy Baca – professor of Chicana/o Studies and professor of World Arts and Cultures at UCLA Jeffrey Beall – librarian at the University of Colorado Denver Betty Beaumont – conceptual artist who has served on the faculty of the University of California at Berkeley, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, SUNY, Purchase, Hunter College, New York University, and Columbia University Michael Ferejohn – professor of philosophy at Duke University Lori Cox Han – professor of political science at Chapman University Jack C. Hayya (1929–2018) – professor of management science at the Pennsylvania State University Judith H. Hibbard – senior researcher and professor at the University of Oregon Michael Klonsky – activist, professor of education at Loyola University Chicago David C. Lane – author, professor of philosophy and sociology Ralph Larkin – sociologist, assistant professor of sociology at Rutgers University, Newark and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice Minnette Gersh Lenier – teacher who used magic to improve students’ learning skills Shari McMahan – health sciences educator and president of Eastern Washington University Kathleen Lowe Melde – professor of electrical engineering and associate dean at the University of Arizona Annette Nellen – professor; director of the graduate tax program at the San José State University Peter W. Schramm – professor of political science at Ashland University Alex Sevanian – professor of molecular pharmacology and toxicology at University of Southern California Chauntelle Tibbals – sociologist specialized in gender and sexualities Barbara Tilley – professor of biostatistics at Case Western Reserve University, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the UTHealth School of Public Health Robert H. Todd – professor of mechanical engineering at Brigham Young University C. Richard Tracy – ecologist and professor of biology at University of Nevada, Reno Ann E. Watkins – professor of mathematics at California State University, Northridge Mark Watson – professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University, previously at Harvard University and Northwestern University
Business
Andrew Anagnost – president and CEO of Autodesk Vincent Barabba – market researcher and former head of the United States Census Bureau Gene Baur – president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary Jim Berk – CEO of Participant Media (An Inconvenient Truth, Bridge of Spies, Green Book, Spotlight) Stephen Bollenbach (1960) – co-chairman and CEO of Hilton Hotels Wendi Deng Murdoch – media executive, wife of News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch Doug Emhoff – entertainment lawyer, former Second Gentleman of the United States, husband of Kamala Harris Christine Essel – senior vice president, Paramount Pictures Jon V. Ferrara – entrepreneur and founder of Nimble Dirk Gates – founder and CEO of Xircom and Xirrus Gene Haas – NASCAR team owner; Haas F1 Solo owner; Haas Automation president Jerry Jordan – former member of President Ronald Reagan's Council of Economic Advisers and former president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Cameron Kashani – Iranian-American entrepreneur, coach, speaker, and advisor Fumi Kitahara – publicist for Walt Disney Studios and Dreamworks Rao Machiraju – executive in residence and co-director of Center for Human Applied Reasoning and the Internet of Things (Chariot) at the University of Southern California, former CEO of ReQall. David Nazarian – businessman and philanthropist, founder and CEO of Nîmes Capital Charles Noski – CFO of AT&T, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Bank of America Nick Patsaouras – businessman, engineer, and public official Steve Pavlina – self-development professional Dan Pena – businessman Stan Polovets – led the $15bn merge and $55bn sale of TNK-BP, lead director on the board of L1 Energy and chairman at Edelman Vicki Roberts – attorney, on-air legal commentator, television and film personality Ravi Sawhney – industrial designer, founder and CEO of RKS Design Amanda Simpson – vice president for research and technology at Airbus Americas Lee Soo-Man – founder and chairman of SM Entertainment Kathleen Utgoff – economist and commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Michelle Vicary – executive vice president of programming and network publicity for Crown Media Frank K. Wheaton – attorney, sports agent and personal manager Alex Yemenidjian – chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.
Film and television
Paula Abdul (attended) – entertainer; singer, dancer, judge for television series American Idol and The X Factor; winner of multiple MTV Video Music Awards, Grammy Awards, and Emmy Awards Ariane Andrew (2005) – wrestler David Michael Barrett (1992) – screenwriter and film producer Anna Behlmer – Academy Award-nominated sound engineer Deanne Bray (1989) – actress Kimberly J. Brown – actress Dave Caplan – television writer and producer Charmian Carr – actress Joan Chen, BA 1979 – actress, filmmaker Morris Chestnut (1987) – film and television actor Karin Anna Cheung (1992) – actress Kristen Cloke – actress Kevin Corcoran (1967) – actor, entertainment producer-director Mike Darnell – television executive Bobby Diamond – actor and attorney Richard Dreyfuss (1965) – actor, winner of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Jenna Elfman – film and television actress known for Dharma and Greg, Golden Globe winner Robert Englund – actor best known for his role as Freddy Krueger Diane Franklin – film and television actress Teri Garr (attended) – film actress, comedian, Academy Award nominee Alexandra Grey (2013) – film and television actress, singer Don Hahn, BA 1975 – film producer, film director; film producer of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Golden Globe winner Alyson Hannigan (1992) – actress Phil Hartman (1966) – film and television actor, comedian, producer Linda Kaye Henning – film and television actress Helen Hunt (1981) – film and television actress Paul Hunter – film director, screenwriter, and music video director David Knoller – television producer, director and writer Dale Launer – screenwriter Lillian Lehman – film and television actor Nicole Linkletter – Cycle 5 America's Next Top Model winner Eva Longoria – actress Cheech Marin – actor, comedian, co-star of Cheech and Chong film and television team Austin Matelson (aka Luchasaurus), BA 2008, MA 2010 – professional wrestler Al Mayer Jr. – 2x Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning camera designer Braddon Mendelson – filmmaker and playwright Eva Mendes – actress Jillian Michaels – personal trainer and Biggest Loser coach Brian A. Miller – senior vice president and general manager of Cartoon Network Studios. Emmy Award-winning television producer Michelle Mizner – Academy Award-winning film producer and editor David Mullich – game designer and producer Arsi Nami – Swedish-Persian actor, singer, songwriter, music therapist and philanthropist Robert Newman – actor, Guiding Light Harry Northup – actor, Taxi Driver and The Silence of the Lambs; poet, "Red Snow Fence" Cubby O'Brien (1955–59) – musician; drummer, original member ("Mouseketeer") of The Mickey Mouse Club Utt Panichkul – actor and model Donald Petrie – actor and film director Chuck Pfarrer – screenwriter, author, former SEAL Team commander Eve Plumb (1976) – actress, "Jan" on The Brady Bunch Lauren Ridloff – actress, Tony Award nominee Robbie Rist – actor and musician, "Cousin Oliver" on The Brady Bunch Mark Saul – actor, All That, Grey's Anatomy, The Social Network Deborah Lynn Scott – costume designer and set designer Jean Bruce Scott – actress Scott Shaw (1976) – author, actor, filmmaker Lloyd Sherr – voice actor Jenny Shimizu – actress and model Charles Martin Smith – actor and director Phil Snyder – voice actor; voice of Disney character Jiminy Cricket; professor, University of Houston James Stanfield – professor and film producer, won the Academy Award for Technical Achievement Jeri Taylor – co-creator of Star Trek: Voyager Brian J. Terwilliger (1994) – producer/director of One Six Right Jennifer Tisdale – actress Tim Toyama – playwright, producer DJ Trevi – actor, DJ, reality personality, director Minoti Vaishnav – singer, screenwriter and producer Larry Wilcox – actor Debra Winger – film and stage actress
Government and politics
Richard Alarcon (1971) – former California state senator and Los Angeles City Council member Nicole Avant – 13th United States Ambassador to the Bahamas Judy Baca (1964) – artist, civil rights activist, Guggenheim Fellow Christopher Bogdan – retired United States Air Force general Katie Eyre Brewer – member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 29th district Kansen Chu – member of the San Jose City Council from the 4th District, member of the California State Assembly from 25th Assembly District Lance Clow – member of the Idaho House of Representatives from the 24th District Mike Curb (1962) – musician, record company executive, 42nd lieutenant governor of California Mike Davis – president pro tem, Los Angeles Board of Public Works and former member of the California State Assembly Jamshid "Jimmy" Delshad (1958) – mayor of Beverly Hills Tara Flanagan – judge of the Superior Court of the State of California in the County of Alameda Katie Hill – former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representative of California's 25th congressional district George J. Hochbrueckner – member of the New York State Assembly, member of the United States House of Representatives for New York's 1st congressional district Brent A. Jones (born 1963) – Republican member of the Nevada Assembly. Ida B. Kinney – civil rights activist and teacher Jeanne Kohl-Welles – member of the Washington State Senate and Washington House of Representatives from the 36th legislative district Charlotte Laws – author, politician and animal rights advocate Ralph Lazo – only known non-spouse, non-Japanese American who voluntarily relocated to a World War II Japanese American internment camp John Lee – member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 12th district Marc Levine – member of the California State Assembly from the 10th District Linda Lingle – former governor of Hawaii Mark! Lopez – activist and winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize Bob Marshall – member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 13th District Nury Martinez – former president of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 6th district Caroline Menjivar – member of California State Senate Esha Momeni – Iranian-American women's rights activist Kevin Murray – former California State Assemblyman and senator S. James Otero – U.S. District Court judge Imelda Padilla – member of the Los Angeles City Council William Paparian – lawyer and former mayor of Pasadena, California Fran Pavley – first mayor of Agoura Hills, member of the California State Assembly for the 41st District, and member of the California State Senate from the 27th District and 23rd District Rick Rollens – former secretary, California State Senate; autism health and research activist