Notable Alumni of California State University-Sacramento

Wally Herger 1945–

Former US Representative from California

Also attended: American River College

Victor H. Fazio 1942–2022

U.S. Representative from California, 1979–1999

Attended until 1972

Also attended: Union College

Steven Cheung 1982–

White House communications director

Mervyn M. Dymally 1926–2012

41st Lieutenant Governor of California and congressman

Also attended: Lincoln University

Janice Rogers Brown 1949–

Federal appeals judge, former California Supreme Court justice

Also attended: University of Virginia-Main Campus

Noreen Evans 1955–

Lawyer and former California state senator

Bachelor's degree · Government

Also attended: University of the Pacific

Cathleen Galgiani 1964–

Democratic member of the California State Senate

Kevin McCarty 1972–

57th Mayor of Sacramento

Also attended: California State University--Long Beach

Frank Skartados 1956–2018

Greek-American politician and businessman

Also attended: State University of New York at New Paltz

Bill Emmerson 1945–

Former Republican California State Senator

Also attended: La Sierra University, Loma Linda University

Debra Fischer 1951–

Astronomer and Yale professor emerita

Also attended: University of California-Santa Cruz, San Francisco State University, University of Iowa

Stephanie Kelton 1969–

Economist and leading proponent of modern monetary theory

Attended until 1995

Also attended: The New School

Brigitte Jordan 1938–2016

German-American anthropologist

Also attended: University of California-Irvine

Richard Ebeling 1950–

Economist, former president of FEE

Irene Eber 1929–2019

Sinologist and Hebrew University professor

Master of Arts · History · Class of 1961

Also attended: Claremont Graduate University, Pomona College

Lenore Jacobson 1922–2010

School principal in the Pygmalion Effect study

Tom Hanks 1956–

Actor and film producer

Also attended: Chabot College

Child: Chet Hanks (Northwestern University, Northwest University)

Child: Colin Hanks (Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University)

Carlos Alazraqui 1962–

Actor, comedian and voice actor

Edward James Olmos 1947–

Actor known for Blade Runner and Battlestar Galactica

Also attended: California State University--Fresno, California State University-Los Angeles, East Los Angeles College

Spouse: Lymari Nadal (Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce)

Bobby McFerrin 1950–

Jazz vocalist, composer and conductor

Also attended: Cerritos College, University of Illinois Springfield, The Juilliard School

Father: Robert McFerrin (Roosevelt University, Fisk University)

Ryan Coogler 1986–

Filmmaker and Academy Award winner

Also attended: Saint Mary's College of California, University of Southern California

Kayden Kross 1985–

Adult film actress and director

Ann Bannon 1932–

Author of the Beebo Brinker Chronicles

Master's degree

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Stanford University

Joe Carnahan 1969–

Film director and screenwriter of The A-Team

Also attended: Solano Community College

Bridget Marquardt 1973–

TV personality on The Girls Next Door

Also attended: University of the Pacific, San Joaquin Delta College

Wayne Thiebaud 1920–2021

Painter known for pies, cakes and everyday objects

Attended until 1941

Also attended: Sacramento City College, San Jose State University

Chi Cheng 1970–2013

Bassist of the band Deftones

Rick Rossovich 1957–

Actor in the 1986 film Top Gun

Tomislav Sunić 1953–

Croatian-American political theorist and writer

Master of Arts · International relations · Class of 1985

Also attended: University of California-Santa Barbara

Mel Ramos 1935–2018

Pop art figurative painter

Creed Bratton 1943–

Actor and musician, known for The Office

Also attended: College of the Sequoias

Lester Holt 1959–

NBC news anchor

Jeffrey Boam 1946–2000

Screenwriter and producer of Indiana Jones films

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Elaine Welteroth Singletary 1986–

Journalist, author and former Teen Vogue editor-in-chief

Joan Lunden 1950–

Former co-host of Good Morning America

Giselle Fernández 1961–

Television journalist and anchor

Janis Martin 1939–2014

Opera singer known for Wagner roles

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

David Hodo 1947–

Singer and member of Village People

Leo Fong 1928–2022

Chinese-American martial artist and actor

Master of Social Work

Also attended: Hendrix College, Southern Methodist University

Richard Montoya 1959–

Actor, playwright and co-founder of Culture Clash

Claude Clark 1915–2001

African American painter and printmaker

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of the Arts

Kurt Caceres 1972–

Actor known for Prison Break

Christine Clayburg 1973–

Television meteorologist and actress

Only Won 1974–

Rapper, actor and stunt performer

John Fund 1957–

Political journalist and columnist

Anthony Sadler 1992–

Author and television personality

Kristine Hanson 1951–

Television broadcaster and Playboy Playmate

Attended until 1975

Also attended: San Francisco State University

Beverly Yanez 1988–

Soccer coach and former professional player

Also attended: University of Miami

Joe Enochs 1971–

Soccer coach and former professional player

Buck Martinez 1948–

Former MLB catcher and Blue Jays TV commentator

Also attended: Sacramento City College

Cody Demps 1993–

Professional basketball player

Rhys Hoskins 1993–

American professional baseball first baseman

Mike Lange 1948–2025

Longtime Pittsburgh Penguins play-by-play announcer

Mikh McKinney 1992–

Filipino-American professional basketball player

Also attended: Ohlone College

Benji Kikanovic 2000–

Soccer full-back for San Jose Earthquakes

Max Alvarez 1991–

Soccer player

Werner Hippler 1970–

German American football tight end

Joel Jones 1981–

Puerto Rican-American former basketball player

Also attended: Grossmont College

Eric Stuteville 1995–

Former professional basketball player

Joseph James Dengelo 1945–

Golden State Killer, serial killer and former police officer

Bachelor's degree · Criminal justice

Also attended: College of the Sequoias, Sierra College