Notable Alumni of University of California-Davis

Jackie Speier 1950–

U.S. representative from California, 2008–2023

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1972

Also attended: University of California College of the Law-San Francisco

Kimberly Guilfoyle 1969–

Former US ambassador to Greece

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: University of San Francisco

Spouse: Gavin Newsom (Santa Clara University)

Spouse: Eric Villency (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Ann Veneman 1949–

Former US Agriculture Secretary and UNICEF director

Political science

Also attended: University of California College of the Law-San Francisco, University of California-Berkeley

Dennis Banks 1937–2017

Co-founder of the American Indian Movement

Mari Elka Pangestu 1956–

Indonesian economist and former tourism minister

London Breed 1974–

Former Mayor of San Francisco

Also attended: University of San Francisco

George Miller 1945–

Former Democratic U.S. Representative from California

Juris Doctor · Class of 1972

Also attended: Diablo Valley College, San Francisco State University

David Loebsack 1952–

Former U.S. Representative from Iowa and political scientist

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1985

Also attended: Iowa State University

Jimmy Panetta 1969–

US Representative from California, former Navy officer

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1991

Also attended: Monterey Peninsula College, Santa Clara University

Father: Leon Panetta (Santa Clara University)

Isabel García Tejerina 1968–

Spanish politician of the People's Party

Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello 1967–

Nigerian former senator and epidemiologist

Also attended: Cornell University

Kim Schrier 1968–

US Representative for Washington, pediatrician

Doctor of Medicine · Class of 1997

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Rosanna Wong 1952–

Hong Kong youth federation head, former legislator

John Dragon Young 1949–1996

Hong Kong historian of China and politician

Dhar Mann 1984–

Founder of Dhar Mann Studios

Chow Chung-kong 1950–

Hong Kong businessman, Urban Renewal Authority chairman

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Alfred Chuang 1961–

Former CEO of BEA Systems and venture capitalist

Also attended: University of San Francisco

Dian Fossey 1932–1985

Primatologist who studied mountain gorillas in Rwanda

Also attended: College of Marin, San Jose State University

Charles M. Rice 1952–

Nobel laureate virologist studying hepatitis C

Tracy Caldwell Dyson 1969–

Chemist and NASA astronaut

Also attended: California State University-Fullerton

Stephen Robinson 1955–

Former NASA astronaut

Also attended: Stanford University

Bonnie L. Bassler 1962–

Princeton molecular biologist

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

Katherine Esau 1898–1997

German-American botanist and plant anatomy pioneer

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Elaine Showalter 1941–

Literary critic and feminist scholar

Also attended: Brandeis University, Bryn Mawr College

Child: Michael Showalter (New York University, Brown University)

Patricia S. Cowings 1948–

Aerospace psychophysiologist trained as NASA scientist astronaut

Doctor of Philosophy · Psychology · Class of 1973

Also attended: Stony Brook University

Robert Malone 1960–

Physician and biochemist known for early mRNA research

Bachelor of Science · Biochemistry · Class of 1984

Also attended: University of California-San Diego, Northwestern University, Harvard University

Gurdev Khush 1935–

Agronomist and 1996 World Food Prize laureate

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1960

Andrew D. Huberman 1975–

Neuroscientist, Stanford associate professor, podcaster

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 2004

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Santa Barbara, Stanford University

A. Breeze Harper 1976–

Critical race feminist and writer on veganism

Also attended: Harvard University, Dartmouth College

Gloria Wekker 1950–

Surinamese-Dutch scholar, emeritus professor at Utrecht University

Alvin S. White 1918–2006

Test pilot who flew the XB-70 Valkyrie's maiden flights

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

H. Allen Orr 1960–

Evolutionary biologist at the University of Rochester

Also attended: University of Chicago, College of William and Mary

Carl Sassenrath 1957–

Computer scientist, creator of Amiga OS kernel

Constance J. Chang-Hasnain 1960–

Electrical engineer and founder of Berxel Photonics

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Kuan Chung-ming 1956–

Economist, former president of National Taiwan University

Master's degree · Class of 1984

Also attended: University of California-San Diego

Bruce Nauman 1941–

Sculptor and performance artist

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spouse: Susan Rothenberg (George Washington University, Cornell University)

Karen Joy Fowler 1950–

Author of science fiction, fantasy and literary fiction

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Ben Sharpsteen 1895–1980

Disney animator, film director and producer

Hasan Minhaj 1985–

Comedian and actor

Delia Owens 1949–

Author of Where the Crawdads Sing, zoologist

Doctor of Philosophy · Ethology

Also attended: University of Georgia

Michael Gaston 1962–

Actor in Prison Break and Jericho

Deborah Harkness 1965–

Historian and author of All Souls Trilogy

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1994

Also attended: Northwestern University, Mount Holyoke College

Debbie Lee Carrington 1959–2018

Actress and stuntwoman in Total Recall

Matthew Moy 1984–

Actor in 2 Broke Girls and Steven Universe

Lauren Kate 1981–

Author of adult and young adult fiction

Sonya Eddy 1967–2022

Actress known for General Hospital

Bachelor of Arts

Charles Burns 1955–

Cartoonist, author of Black Hole

Also attended: The Evergreen State College

Hiep Thi Le 1971–2017

Vietnamese-American actress in Heaven & Earth

Kate Tsui 1979–

Former Hong Kong actress, Miss Hong Kong 2004

Ilan Mitchell-Smith 1969–

Academic and former actor in Weird Science

Also attended: Pasadena City College, Santa Monica College, Fordham University

Mike Pondsmith 1954–

Game designer, founder of R. Talsorian Games

Michele Boyd 1980–

Actress known for The Guild

Adam Duritz 1964–

Frontman of Counting Crows

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Anna Slotky 1981–

Attorney and former actress in The Torkelsons

Also attended: Occidental College

Marek Vašut 1960–

Czech actor known for Solomon Kane and Blade II

Kristie Macosko Krieger 1970–

Film producer, longtime Steven Spielberg collaborator

Martin Yan 1948–

Chef and host of Yan Can Cook

Tiffany Lam 1980–

Miss Hong Kong 2002

Peter Snell 1938–2019

New Zealand middle-distance runner, three-time Olympic champion

Also attended: Washington State University

Cathy Carr 1954–

Olympic champion swimmer and former world record-holder

Urijah Faber 1979–

Former mixed martial artist, WEC featherweight champion

Bachelor of Applied Science · Sociology of the family · Class of 2003

Brita Sigourney 1990–

Freestyle skier and Olympic bronze medalist

Also attended: Westminster College

Colby Slater 1896–1965

Rugby player, 1924 Olympic gold medalist

TJ Shorts II 1997–

Macedonian professional basketball point guard

Alphonse Burnand 1896–1981

Sailor who competed at the 1932 Olympics

Chima Moneke 1995–

Nigerian professional basketball player

Quincy Amarikwa 1987–

Former professional soccer player

Alycia Moulton 1961–

Retired tennis player

Also attended: Stanford University