Notable Alumni of University of California-Santa Barbara

Ron Wyden 1949–

US Senator from Oregon since 1996

Attended until 1969

Also attended: University of Oregon, Stanford University

Lois Capps 1938–

Former US representative from California

Attended until 1990

Also attended: Yale University, Pacific Lutheran University

Spouse: Walter Capps (Yale University, Portland State University)

Jared Huffman 1964–

US representative for California's 2nd district

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1986

Also attended: Boston College

Wang To-far 1948–

Taiwanese economist and politician

Salud Carbajal 1964–

U.S. Representative from California

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1990

Also attended: Fielding Graduate University

Joseph C. Wilson 1949–2019

American diplomat and former ambassador

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1972

Spouse: Valerie Plame (The Pennsylvania State University, The Pennsylvania State University)

Edward L. Masry 1932–2005

Lawyer in the Erin Brockovich case

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University, University of Southern California

Dasha Zhukova 1981–

Art collector, founder of Garage Museum of Contemporary Art

Logan Green

Co-founder and former CEO of Lyft

Carol Greider 1961–

Molecular biologist and Nobel laureate

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Joseph M. Acaba 1967–

NASA astronaut and hydrogeologist

Bachelor's degree · Geology · Class of 1990

Also attended: University of Arizona, Texas Tech University

Robert Ballard 1942–

Oceanographer who discovered the Titanic wreck

Bachelor of Science · Geology, Chemistry · Class of 1965

Also attended: University of Southern California, University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Rhode Island

Garrett Hardin 1915–2003

Ecologist known for the tragedy of the commons

Also attended: University of Chicago, Stanford University

Leroy Chiao 1960–

Former NASA astronaut and ISS Expedition 10 commander

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Grady Booch 1955–

Software engineer, co-developer of UML

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

Jose M. Hernandez 1962–

Engineer and astronaut, University of California Regent

Also attended: University of the Pacific

Roy A. Tucker 1951–2021

Astronomer, co-discoverer of asteroid Apophis

Cynthia Breazeal 1967–

Social robotics pioneer and computer scientist

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Alexei Filippenko 1958–

Astrophysicist and UC Berkeley astronomy professor

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Karen C. Seto

Geographer and professor at Yale University

Also attended: Boston University

Peidong Yang 1971–

UC Berkeley chemist and materials scientist

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University

Li Xiaowen 1947–2015

Scientist and professor at Beijing Normal University

Gwyneth Paltrow 1972–

Actress and businesswoman

Art history · Attended until 1990

Spouse: Brad Falchuk (American Film Institute Conservatory, Hobart and William Smith Colleges)

Father: Bruce Paltrow (Tulane University of Louisiana)

Michael Douglas 1944–

Actor and producer, two-time Academy Award winner

Father: Kirk Douglas (American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York, St. Lawrence University)

Mother: Diana Douglas (American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York)

Tera Patrick 1976–

Former adult film actress

Also attended: Boise State University

Benjamin Bratt 1963–

Actor known for Blood in Blood Out

Jack Johnson 1975–

Singer-songwriter

Bachelor of Arts · Film studies · Class of 1997

Richard Serra 1939–2024

Sculptor known for large-scale abstract works

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1961

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Yale University

Spouse: Nancy Graves (Yale University, Vassar College)

Steve Aoki 1977–

DJ and record producer

Father: Hiroaki Aoki (Springfield College, CUNY New York City College of Technology)

Edi Gathegi 1979–

Kenyan-American actor

Also attended: New York University

Robby Krieger 1946–

Guitarist and founding member of the Doors

Jerry Trainor 1977–

Actor, played Spencer Shay in iCarly

Aja Naomi King 1985–

Film and television actress

Also attended: Yale University

Barbara Rush 1927–2024

Actress, 1954 Golden Globe newcomer award winner

Attended until 1948

Spouse: Jeffrey Hunter (University of California-Los Angeles, Northwestern University)

Spouse: Warren Cowan (University of California-Los Angeles)

L. J. Smith 1958–2025

Young adult author of The Vampire Diaries

Also attended: University of San Francisco

Eric Roth 1945–

Screenwriter, Oscar winner for Forrest Gump

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Gregg Araki 1959–

Filmmaker of the New Queer Cinema movement

Also attended: University of Southern California

Carla Simón 1986–

Spanish director, Golden Bear winner for Alcarràs

Alison Eastwood 1972–

Film director and actress

Father: Clint Eastwood (Los Angeles City College, Seattle University)

Sibling: Scott Eastwood (Loyola Marymount University)

Reza Aslan 1972–

Iranian-American writer, scholar and television host

Also attended: Santa Clara University, University of Iowa, Harvard University

Spouse: Jessica Jackley (Bucknell University, Stanford University)

Jeff Nathanson 1965–

Screenwriter of Catch Me If You Can and The Terminal

Also attended: American Film Institute Conservatory

Cody Walker 1988–

Actor, youngest brother of Paul Walker

Peter Horton 1953–

Actor and director of Thirtysomething fame

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, Principia College

Spouse: Michelle Pfeiffer (Golden West College)

Ted King 1965–

Actor, starred in Charmed's first season

Also attended: New York University

Brad Silberling 1963–

Film director of Casper and City of Angels

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Spouse: Amy Brenneman (Harvard University)

Tomislav Sunić 1953–

Croatian-American political theorist and writer

Doctor of Philosophy · Political science · Class of 1988

Also attended: California State University-Sacramento

Don Hertzfeldt 1976–

Animator and filmmaker, two-time Oscar nominee

Attended until 1998

Scott Frank 1960–

Screenwriter and director, two-time Oscar nominee

Also attended: American Film Institute Conservatory

Amy Gumenick 1986–

Actress known for Arrow and Supernatural

CaptainSparklez 1992–

YouTuber known for Minecraft videos

Beverly Archer 1948–

Actress known for television roles

Also attended: San Francisco State University

Soledad Puértolas 1947–

Spanish writer, member of the Royal Spanish Academy

Bahar Soomekh 1975–

Actress known for Crash and the Saw franchise

Sibling: Saba Soomekh (University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Santa Barbara)

Brandon Baker 1985–

Retired television film actor

Wayne Isham 1958–

Film and music video director

Mark di Suvero 1933–

Abstract expressionist sculptor

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

Ming Fay 1943–2025

Chinese-American sculptor and installation artist

Master of Arts · Class of 1975

Also attended: Columbus College of Art & Design

Necar Zadegan 1982–

Actress who made Broadway debut in 2011

Andrew Schulz 1985–

Stand-up comedian, actor and podcaster

Chanel Miller 1992–

American writer and artist

Bachelor of Arts · Literature

Katy Tur 1983–

Journalist and MS NOW host

Spouse: Tony Dokoupil (George Washington University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Kazu Kibuishi 1978–

Graphic novelist and creator of the Flight anthology

Harvey Levin 1950–

Founder of TMZ and television producer

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: University of Chicago

Josh Elliott 1971–

Television journalist, former Good Morning America anchor

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Liz Cho (Boston University)

Jenna Lee 1980–

Journalist and former Fox News anchor

Bachelor of Arts · Global studies, English studies

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Charissa Thompson 1982–

Sportscaster for Fox Sports and Amazon Prime Video

Enrique Martinez Celaya 1964–

Cuban-born painter, sculptor and author

Master of Fine Arts

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Cornell University

Harris Faulkner 1965–

Fox News anchor and host

Bachelor of Arts · Mass communication

Jim Rome 1964–

Sports radio host of The Jim Rome Show

Paul Winfield 1939–2004

Actor nominated for Best Actor for Sounder

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles City College, University of Portland

Jason Lezak 1975–

Swimmer who won eight Olympic medals

Tony Lochhead 1982–

New Zealand footballer

Michael Boxall 1988–

New Zealand footballer and defender

Rob Friend 1981–

Canadian soccer player and Vancouver FC co-founder

Sandy Neilson 1956–

Swimmer and three-time Olympic gold medalist

Gabe Vincent 1996–

Nigerian-American NBA basketball player

Carin Jennings-Gabarra 1965–

1991 Women's World Cup Golden Ball winner

Spouse: Jim Gabarra (Connecticut College)

Amy Fuller 1968–2023

Rower and three-time Olympian

Bachelor of Science

Also attended: University of Tennessee--Chattanooga

Joe Cannon 1975–

Former soccer player, long career in Major League Soccer

Chris Pontius 1987–

Former professional soccer player

Valerie Fleming 1976–

Bobsledder, 2006 Winter Olympics silver medalist

Communication studies · Attended until 1998

Also attended: Saint Mary's College of California

James Nunnally 1990–

Basketball player, played for AEK Athens

Ajay Mitchell 2002–

Oklahoma City Thunder NBA player

Michael Young 1976–

Former MLB infielder for 14 seasons

Orlando Johnson 1989–

Basketball coach and former professional player

Also attended: Loyola Marymount University

Barry Zito 1978–

MLB pitcher for the Athletics and Giants

Also attended: University of Southern California

Kayte Christensen 1980–

Former WNBA player and Sacramento Kings commentator

Lynne Cox 1957–

Open water swimmer and writer