This is a list of notable present and former faculty, staff, and students of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Notable alumni
Nobel laureates
Ralph Bunche – recipient of the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize Richard F. Heck – recipient of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Robert Bruce Merrifield – recipient of the 1984 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Elinor Ostrom – recipient of the 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences Ardem Patapoutian – recipient of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Medicine Fred Ramsdell – recipient of the 2025 Nobel Memorial Prize in Physiology or Medicine Randy Schekman – recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Medicine Glenn T. Seaborg – recipient of the 1951 Nobel Prize in Chemistry William F. Sharpe – recipient of the 1990 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
Academia, science and technology
Arts and literature
Amy Adler – artist Luis Aguilar-Monsalve – writer and educator Amadour – artist, writer, musician Carmen Argote – artist Sara Kathryn Arledge – artist Catherine Asaro – Nebula Award-winning science-fiction novelist Tony Auth – Pulitzer Prize–winning political cartoonist Glenna Avila – artist James Robert Baker – novelist Gary Baseman – artist Edith Baumann – abstract artist Rosa Beltrán – writer, lecturer and academic Guy Bennett – writer, translator and educator Susan Berman – author and screenwriter Stan Bitters – sculptor Justina Blakeney – designer and author Slater Bradley – artist Barbara Branden – author JaNay Brown-Wood – children's book author Kenneth Wayne Bushnell – artist and educator Jan Butterfield – art writer and educator Bryan Cantley - visionary architect, academic, artist, author Vija Celmins – artist Judy Chicago – artist and educator Vicky A. Clark – curator Coleman Collins – artist Jennifer Dalton – artist Agnes de Mille – dancer and choreographer Jacques Ehrmann – literary theorist Dan Eldon – photojournalist Elliot Engel – writer, dramatist, and lecturer Rafa Esparza – artist Warren Farrell – educator, gender equality activist, author of The Myth of Male Power Alyce Frank – artist Martin Friedman – former director of Walker Art Center Alice Taylor Gafford – artist Charles Garabedian – artist Laeh Glenn – visual artist Kelly Grovier – poet and literary critic Kim Gruenenfelder – author Emilie Halpern – artist Sam Harris – writer Florence Parry Heide – author of children's literature Juan Felipe Herrera – professor, 21st U.S. poet laureate Gilah Yelin Hirsch – artist Diane Johnson – novelist Jane Jin Kaisen – artist Beth Katleman – sculptor Craig Kauffman – artist Jonathan Kellerman – Edgar Award-winning novelist and psychologist Toba Khedoori – painter Annie Lapin – painter Mitchell Landsberg – journalist Gaylord Larsen – mystery writer Joanne Larson – writer Russell Leong – author and philosopher of Asian-American studies Linda Levi – artist Dave McNary – entertainment journalist Edward Meshekoff – artist Meleko Mokgosi – artist Ed Moses – artist Alexandra Nechita – painter John D. Nesbitt – writer and educator Tameka Norris – artist Flo Perkins – glass artist Perry Picasshoe – multidisciplinary artist Raymond Pettibon – visual artist, known for creating the cover art for punk-rock band Black Flag's albums Andrew X. Pham – writer Jenelle Porter – art curator and author Jason Rhoades – artist RinRin Doll – model and YouTuber Kay Ryan – poet and educator; U.S. Poet Laureate (2008–2010); MacArthur Fellow (2011)Staff (September 2011). 2011 MacArthur Fellows – Kay Ryan – Poet . John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved March 11, 2012. Betye Saar – artist Ben Sakoguchi – artist Shizu Saldamando – artist Sarah Seager – artist Cindy Shih – artist Klaus Stimeder – writer and journalist Jan Stussy – artist Wu Tsang – artist Billie Tsien – architect, Barack Obama Presidential Center Harry Turtledove – Hugo Award and Nebula Award-winning science-fiction novelist Barbara Brooks Wallace – award-winning children's author, including two Edgar AwardsEdgar Award and a William Allen White Children's Book Award * Emma Walton Hamilton (UCLA Lab School) – actress, author of children's book Idelle Weber – artist Antoine Wilson – novelist Jan Wurm – artist Richard Wyatt Jr. – artist
Business and entrepreneurship
Nancy J. Adler – professor of Organizational Behavior and Samuel Bronfman Chair in Management at McGill University Fred D. Anderson – former CFO of Apple Inc. and co-founder of Elevation Partners John Edward Anderson – president of Topa Equities, Ltd.; namesake of UCLA Anderson School of Management Tom Anderson – founder of MySpace Nancy Austin – management consultant and author of The Assertive Woman Stephen F. Bollenbach – served as CEO of Hilton Hotels and CFO for Holiday Inn, Trump Organization, Marriott, Disney Saul Brandman – garment manufacturerLos Angeles Times: "Obituary:Saul Brandman" May 29, 2008 Bernard Briskin – co-founder and chairman of Gelson's Markets Lisa Brummel – served as an executive for Microsoft; co-owner, Seattle Storm Michael Burns – executive and vice chairman of Lionsgate Entertainment Michael Burry – hedge fund manager Frieda Rapoport Caplan – entrepreneur in specialty produce Frank T. Cary – former chairman and CEO, IBM Paul Colichman – founder of Here! cable TV network Brian Cornell – chairman and CEO, Target Corporation; chairman, Yum! Brands Eric Ellenbogen – co-founded DreamWorks Classics, former CEO of Marvel Enterprises and WildBrain Laurence D. Fink – CEO and chairman of BlackRock Vanessa Getty – socialite and model Marshall Goldsmith – former founding director, Alliance for Strategic Leadership Bill Gross – co-founder of PIMCO; philatelist Vinita Gupta – first Indian-origin woman to take her company public Sam Hamadeh – co-founder, Vault.com Jeffrey O. Henley – former executive vice president and CFO, Oracle John W. Henry – money manager and principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. Nita Ing – chairman of Continental Engineering Corporation and Taiwan High Speed Rail William R. Johnson – chief executive officer, H.J. Heinz Company Carl Karcher – founder of Carl's Jr. and former president, CKE Restaurants Guy Kawasaki – former Chief Evangelist of Apple Ryan Lee – hedge fund manager and radio commentator Hardy McLain – hedge fund manager; managing partner of CVC Capital Partners Irwin Molasky – real estate entrepreneur and early developer of Las Vegas Robert S. Murley – chairman of the investment banking of Credit Suisse Securities and Educational Testing Service (ETS) Ezri Namvar – former founder and chairman of Namco Capital Group Richard G. Newman – former chairman and CEO, AECOM Michael Ovitz – Hollywood power broker and former president of the Walt Disney Company Robert O. Peterson – founder of the Jack in the Box restaurant chain Rose Catherine Pinkney – former executive for 20th Century Fox Television, BET, Paramount Pictures, TV Land, TV One David Polak – founded NWQ Investment Management Co. Donald Prell – venture capitalist, author and futurist Bernardo Quintana – founder of Empresas ICA Subramaniam Ramadorai – chief executive officer and managing director, Tata Consultancy Services Martine Rothblatt – CEO of United Therapeutics Nobutada Saji – chief executive officer, Suntory Sanford C. Sigoloff – businessman Stacey Snider – president of DreamWorks Steven D. Strauss – author, business columnist, and lawyer Ronald Sugar – chief executive officer, Northrop Grumman Winnie Sun — financial advisor Jay Sures – co-president of United Talent AgencyVariety Magazine 500: Jay Sures retrieved October 21, 2017 Vlad Tenev - co-founder/CEO of Robinhood Markets Steven F. Udvar-Hazy – founder, chairman and CEO of ILFC Surangel Whipps Jr. – president of the Republic of Palau (2021–present) Susan Wojcicki – former CEO, YouTube Don Yee – NFL sports agent
Composers and musicians
Jenni Alpert – singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles – Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and pianist Jan Berry – singer-songwriter; member of the rock-and-roll duo Jan & Dean Jeff Blue – music producer for various labels; vice president of Warner California's artists-and-repertoire division Alison Brown – Grammy Award-winning banjo player John Cage – composer; student of Schoenberg Marc Cohn – singer-songwriter Don Davis – film score composer, The Matrix trilogy (1999, 2003 and 2003) Brad Delson – guitarist; lead guitarist and founding member of the Grammy Award-winning rock band Linkin Park Ryan Dusick – drummer, member of the Grammy Award-winning pop-rock band Maroon 5 Doriot Anthony Dwyer – principal flautist, Boston Symphony Orchestra John Fahey – experimental guitarist Five for Fighting, stage name of John Ondrasik – singer-songwriter Kyle Gass – musician, singer, songwriter; member of Grammy Award-winning duo Tenacious D with Jack Black Jill Gibson – singer-songwriter, photographer, painter and sculptor Greg Ginn – guitarist and singer-songwriter; guitarist of the punk-rock band Black Flag Kim Gordon – musician; member of the alternative-rock band Sonic Youth Greg Graffin – singer-songwriter; lead singer of the punk-rock band Bad Religion Conan Gray – singer-songwriter; former YouTuber Joshua Guerrero – operatic tenor Este Haim – member of Grammy-nominated sister band HAIM Jake Heggie – opera composer, Dead Man Walking Marilyn Horne – mezzo-soprano opera singer James Horner – Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Grammy Award-winning film-score composer; notable compositions include scores for Aliens, Glory, Titanic, Avatar Bruce Johnston – singer-songwriter, member of The Beach Boys Anthony Kiedis – singer-songwriter; lead vocalist of the alternative-rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers Jim Lindberg – singer-songwriter; lead singer of the punk-rock band Pennywise Jon MacLennan – session musician and music compositions for films such as Marley & Me: The Puppy Years Mickey Madden – bass guitarist of the Grammy Award-winning pop-rock band Maroon 5 Ron Mael – musician and songwriter; co-founder (with brother Russell Mael) and keyboardist of the pop-rock band Sparks Russell Mael – singer-songwriter; co-founder (with brother Ron Mael) and lead vocalist of the pop-rock band Sparks Ray Manzarek – co-founder and keyboardist of the rock band The Doors Maile Misajon – singer-songwriter; former member of the pop girl group Eden's Crush Luke Mombrea – experimental classical music composer, Ivor Novello Award-winning composer Jim Morrison – poet and singer-songwriter; co-founder and lead vocalist of rock band The Doors Randy Newman – composer, pianist and singer-songwriter; Academy Award, Emmy Award and Grammy Award-winning film-score composer; notable compositions include scores for Toy Story, Cars, Monsters, Inc, and Meet the Parents franchise series NS Yoon-G, stage name of Christine Kim, aka Kim Yoonji – South Korean singer Mo Ostin – music executive, chairman emeritus of Warner Bros. Records Kira Roessler – musician and film and television dialogue editor; bass guitarist of the punk-rock band Black Flag Laura Roppé – singer-songwriter and writer; cancer survivor who wrote memoir Rocking the Pink: Finding Myself on the Other Side of Cancer2012, Berkeley, California: Seal Press; Andy Sturmer – singer-songwriter and drummer of Jellyfish, producer for Puffy AmiYumi, composer of theme songs for Ben 10 and Teen Titans Paul Tanner – member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, inventor of the Electro-Theremin instrument David Tao – singer Tiger JK, stage name of Seo Jung-kwon – Korean-American rapper; leader of hip hop group Drunken Tiger Brian Tyler – BAFTA-nominated film score composer, conductor and film producer; his compositions include scores for Fast & Furious franchise series, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, and Avengers: Age of Ultron Kamasi Washington – jazz saxophonist, composer, producer and bandleader