Carnegie Mellon University

Alumni Spotlight

The names on this page are just a small sampling of the thousands of renowned College of Fine Arts alumni.

photo of Peter Burr

Peter Burr

Art | 2012

Won a prestigious 2018 Guggenheim Fellowship in film and video.

photo of John Currin

John Currin

Art | 1984

Using classical painterly techniques, John Currin's canvases carefully balance the beautiful and the grotesque. His work is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and Tate, London, among many others.

Photo: Richard Prince. Courtesy Gagosian.

photo of Ted Danson

Ted Danson

Drama | 1972

Award-winning actor known for an array of exceptional performances, most notably for his role as bartender Sam Malone on NBC-TV's iconic comedy "Cheers."

photo of Messay Derebe

Messay Derebe

MAM | 2015

Co-founder and CEO, goARTful

photo of Roger Fortune

Roger Fortune

Architecture | 1987

Vice President, The Stahl Organization, New York, NY

Real estate developer since 2000. Oversaw development at 388 Bridge Street and 138 Pierrepont in New York City. Former Senior Vice President of Real Estate at the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, and previously Assistant Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

photo of Ricky Ian Gordon

Ricky Ian Gordon

Music | 1980

Award-winning composer/pianist (OBIE Award, the Stephen Sondheim Award, The Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Theater Foundation Award and many others); works published by Williamson Music, Carl Fischer Music and Theodore Presser Company, and available everywhere, as well as recorded on various labels.

photo of Katie Grennan

Katie Grennan

MAM | 2017

Musician, Gaelic Storm

photo of Avneet Gujral

Avneet Gujral

Architecture | 2007

Associate AIA, FIIA, LEED AP Building Design & Construction (BD+C), WELL AP Neighborhood Development (ND)

Green Building Expert, Sustainable Design Consulting LLC, Washington, DC

Serves on the Board of Directors of the Market Leadership Advisory Board for the U.S. Green Building Council's National Capital Region, and has served as a subject matter expert for the development of the LEED for Neighborhood v4 and WELL AP exams for the USGBC and International WELL Building Institute.

photo of Andres Webster Henestrosa

Andres Webster Henestrosa

MAM | 1997

Cultural Attaché, Consulate of Mexico

photo of Grey Henson

Grey Henson

Drama | 2012

Tony Award-nominated actor/singer; currently on Broadway in "Mean Girls."

photo of Matt Ho

Matt Ho

Architecture | 2014

Associate Project Manager, Walt Disney Imagineering, Orlando, FL

Walt Disney Imagineering is the unique, creative force behind Walt Disney Parks and Resorts that dreams up, designs and builds all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions, cruise ships, real estate developments, and regional entertainment venues worldwide.

photo of Charles Johnson

Charles Johnson

Design | 1987

Global director of Innovation at Puma.

photo of Amanda Joos

Amanda Joos

MAM | 2016

Orchestral Manager, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

photo of Deborah Kass

Deborah Kass

Art | 1974

Deborah Kass is an American artist whose work explores the intersection of pop culture, art history, and the self. Her work included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, among many others.

photo of Yaeji

Kathy "Yaeji" Lee

BXA | 2015

Rising singer, DJ and producer who is packing clubs and festivals in the U.S. and Europe. Yaeji released two EPs to rave reviews in 2017, played Coachella, covered Fader magazine and was highlighted within Billboard Dance's "Ones to Watch."

photo of Judith Light

Judith Light

Drama | 1970

Tony Award- and Emmy Award-winning actress and beloved icon of the theater industry; board member and advocate for many organizations and charities representing AIDS-related and human rights issues.

photo of Keith Lockhart

Keith Lockhart

Music | 1983

Conductor, Boston Pops; received the 2017 Commonwealth Award for Achievement, the state's highest honor in the arts, humanities and sciences presented by Massachusetts Cultural Council.

photo of Andrea Love

Andrea Love

Architecture | 2002

AIA, LEED Fellow

Principal/Director of Building Science, Payette Associates, Boston, MA

Serves on the Board of Directors for the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter, on the national USGBC Chapter Steering Committee and Education Steering Committee, and member of the COTE Advisory Group to the Board.

photo of Robert Meya

Robert Meya

MAM | 2000

General director, Santa Fe Opera

photo of Patina Miller

Patina Miller

Drama | 2006

Tony Award-winning actress/singer; currently stars in "Madam Secretary."

photo of Shana Moutlon

Shana Moulton

Art | 2004

Exhibited and performed work at the New Museum, MoMA PS1 and Palais de Tokoyo, among many others. She also serves as an assistant professor of time-based media at UC Santa Barbara.

photo of Manu Narayan

Manu Narayan

Music | 1995

Pittsburgh native and an actor, film producer, singer, songwriter, composer and saxophonist. Narayan recently starred in "My Fair Lady" on Broadway and currently stars in "Gettin' The Band Back Together."

photo of Leslie Odom, Jr.

Leslie Odom Jr.

Drama | 2003

Took home a 2016 Tony Award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in "Hamilton." Odom has also starred in numerous TV series, including "SMASH," and films, including the 2017 reboot of "Murder on the Orient Express."

photo of Jessica Phillips

Jessica Phillips-Silver

BXA | 1999

Associate researcher in neuroscience and adjunct professor of music at Georgetown University. Phillips-Silver documented the first case of the musical disorder "beat deafness," and has studied people who have trouble connecting physically with rhythm.

photo of Billy Porter

Billy Porter

Drama | 1991

Tony Award-winning actor/singer; currently stars in TV's "Pose."

photo of Zachary Quinto

Zachary Quinto

Drama | 1999

Star of several popular TV series, including "Heroes" and "American Horror Story," along with a memorable turn as Spock in the recent "Star Trek" feature films.

photo of Pradeep Ranka

Pradeep Ranka

Architecture | 1991

Creative and Technical Director, Ranka Group, Bangalore, India

Actively engaged in smart buildings and cities initiatives. Ambassador, speaker, and judge at leading industry events, including Official Al Gore Sustainable Technology Venture Competition and as delegate to International Cooperation Summit for Asia Pacific CEO's and Provincial Governors and Mayors.

photo of Lauren Scmidt

Lauren Schmidt

Architecture | 2004

AIA, LEED AP

Director, Kohn Pederson Fox (KPF), New York, NY

Architectural designer, job captain, and project manager on award-winning luxury residential and high-rise projects, including One Jackson Square in New York City, Al Bateen Wharf in Abu Dhabi, 175 Park Avenue in New Jersey, 30 North Colonnade at Canary Wharf in London, and 55 Hudson Yards in New York City . In 2011 she received the Emerging New York Architects Merit Award from AIA New York.

photo of Stephen Schwartz

Stephen Schwartz

Drama | 1968

Oscar Award-winning American musical theatre lyricist and composer, who has written such hit musicals as "Godspell", "Pippin" and "Wicked"

photo of Michael Scully

Michael Scully

Design | 1995

Designed the BMW bobsled for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

photo of Renee Stout

Renee Stout

Art | 1980

Awarded the 2018 Women's Caucus for Art Lifetime Achievement Award.

photo of Lisa Vroman

Lisa Vroman

Music | 1981

Described as "one of America's most versatile voices," Vroman is an accomplished Broadway actress and often serves as a regular guest artist with symphonies around the world.

photo of Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol

Art | 1949

Leading figure of Pop Art and arguably the most influential artist of the 20th century.

photo of Courtney Wittekind

Courtney Wittekind

BXA | 2013

Received a rare National Science Foundation fellowship in the social sciences and is Carnegie Mellon's first student to win the Rhodes Scholarship in the arts and humanities. Wittekind is working toward a Ph.D. at Harvard after completing an M.Phil. at Oxford focusing on art, activism and anthropology on behalf of displaced persons and refugees.

photo of Lisa Yanz

Lisa Yanz

Design | 2004

Designed the OXO Good Grips.