List of Lebanese Americans
Introduction This is a list of notable individuals born in the United States of Lebanese ancestry and/or people of Lebanese and American dual nationality who live or lived in the United States.
Arts and entertainment ===Artists===* Etel Adnan – painter, poet* Margot Douaihy – writer* Chawky Frenn – painter and art professor* Kahlil Gibran – aka Kahlil G. Gibran, artist, sculptor* Nabil Kanso – painter* Sam Maloof – woodworker* Juman Malouf – costume designer, artist, illustrator, writer, and the romantic partner of film director Wes Anderson.===Beauty pageant contestants===* Rima Fakih – Miss USA 2010===Entertainment personalities===* Adam Amen – reality star, from TLC program ''All American Muslim''* Alexander Koch – actor of Lebanese, Italian and German descent* Amy Yasbeck – actress (father was of Lebanese descent)* Anissa Jones – child actor (mother was of Lebanese descent)* Callie Khouri – Oscar-winning screenwriter* Casey Kasem – radio personality, American Top 40 franchise; voiceover actor (cartoon series ''Scooby-Doo'', ''Transformers'')* Catherine Keener – actress, mother of Lebanese descent* Celeste Thorson – actress, model, activist, screenwriter* Chris Romano – actor, producer, director (father of Lebanese heritage, born Shaheen)* Cristina Vee – singer and voice actor* Demián Bichir – Mexican-American film actor of Lebanese heritage* Dan Jbara – television and film producer* Danny Thomas – actor* David Yazbek – musician and composer famous for the Broadway musical ''The Full Monty''* Diane Rehm – host and executive producer of ''The Diane Rehm Show'' on National Public Radio* Edy Ganem – actress (parents are of Lebanese descent)* Elie Samaha – film producer* Emeraude Toubia – actress (father is Lebanese)* Emile Kuri – Mexican-born American Oscar-winning art director* Frank Lackteen – actor* Gregory Jbara – television and film actor * George Nader – actor, uncle of Michael Nader* George Noory – radio host (radio program ''Coast To Coast AM'')* Haaz Sleiman – actor (series ''Nurse Jackie''; film ''The Visitor'')* Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf – radio and television personality* James Stacy – film and television actor* Jamie Farr – actor (sitcom ''M*A*S*H'')* Jamie Gray Hyder – actress, model (father of Lebanese descent)* Jane Wiedlin – musician, actress (mother was of Lebanese descent)* Jenna Dewan – actress (paternal grandfather was of Lebanese descent)* Kristen Doute – television personality known for ''Vanderpump Rules''* Joan Alexander – actress known for her role as Lois Lane* John A. Kuri – author and writer, film and television producer, and director* John Leguizamo – actor (maternal grandfather was Lebanese)* Kathy Najimy – actress* Kerri Kasem – radio and television host; daughter of Casey Kasem* Khrystyne Haje – actress (sitcom ''Head of the Class'')* Lili Estefan – Cuban-American television personality, niece of Emilio Estefan* Marlo Thomas – actress (father was of Lebanese descent)* Mario Kassar – filmmaker, founder of Carolco Pictures* Mary Zilba – television personality and singer * Mayssa Karaa – Grammy-nominated singer* Mia Khalifa – pornographic actress and adult model* Michael Ansara – stage, screen, and voice actor (Lebanese born American)* Michael Nader – actor, ''All My Children'' and ''Dynasty''* Michael Nouri – actor, film ''Flashdance''* Mo Gallini – actor (father of Lebanese descent)* Paola Turbay – Colombian-American actress, model, beauty queen and television presenter * Paul Anka – singer-songwriter, actor, producer* Peter Macdissi – film and television actor* Raya Meddine – actress of Lebanese descent* Robert Romanus – actor and musician* Rose Abdoo – comedian, actress* Rowan Blanchard – actress (father of Lebanese descent)* Salma Hayek – Mexican-American actress (paternal grandfather was Lebanese) * Senta Moses – actress known for her role in ''Home Alone''* Shannon Elizabeth – actress (father of Lebanese descent)* Terrence Malick – filmmaker, of part Lebanese descent* Tom Shadyac – film director (of 3/4 Lebanese descent)* Tony Shalhoub – actor (''Monk'')* Tony Thomas – producer (father was of Lebanese descent)* Vince Vaughn – actor (paternal grandmother was of Lebanese descent)* Wentworth Miller – actor, maternal great-grandmother of Lebanese descent* Yasmeen Fletcher – actress and musician, mother of Lebanese descent* Yasmine Al Massri – Lebanese-born American actress===Fashion designers===* Elie Saab – fashioner designer * Joseph Abboud – fashion designer* Reem Acra – fashion designer* Norma Kamali – fashion designer===Musicians===* Andrew Bazzi – pop musician* Dick Dale – rock guitarist and surf music pioneer* Emilio Estefan – Cuban-American musician and producer; husband of Gloria Estefan* G. E. Smith – lead guitarist in the band Hall & Oates; musical director of ''Saturday Night Live''* Hamed Sinno – Lebanese-American graphic designer, singer-songwriter of the band Mashrou'Leila* Jack Barakat – guitarist of the band All Time Low* Jane Wiedlin – musician, singer-songwriter, and actress; best known as a member of the all-female new wave band The Go-Go's* John Dolmayan – Lebanese-American of Armenian descent, drummer of band System of a Down* Kat Dahlia – singer-songwriter, rapper* Mohammed El-Bakkar – tenor singer, oud player, and conductor* Nadia Azzi – pianist* Paul Anka – singer-songwriter (both parents of Lebanese descent)* Paul Jabara – composer* Neil Sedaka – pop/rock singer, pianist, composer and record producer* Ron Affif – jazz guitarist and musician* Rosalind Elias – opera singer renowned for her time in the Metropolitan Opera* Serj Tankian – Lebanese-American of Armenian descent, lead singer of band System of a Down* Soraya – Colombian-American singer* Tiffany – singer* Tino Coury – singer-songwriter and producer* Tiny Tim – folk singer* Tyler Joseph – lead singer of Twenty One Pilots
Legal professionals * Jeanine Pirro – former district attorney of Westchester County, New York* Eva M. Mack – attorney who worked on the California civil rights case ''Davis v. Carter''
Business * Alec Gores – entrepreneur* Caroline Ghosn – entrepreneur* Charles Elachi – director of Jet Propulsion Laboratory* Clifford Antone – founder of Antone's blues club in Austin, Texas* Debra Cafaro – CEO of Ventas Inc., a healthcare real estate investment trust* Fares D. Noujaim – business executive* Frédéric Fekkai – French-American hairdresser and founder of Frédéric Fekkai salons and hair products* George Joseph – founder of Mercury Insurance Group* George J. Maloof Jr. – businessman and owner of the Sacramento Monarchs, Sacramento Kings and the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas * George J. Maloof Sr. – businessman and former owner of the Houston Rockets* Jacques Nasser – former CEO of Ford Motor Company* Jean Succar Kuri – businessman* Joe Jamail – attorney and businessman* Joe Robbie – attorney and original owner of the Miami Dolphins* John J. Mack – former CEO of investment bank Morgan Stanley (2005–2009)* Joseph J. Jacobs – former chairman and founder of the Jacobs Engineering Group* Madeleine A. Pickens – business executive * Magid Abraham – market research expert and businessman* Manuel Moroun – businessman and the owner of the Ambassador Bridge* Michael Boulos – business executive and partner of Tiffany Trump* Moose Scheib – founder and CEO of LoanMod.com* Paul Orfalea – founder of Kinko's* Richard Rainwater (1944–2015) – investor and philanthropist* Richard Rashid – founder of Microsoft Research* Robert Khuzami – former director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission * Thomas J. Barrack Jr. – businessman and founder of Colony Capital* Tony Fadell – product development manager at Apple Inc.* Tony Tamer – founder and co-CEO of H.I.G. Capital
Education and academics * Charbel Farhat – Vivian Church Hoff Professor of Aircraft Structures in the School of Engineering and inaugural James and Anna Marie Spilker Chair of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, at Stanford University; Member of the National Academy of Engineering (US); Member of the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK); and Member of the Lebanese Academy of Sciences*  Jacqueline S. Stephen –  author,  editor, Fulbright alumna,  researcher,  faculty at Mercer University, Atlanta Georgia USA* Joseph E. Aoun – President of Northeastern University*Nafe Katter – professor of theatre, University of Connecticut* Robert Khayat – Chancellor of the University of Mississippi* Eugene Nassar – author, literary critic and professor* Donna Shalala – U.S. Representative from Florida, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former President of the University of Miami* Phoebe Stanton – faculty at Johns Hopkins University from 1955 until 1982, art historian, urban planner for the city of Baltimore. * Gabriel Hawawini – emeritus professor of finance and former holder of the Henry Grunfeld Chair in Investment Banking at INSEAD
History * Akram Fouad Khater – professor, author, expert on Lebanese-American studies* Philip Khuri Hitti – historian of Arab culture and history
Journalism * Anthony Shadid – foreign correspondent for ''The New York Times'' and earlier ''The Boston Globe''* Brian Karem – journalist and White House correspondent* Helen Thomas – journalist who covered every U.S. president from 1961 to 2010* Jad Abumrad – radio host, composer, and producer, founder and co-host of the syndicated public radio program Radiolab* Jim Avila – senior correspondent for ABC News* Leila Fadel – Journalist for National Public Radio * Lucie Salhany – first woman to head a broadcast television network in 1993 in the position as Chairman of Fox Broadcasting Company* Octavia Nasr – former television journalist for CNN* Paula Faris – journalist (father was of Lebanese descent)* Raghida Dergham – columnist and senior diplomatic correspondent for the London-based Al Hayat* Sara Ganim – CNN journalist (father is of Lebanese descent)* Serena Shim – journalist* Tamsen Fadal – television journalist* Walid Phares – security and anti-terrorism expert
Medicine * Amin J. Barakat – physician, known for the diagnosis of Barakat syndrome* Charles Sophy – psychiatrist* Daniel Amen – psychiatrist and author* George Hatem – "Ma Haide," a founder of the public health system in China* M. Amin Arnaout – nephrologist and physician-scientist* Michael DeBakey – heart surgeon, medical innovator* Paul Nassif – facial plastic surgeon, co-star on the television series ''Botched''
Military * Alfred Naifeh – U.S. Navy lieutenant posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal in WWII and namesake of a U.S. Navy ship, USS ''Naifeh'' (DE-352)* Ernest "Iron Mike" Massad – U.S. Army major general* George Joulwan – retired U.S. Army general* James Jabara – first American jet ace* John Abizaid – retired general in the United States Army * Michael A. Monsoor – U.S. Navy SEAL awarded Medal of Honor after being killed during the Iraq War
Politics ===Activists===* Jahaira DeAlto – domestic violence victims and LGBT community activist and advocate* Brigitte Gabriel – founder of non-profit political organizations American Congress For Truth and ACT! for America; author; formerly journalist in Israel working for ''World News''* Candy Lightner – activist and founder of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers* James Zogby – founder of the Arab-American Institute* Jill Kelley – international advocate, socialite, and former diplomat* John Zogby – pollster; founder of Zogby International===Politicians===* Abraham Kazen – former U.S. representative from Texas* Alex Azar – former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services* Charles Boustany – former U.S. representative from Louisiana* Charlie Crist – U.S. representative from Florida and former governor of Florida* Chris Greeley – former Maine state representative* Chris John – former U.S. representative from Louisiana* Chris Sununu – Governor of New Hampshire* Darin LaHood – Republican representative from Illinois* Darrell Issa – U.S. representative from California* David Karem – member of Kentucky Senate from 1976 to 2004* Debbie Mucarsel-Powell – U.S. representative from Florida* Donna Shalala – U.S. representative from Florida and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services* Edward M. Gabriel – Former U.S. ambassador to Morocco* Francis Slay – former mayor of Saint Louis* Garret Graves – U.S. representative from Louisiana* George A. Kasem – former U.S. representative from California* George J. Mitchell – former U.S. senator from Maine* Greg Casar - U.S. representative from Texas* Gwen Graham – former U.S. representative from Florida* James Abdnor – former U.S. senator and U.S. representative from South Dakota* James Abourezk – former U.S. senator from South Dakota* Jeanine Pirro – politician, judge and television host* John Baldacci – former governor of Maine* John E. Sununu – former U.S. senator and U.S. representative from New Hampshire* John H. Sununu – former White House Chief of Staff; former governor of New Hampshire* Katcho Achadjian – former California State Assembly member, of Armenian descent * Manuel Maloof – former U.S. government official and businessman * Mary Rose Oakar – former U.S. representative from Ohio* Nick Rahall – former U.S. representative from West Virginia* Nico LaHood – Bexar County district attorney, Texas* Pat Danner – former U.S. representative from Missouri * Philip Habib – former U.S. ambassador and envoy * Ralph Abraham – U.S. representative from Louisiana* Ralph Nader – political activist and former U.S. presidential candidate (Green Party)* Ray LaHood – former U.S. Transportation Secretary and former U.S. representative from Illinois* Richard L. Hanna – former U.S. representative from New York* Richard Ieyoub – former Attorney General of Louisiana* Selwa Roosevelt – former U.S. government official* Spencer Abraham – former U.S. senator from Michigan* Suzanne Haik Terrell – former Louisiana elections commissioner* Toby Moffett – former U.S. representative from Connecticut * Victor G. Atiyeh – former governor of Oregon* Vincent Sheheen – member of the South Carolina senate* Sam H. Zakhem – member of the Colorado State House of Representatives. Colorado state senator. Former US ambassador to Bahrain under Ronald Reagan===Other personalities===* Adele Khoury Graham – educator and former first lady of the State of Florida* George Noory – radio host of ''Coast to Coast AM''; author; entertainer* Joseph Farah – author and journalist* Nassim Nicholas Taleb – best-selling author, risk expert and statistician, university professor, and former trader and business person* Robert Khuzami, U.S. deputy attorney for Southern District of New York* Timothy Massad – U.S. Treasury Department official and corporate lawyer* Jirair Ratevosian – acting chief of staff to the United States Global AIDS Coordinator (2022–23)* Victoria Reggie Kennedy – attorney and widow of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy
Sciences * Anthony Atala – director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine* Charbel Farhat – director, Army High Performance Computing Research Center, Stanford University, and Member of National Academy of Engineering* Charles Elachi – director of NASA Jet Propulsion Labs* Doris Daou – NASA astronomer* Elias Corey – 1990 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry*Christa McAuliffe – American teacher and astronaut who was killed on the Space Shuttle ''Challenger''; mother was of partial Lebanese descent * Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah – technology innovator* Michael Debakey – doctor and heart surgeon, medical innovator
Sports ===Athletes===* Abe Mickal – football player for LSU* Bobby Rahal – professional car racer and team owner* Charley Zivic – professional boxer* Damien Sandow – professional wrestler in the WWE* David Azzi – professional football player* Doug Flutie – former professional football player* Fred Saigh – lawyer; real estate investor; owner of the American professional baseball franchise the St. Louis Cardinals* Graham Rahal – professional car racer* Jackson Vroman – former professional basketball player and member of Lebanon's national basketball team (naturalized Lebanese citizen)* Jeff George – former NFL quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts* Jim Harrick – former head coach of the University of Georgia Bull Dogs* Joe Lahoud – former Major League Baseball outfielder* Joe Vogel – professional basketball player and member of Lebanon's national basketball team*John Elway – Hall of Fame NFL quarterback for the Denver Broncos* John Grabow – former Major League Baseball pitcher* John Jaha – former first baseman in Major League Baseball, played for the Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics* Johnny Manziel – professional football player* Jordyn Wieber – Olympic gymnast and gold medallist * Liz Carmouche – mixed martial artist* Matt Freije – ex-NBA player and member of Lebanon national basketball team * Matt Kalil – professional football player* Mikie Mahtook – Major League Baseball outfielder* Mikie Mahtook – Major League Baseball outfielder* Patrick Maroon – ice hockey player for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL* Paul Rabil – former professional lacrosse player* Petey Sarron – former featherweight boxing champion * Rich Kotite – former National Football League player and coach* Robert Saleh – professional football coach and head coach of the New York Jets* Robert Watkins – former professional football player; of African-American and Lebanese descent* Rony Seikaly – former professional basketball player in the NBA and for both the U.S. and Lebanon's national basketball team* Ryan Kalil – professional football player * Sabu – professional wrestler, real name Terry Brunk* Sage Karam – professional car racer* Samir Bannout – former professional bodybuilder and winner of Mr. Olympia title in 1983* Skandor Akbar – former professional wrestler* Soony Saad – professional soccer forward player * Steve Kerr – retired professional basketball player and current head coach of the Golden State Warriors* Toni Breidinger – professional race car driver===World Series of Poker champions===* Ihsan "Sammy" Farha – three-time WSOP-bracelet winner* Jennifer Shahade – two-time United States Women's champion; has the FIDE title of woman grandmaster* Kassem "Freddy" Deeb – two-time WSOP-bracelet winner* Joe Hachem – WSOP main event winner and a WPT championship winner (1 of 6 players in the world to win both)
Writers * Ameen Rihani – author* D. H. Melhem – poet, novelist, and editor* Geoff Johns – comic book writer* Khalil Gibran – author and philosopher* Lee Francis – poet* Mikha'il Na'ima – author and poet* Nassim Nicholas Taleb – essayist* Paula Gunn Allen – Native American poet and activist* Rabih Alameddine – author* Raymond Khoury – novelist and screenwriter* Saree Makdisi – author and literary critic* Stephen Karam – playwright* Vance Bourjaily – novelist* William Peter Blatty – writer, screenwriter
See also * Lebanese Americans* Lebanon–United States relations* List of Lebanese people* List of Lebanese people (diaspora)* Arab Americans* Lebanese Canadian
References