Columbia College Chicago alumni help shape the culture of our time. They perform on stage and screen. They start their own businesses. They dance, exhibit, design, produce, animate, compose, manage, write, and direct with the best. Here are just a few of our notable alumni.
Luis de la Parra ’95 – Senior VP at Univision
Jennifer Farrington '93 – President and CEO at Chicago Children's Museum
Anjel Lopez ’15 –Touring Production & VIP Coordinator for artists including Kidz Bop, Lana Del Rey, and Guns N' Roses
Ben Mills ’10 – Head of product at Venmo
Weston Pagano ’17 – Assistant music producer at Leo Burnett
Roma Shah ’08 – Senior sales manager at Saint Laurent (formerly Yves Saint Laurent)
Jonathan Skogmo ’05 – Founder and CEO of Jukin Media
Nan Warshaw MA '93 – Founder and co-owner of Bloodshot Records
Pablo Martinez Monsivais '94 – Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, Associated Press
Tony Merevick ’12 – Editor, Thrillist New York
Mary Mitchell '91 – Columnist, Chicago Sun-Times
Ozier Muhammad '72 – Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist
Iliana Regan '05 – James Beard Award-nominated chef
Len Amato ’75 – President, HBO Films
Mauro Fiore ’87 – Academy Award-winning cinematographer (Avatar)
Michael Goi ’80 – Cinematographer (American Horror Story, Glee, The Mentalist)
Jeffrey Jur ’76 – Emmy award-winning cinematographer (Bessie, Dirty Dancing, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Colony, Masters of Sex, The Mentalist, Dexter)
Janusz Kaminski ’87 – Two-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, Lincoln, The Post)
Declan Quinn ’79 – Cinematographer (Rachel Getting Married, Leaving Las Vegas, In America, Hot Tub Time Machine 2)
Christian Sprenger '07 – Cinematographer (Atlanta, GLOW, Baskets, Last Man on Earth)
Bob Teitel ’90 – Producer (Men of Honor, Barbershop, Notorious)
Peter Teschner – Editor (Borat, Dodgeball, Charlie's Angels)
Annie Tighe MFA ’02 – Emmy-winning editor (Top Chef, Project Runway)
George Tillman Jr. ’91 – Director, producer (Men of Honor, Barbershop, Notorious,The Longest Ride, Faster, Roll Bounce, Beauty Shop, Soul Food [TV], Barbershop: The Next Cut)
David Tuber ’05 – Storyboard artist (Robot Chicken, BoJack Horseman)
Lena Waithe '06 – Emmy award-winning writer/actress/producer/creator (Dear White People, Bones, Master of None, The Chi)
Rebecca Young ’15 – Software developer, Braintree
Paul Broucek ’74 – President, Music, Warner Brothers Pictures
Austin Deadman ’17 – Percussionist, Hamilton in Chicago
Carter Howard ’17 – Acoustic and vibration consultant at The Papadimos Group
Jonathan McReynolds ’11 – Grammy-nominated gospel musician
Frank Waln ’14 – Rapper and activist
Scott Adsit – Actor (30 Rock, Big Hero 6, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Person of Interest, Veep)
Jeremy Beiler ’04 – Emmy-nominated writer, Saturday Night Live and Inside Amy Schumer
Aidy Bryant '09 – Actress (Saturday Night Live, Girls, Broad City)
Shea Coulee ’11 – Finalist, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 9
David Cromer – Award-winng theatre director, 2010 MacArthur Fellow
Michael George ’17 – actress, Hamilton in Chicago
Chester Gregory ’95 – Singer, Broadway actor (Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Motown: The Musical)
Michelle Monaghan – Actress (True Detective, Due Date, Made of Honor)
Tonya Pinkins ’96 – Tony Award-winning actress (Jelly's Last Jam, All My Children, Army Wives, Enchanted, Gotham [TV])
Andy Richter – Writer, actor, announcer (Conan)
Anna D. Shapiro ’90 – Artistic director for Steppenwolf Theatre
Nadine Velazquez ’01 – Actress (The League, My Name is Earl, Flight)
Chris Bennett ’09 – Architect with Studio Gang
Don't Fret ’10 – Award-winning street artist
Jamillah James ’05 – Curator, Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Rashid Johnson ’00 – Award-winning artist
Sam Kirk ’05 – Street artist and activist
Alexander Knox ’15 – Fashion designer, Coach; Finalist on Project Runway season 13
Beth Morgan ’02 – Emmy-nominated costume designer (Deadwood, Key and Peele, The Help, GLOW)
Genndy Tartakovsky – Creator, animator (Samurai Jack, Powerpuff Girls, Dexter's Laboratory)
Heidi Unkefer ’13 – Graphic illustrator, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Marlon West '85 – Effects supervisor and animator, Walt Disney Animation Studios (The Lion King, Pocahontas, Frozen)