List of people from Spokane, Washington

• Sherman Alexie, author^[1]
• Arthur C. Brooks, author^[2]
• David Eddings, author of The Belgariad and many other books^[3]
• Wilbur Crane Eveland, served in various functions as a US intelligence officer in the Arab East^[4]
• Quail Hawkins, bookseller and children's author^[5]
• Bruce Holbert, author, Washington State Book Award winner^[6]
• Katherine Kelley, journalist and author^[7]
• Kenn Nesbitt, Children's Poet Laureate (2013–2015)^[8]
• Jack Nisbet, author of several books on explorer David Thompson^[9]
• Shann Ray, author, American Book Award winner^[10]
• Rick Rydell, outdoor writer, worked at local radio stations as a radio talk show host^[11]
• David Shannon, author of No, David! and many other children's books^[12]
• Wayne Spitzer, author and low-budget horror filmmaker
• Terry Trueman, Printz Award-winning author of Stuck in Neutral and numerous other young adult novels^[13]
• Shawn Vestal, author, Washington State Book Award winner and recipient of the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, former writer for The Spokesman Review^[14][15]
• Jess Walter, author, recipient of the 2006 Edgar Allan Poe Award^[16]

• Sarah Minnick, chef owner at Lovely Hula Hands and Lovely's Fifty Fifty^[17]

• Kelsey Cook, stand up comedian^[18]
• Tom McTigue, actor and comedian, Baywatch, Quantum Leap, Boyhood
• Julia Sweeney, actor and comedian (appeared on Saturday Night Live)^[19]

• Kevin Coe, convicted "South Hill rapist"^[20]
• Keith Hunter Jesperson, serial killer
• Jack Owen Spillman, serial killer^[21]
• Rollen Stewart, kidnapper^[22]
• Robert Lee Yates, serial killer^[23]

• Rick Alverson, film director
• Dyan Cannon, actress born in Tacoma, WA; attended North Central High School for the 9th grade before moving to Seattle with her family^[24]
• Sophia Anne Caruso, Broadway actress best known for playing Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice: The Musical^[25]
• Gary Frank, Emmy Award-winning actor, known for playing Willie in the ABC series Family
• Russell Hodgkinson, actor
• Cheyenne Jackson, singer and actor, known for United 93^[26]
• Clifton James, film actor (Cool Hand Luke)^[27]
• Paul Johansson, actor, appeared in One Tree Hill
• Eric Johnston, former head of the United States Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America^[28]
• Chuck Jones, director of animated films, three-time Academy Award winner^[29]
• Neil LaBute, film director/playwright^[30]
• David Lynch, film director, known for Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks^[31]
• Darren McGavin, actor, known for starring in Kolchak: the Night Stalker and A Christmas Story^[32]
• John McIntire, actor on Wagon Train and The Virginian
• Michele Morrow, actress, appeared in Basement Jack, The Young and the Restless, and Alias
• Craig T. Nelson, actor, star of television series Coach and Parenthood, as well as the films The Incredibles and Poltergeist^[33]
• Deanna Oliver, actress and writer, known for her role in The Brave Little Toaster and work with Animaniacs and Casper
• Seena Owen, silent-film actress^[34]
• Gale Page, actress, starred in Knute Rockne, All American with Ronald Reagan
• Patrick Page, Tony-nominated actor best known as Hades in Hadestown^[35]
• Susan Peters, actress^[36]
• Matt Piedmont, film director and writer
• Troy Robertson, reality TV star (Survivor, Survivor: One World, and Survivor: Game Changers)^[37]
• Trevor St. John, actor; known for his role on One Life to Live (graduated from Whitworth University)^[38]
• Wayne Spitzer, low-budget horror filmmaker
• Hilary Swank, two-time Oscar-winning actress (father was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base)^[39]
• Sydney Sweeney, actress; best known for her role as Cassie Howard in Euphoria^[40]
• Tongolele, film and television actor^[41]
• Sarah Truax, stage and film actress, Spokane resident from 1912 to 1927^[42]
• Mary Ann Wilson, nurse and TV fitness instructor^[43]
• Michael Winslow, actor and comedian, known for Police Academy^[44]

• Harold Balazs, sculptor^[45]
• Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, photographer/traveller^[46]
• Kenneth Callahan, painter from the Northwest School^[47]
• Brian Crane, cartoonist
• Jerry Holkins, writer for Penny Arcade^[48]
• Mike Krahulik, artist for Penny Arcade^[49]
• Tom Kundig, principal at Olson Kundig Architects^[50]
• George Nakashima, furniture maker, entrepreneur
• Clyfford Still, abstract-expressionist painter^[51]
• Paula Mary Turnbull, welding nun^[52]

• Timothy Egan, journalist, winner of the National Book Award and the Washington State Book Award
• Neil Everett, journalist, ESPN SportsCenter anchor^[53]
• Julian Guthrie, journalist and author based in San Francisco
• Sue Herera, journalist, CNBC anchor
• Eric Johnson, journalist, former sports director for KREM 2; weeknight news anchor for KOMO 4^[54]
• John Richards, journalist, radio personality, producer of The Morning Show and Audioasis on 90.3 FM KEXP Seattle
• Rick Rydell, journalist, worked at local radio stations KJRB, KZZU, and KKZX as a radio talk show host^[55]

• Jim Boyd, musician^[56]
• Cami Bradley, America's Got Talent finalist and member of The Sweeplings^[57]
• Mike Clarke, member of the band The Byrds
• Bing Crosby, singer/actor
• Bob Crosby, bandleader and vocalist^[58]
• Paul D'Amour, former member of the band Tool^[59]
• Andra Day, singer-songwriter
• David Friesen, jazz bassist^[24]
• Calvin Hayes, British musician, co-founder and keyboardist for Johnny Hates Jazz^[60]
• Andy Gibson, singer-songwriter
• Theo Hakola, singer/songwriter, musician^[61]
• Dan Hamilton, member of Surf band The Ventures, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, and The T-Bones^[62]
• Thomas Hampson, baritone^[63]
• Dan Hoerner, lead guitarist and backup vocalist for the band Sunny Day Real Estate^[64]
• Myles Kennedy, lead singer of the band Alter Bridge^[65]
• Keyboard Cat and his handler Charlie Schmidt, performer on a viral internet meme^[66]
• Ryan Lewis, music producer, primarily with Macklemore^[67]
• George Lynch, former member of the rock band Dokken; member of Lynch Mob
• Chad Mitchell, member of the Chad Mitchell Trio^[68]
• Craig Montoya, former member of the band Everclear^[69]
• Matty Mullins, lead singer of the band Memphis May Fire^[70]
• Patrice Munsel, former Metropolitan Opera star^[71]
• Danny O'Keefe, singer-songwriter
• Eckart Preu, conductor of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra^[72]
• Jimmy Rowles, jazz pianist^[73]
• Ann Sandifur, composer^[74]
• Scott Thompson, former member of the Canadian band Lillix
• Billy Tipton, jazz musician
• Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, boogie-woogie and blues-rock pianist^[75]
• Tyrone Wells, singer-songwriter^[76]
• Merrill Womach, undertaker, organist and gospel singer, founder of National Music Service^[77]

Civic

• James Everett Chase, mayor of Spokane^[78]
• Jack Geraghty, mayor of Spokane; former Spokane County commissioner^[79]
• Dennis P. Hession, mayor of Spokane^[80]
• John Powers, mayor of Spokane^[81]
• David H. Rodgers, mayor of Spokane^[82]
• Ron Sims, former member of the King County Council; former King County executive; former member of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development^[83]
• Jon Snyder, member of the Spokane City Council^[84]
• John Talbott, mayor of Spokane^[85]
• Mary Verner, mayor of Spokane^[86]
• James E. West, Washington state senator and Spokane mayor^[87]

Federal

• Michael Baumgartner, U.S. congressman from Washington's 5th congressional district (2025–present)^[88]
• Ryan Crocker, U.S. diplomat, former U.S. ambassador to Iraq^[89]
• Tom Foley, U.S. congressman, former Democratic speaker of the United States House of Representatives, former US ambassador to Japan^[90]
• Eric Johnston, former head of the United States Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America
• Mike McKevitt, U.S. congressman for Colorado's 1st congressional district (1971–73)^[91]
• Cathy McMorris Rodgers, U.S. congresswoman for Washington's 5th congressional district (2005–2025)^[92]
• George Nethercutt, former Republican U.S. congressman, judge and attorney^[93]
• Ron Sims, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

State

• Andy Billig, Washington state senator^[94]
• James M. Geraghty, Washington State Supreme Court justice
• Sam C. Guess, Washington state senator^[95]
• Jon Hansen, Washington state senator and Spokane mayor
• Samuel G. Havermale, early Spokane pioneer, minister and politician^[96]
• Horace E. Houghton, Washington and Wisconsin state legislator, lawyer
• B. R. Ostrander, Republican, served in the Washington House of Representatives 1889–1891^[97][98]
• Marcus Riccelli, Washington state representative^[99]
• James E. West, Washington state senator and Spokane mayor^[100]

• Michael P. Anderson, astronaut killed in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster^[101]
• Walter Houser Brattain, awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics
• Robert Dirks, computational chemist killed in a 2015 train wreck in New York^[102]
• Dorothy M. Horstmann, virologist, made important discoveries about polio^[103]
• Anne McClain, NASA astronaut, flight engineer for Expedition 58/59 to the International Space Station^[104]
• Wilder Graves Penfield, American-born Canadian neurosurgeon who mapped out the functional areas of the cerebral cortex and pioneered groundbreaking research into epilepsy treatment^[105]
• Irwin Rose, biologist awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Auto racing

• Chad Little, NASCAR race winner
• Tom Sneva, Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Series champion^[106]

Baseball

• Jeremy Affeldt, Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher for the San Francisco Giants^[107]
• Ed Brandt, MLB pitcher (1928–38)
• Ed Kirkpatrick, former MLB outfielder and catcher
• Andrew Kittredge, pitcher for Tampa Bay Rays^[108]
• Larry Koentopp, Gonzaga University three-sport all-state selection, baseball head coach and athletic director^[109]
• Tyler Olson, pitcher for Cleveland Indians^[110]
• Mike Redmond, former MLB player for the Florida Marlins, Minnesota Twins, and Cleveland Indians; manager for the Marlins; (Gonzaga University graduate, 1993)
• Ryne Sandberg, 2005 inductee in the Baseball Hall of Fame, former second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, former MLB manager for the Philadelphia Phillies^[111]
• Kevin Stocker, former shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Anaheim Angels; current analyst for the Pac-12 Network^[112]
• Christine Wren, second female professional baseball umpire^[113]

Basketball

• Malik Hall, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League^[114]
• Briann January, former Arizona State Sun Devils player; played for the WNBA's Indiana Fever (Lewis and Clark High School graduate, 2005)^[115]
• Adam Morrison, former Gonzaga player, former 2005–2006 first-team All-American, Charlotte Bobcats and Los Angeles Lakers basketball player (Mead High School graduate, 2003)^[116]
• John Stockton, NBA Hall of Fame former point guard for the Utah Jazz^[117]
• Wayne Tinkle, player for the Montana Grizzlies (Ferris High School graduate, 1984); former head coach for the Oregon State Beavers^[118]

Billiards

• Dorothy Wise, member of Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame

Boxing

• Chauncy Welliver, professional boxer^[119]

Extreme sports

• Jess Roskelley, youngest American (at the time) to climb Mount Everest^[120]
• Eric Uptagrafft, sport shooter^[121]

Football

• Bob Bellinger, football player
• Erik Coleman, former Washington State Cougars football player, former player for the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions (Lewis and Clark High School graduate, 2000)
• Joe Danelo, former kicker for the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants, and the Buffalo Bills (graduated from WSU and Gonzaga Prep 1971)^[122]
• Will Davis, former defensive back for the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF^[123]
• Steve Emtman, 1992 NFL No. 1 draft pick, former defensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts^[124]
• Bill Etter, held the Notre Dame record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game—146 yards^[125]
• Steve Gleason, NFL former special teams player for the New Orleans Saints and a graduate of WSU and Gonzaga Prep^[126]
• Jason Hanson, former kicker with the Detroit Lions^[127]
• Max Krause, running back for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins
• Dan Lynch, first team All-American for Washington State University (Lewis & Clark High School graduate 1980)
• Steve Parker, former NFL defensive end for the New Orleans Saints
• Brett Rypien, NFL quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings; Shadle Park High School, Boise State University^[128]
• Mark Rypien, former quarterback for the Washington Redskins; Most Valuable Player of 1991 Super Bowl; Shadle Park High School, Washington State University
• Bishop Sankey, former NFL running back for the Tennessee Titans (attended Gonzaga Preparatory School)^[129][130]
• Cory Withrow, former NFL center for the St. Louis Rams^[131]
• John Yarno, former NFL offensive lineman (attended Gonzaga Preparatory School and Ferris High School)^[132]

Hockey

• Bob Attwell, Spokane native who played 22 games in the NHL
• Patrick Dwyer, Spokane native who last played for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes^[133]
• Tyler Johnson, former Spokane Chiefs player and 2008 Memorial Cup winner plus back-to-back Stanley Cup winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning
• Derek Ryan, Spokane native currently playing for NHL's Edmonton Oilers
• Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane native currently playing for NHL's Seattle Kraken

Mixed martial arts

• Michael Chiesa, Ultimate Fighter winner and current UFC lightweight^[134]
• Julianna Peña, Ultimate Fighter winner and former UFC women's bantamweight champion^[135]
• Sam Sicilia, Ultimate Fighter alumnus and former UFC featherweight^[136]

Rowing

• Joe Rantz, 1936 Summer Olympics gold medal winner in the eights competition

Soccer

• Chad Brown, midfielder and coach^[137]
• Amy LePeilbet, defender and coach

Tennis

• Jan-Michael Gambill, professional player^[138]

Track and field

• Madonna Buder, 75-year-old Catholic nun and oldest Hawaii Ironman Triathlete competitor
• Helga Estby, walked across the United States in 1896^[139]
• Fortune Gordien, Olympic silver and bronze medalist in discus throw
• Gerry Lindgren, runner, won 11 NCAA championships at Washington State University (attended John R. Rogers High School)
• Brad Walker, American record holder and two-time world champion in the pole vault (University High School graduate)

• Joe Albi, attorney and civic leader^[140]
• Kirtland Cutter, architect, known for his work in Spokane, including the Davenport Hotel^[141]
• Sonora Smart Dodd, successfully campaigned for the establishment of Father's Day^[142]
• Helga Estby, Norwegian-American resident of the Spokane area; in 1896 walked across America from Spokane to New York City^[143]
• James Geraghty, Spokane City corporate counsel
• Alice Houghton, broker
• Henry John Kaiser, industrialist^[144]

Native Americans

• Chief Garry, one of the Spokane tribes' most prominent and influential leaders during the shift from indigenous to European-American control of their land^[145]

Military

• John Babcock, last Canadian veteran of World War I^[146]
• David P. Jenkins, Civil War colonel, Spokane homesteader, and philanthropist^[147]

• Jimmy Marks, Romani American who sued Spokane
• Greg Zanis, carpenter who founded Crosses for Losses^[148]