Distinguished
Distinguished HISD Alumni
Below is a partial list of notable people who attended or graduated from HISD schools. To nominate someone for inclusion on the list, please send an email that contains the person’s full given name (maiden name, if changed by marriage), date of graduation, high school attended, and significant accomplishments to info@houstonisd.org for consideration.
Austin High School
Bellaire High School
Contemporary Learning Center
Davis High School
DeBakey High School for Health Professions
Furr High School
High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Houston High School
Jones High School
Kashmere High School
Lamar High School
Lee High School
Madison High School
Milby High School
Reagan High School
San Jacinto High School-closed in 1971
Scarborough High School
Sharpstown High School
Sterling High School
Waltrip High School
Washington High School
Westbury High School
Wheatley High School
Worthing High School
Yates High School
* = the person attended but did not graduate from that school
Eva (née Martinez) Guzman (1979) — became the first Hispanic female justice to be appointed to the Texas Supreme Court in 2009; she was named one of the “101 Most Influential Latino Leaders” by Latino Leaders magazine, “Latina Judge of the Year” (2009) by the Hispanic National Bar Association, and “Judge of the Year” (2009) by the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas Foundation.
Mark James (né Francis Zambon) (1959) — GRAMMY-award-winning songwriter who made his mark with songs like “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Suspicious Minds,” and “Always On My Mind,” which were made famous (respectively) by singers B. J. Thomas, Elvis Presley, and Willie Nelson; inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2014.
Diana Davila Martinez (1984) — Texas State Representative (1993-1999) for District 145, which covers East Houston, the City of South Houston and part of Pasadena.
Manuel Rodríguez, Jr. (1970) — HISD Board Member; founder and president of the MARVAA Corporation, which provides community assistance in education, housing, and financial planning.
John Kenneth "Ken" Spain (1965) — professional basketball player in American Basketball Association; won gold medal in 1968 Olympics; drafted by Oakland Oaks in 1969; also played for Pittsburg Condors; inducted into University of Houston´s Hall of Fame in 1998
Richard Vara (1968) — Harris County Judge, Justice of the Peace Court (Precinct 6, Place 1) since 1984
Laurie Bricker (1969) — former HISD Board Member; founder of the Jewish Women´s International Annual Prejudice Awareness Summit
Jeff Cohen (1972) — executive vice president and editor of The Houston Chronicle newspaper from 2002 - 2012.
José L. Cruz (1992) — professional baseball player; drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 1995; also played for Toronto Blue Jays
Ed Emmett (1967) — elected as Harris County Judge in 2007 and member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987
Annalee Jefferies (1972) — actress; resident company member of Houston´s Alley Theatre for more than 15 seasons; has performed both on and off Broadway, in films, and on television
Edward Charles "Chuck" Knoblauch (1986) — professional baseball player (second baseman); played for Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees
Richard Linklater (1979) — independent film-maker, actor, and director who came to fame in the early 1990s; known for his edgy depictions of youth culture and modern life; inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in 2007
Chukwuemeka Noubuisi "Emeka" Okafor (2001) — professional basketball player for the Charlotte (NC) Bobcats; member of bronze-medal-winning 2004 U.S. Men´s Olympic basketball team; named NBA Rookie of the Year for 2004-2005
Robert Randall Onstead, Jr. (1974) — son of founder of Randall´s supermarket chain; president and chief executive officer of Randall´s from 1996-2003
Cindy Pickett (1965) — actress whose career on both the large and small screens spans more than 30 years; perhaps best known for her role as the lead character´s mother in the movie, Ferris Bueller´s Day Off, Pickett has also appeared on TV shows such as Murder, She Wrote, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, Medium, and CSI: Miami
Dennis Quaid (1972) — actor, best known for his roles in feature films like Inner Space, The Right Stuff, and The Big Easy
Randall Rudy "Randy" Quaid (1969) — actor, best known for his quirky roles in oddball comedy films like Kingpins, Independence Day, and National Lampoon´s Vacation
Steven "Steve" Radack (1969) — elected Harris County Commissioner of Precinct 3 in 1988
Brent Spiner (1967) — actor and classmate of Randy Quaid; perhaps best known for his character "Data" on the TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Donald Yearnsley "Trey" Wilson III (1966) — stage and film actor whose career spanned more than 25 years at the time of his death in 1989; appeared in feature films such as Bull Durham, Twins, and Raising Arizona and TV shows such as Dallas and Spenser: for Hire
Juan Diaz (2001) — World Boxing Association´s Lightweight Champion in 2004; also the Mexican National Tournament Lightweight Champion in 2000
Esther Campos (1948) — former HISD Board Member
Carl Crawford (1999) — professional baseball player (outfielder) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
James DeAnda (1943) — retired federal judge; appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas by President Jimmy Carter
Felix Fraga (1948) — former Houston City Councilmember and HISD Board Member; Vice President of External Relations for Neighborhood Centers Inc. since 1990
Gene Green (1966) — U.S. Representative (D-Houston)
Ricardo "Rocky" Juarez (1999) — the 1999 World Champion Boxer (featherweight) and 2000 Olympic silver medalist
Slater N. Martin (1943) — NBA Hall-of-Famer, played for Minneapolis (now Los Angeles) Lakers, New York Knickerbockers (now "Knicks") and the St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks
David Mendoza, Jr. (1968) — Harris County Judge in the 262nd Judicial District Court
Kenny Rogers (1956) — country music singer, gained fame in the 1980´s for songs like The Gambler, We´ve Got Tonight, and Lady
Tommy Thomas (1961) — Harris County Sheriff
Gracie Saenz (1971) — Former Mayor Pro-Tem, City Councilmember at Large
Jesse Valdez (1967) — bronze medalist in Welterweight boxing at the 1972 Olympic Games
Gerald E. Wilson (1972) — president and founder of Wilson Financial Group, Inc., which owns and operates funeral homes, cemeteries, flower shops, and other related businesses in 11 states; CPA and financial planner
Judith R. Campbell (1977) — associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine
Paula Arnold (1967) — former HISD Board Member; cofounder of Arnold & Langrand Communications, a marketing services firm
Carolyn Campbell (1974) — TV Reporter for Channel 11 (KHOU-TV)
Anthony Young (1984) — professional baseball player (pitcher); played for New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, and Cleveland Indians. Also attended Pleasantville Elementary and Holland Middle Schools.
Analia Wilkerson (1982) — judge in Harris County Criminal Court No. 9; youngest judge ever elected in Harris County (at age 29) in 1994
Lisa Hartman Black (1974) — actress, best known for her work on TV-series soap opera Knots Landing; married to country music singer Clint Black; also attended Long Middle and Sharpstown High Schools
Shelley Carrol (1982) — professional jazz musician (saxophone) and band leader; has recorded albums both solo (A Distant Star, 2001) and with the Duke Ellington Orchestra (1997) — with whom he has toured; his music has also been featured on the televesion series, Melrose Place and Evening Shade
Justin Stewart Furtsenfeld (1994) — lead singer, guitar-player, and lyricist of the rock band "Blue October," which has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Late Night with Conan O´Brien
Jorge Garza (1987) — opera singer, has performed with the Los Angeles Music Center Opera, Baltimore Opera, the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Santa Fe Opera, and the Orchestra de Lyon in France
Robert Glasper (1997) — professional musician (piano); founding member of the Robert Glasper Trio, which released its debut album, Mood, in 2003; has also played in the bands of Christian McBride, Terence Blanchard, Mark Whitfield, Russell Malone, Nicholas Payton, Tim Warfield, Kenny Garrett, Charles Tolliver, Louis Hayes and Bilal
Everette Harp (1979) — jazz musician (saxophonist), best known for his self-titled debut album and second release, Common Ground
Andre Hayward (1989) — professional jazz musician (trombone); member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra; has performed with Roy Hargrove on the album Of Kindred Souls and with Dave Holland on the album What Goes Around; also backed up stars like Rosemary Clooney, Eartha Kitt, Diane Schuur, and Joe Williams
Sara Hickman (1981) — singer/songwriter, known for albums Equal Scary People, Shortstop, and Necessary Angels, the second of which yielded the adult-contemporary hit I Couldn't Help Myself
Beyoncé Knowles, (2000*) — lead singer of pop group Destiny´s Child, known for her debut multi-platinum solo album, Dangerously In Love, and group releases, Destiny´s Child and Survivor
Jason Moran (1993) — acclaimed jazz pianist with six solo albums to his credit and guest appearances on more than a dozen other artists´ albums; signed to Blue Note Records in 1997 while still a senior at the Manhattan School of Music
Matthew Mullenweg (2002) — co-founder and developer of WordPress, an open-source blogging software first released in 2003. He also founded Automattic, the parent company of websites such as VaultPress (a backup service) and Akismet (a spam filter) in 2005. He was named one of PC World's "Top 50 People on the Web" in 2007, and one of Inc.'s "30 under 30" and Business Week's "25 Most Influential People on the Web" in 2008.
(Evelyn) Renée O´Connor (1989*) — actress, best known for her role as "Gabrielle" on the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess
Eutimio "Tim" Ruiz, Jr. (1993) — bass player for the Houston-based Tejano band La Mafia, which performed at the inaugural gala of President Bill Clinton in 1997, won 12 Tejano Music Awards, eight Premio Lo Nuestro awards, and two Grammy awards (1996 and 1998) for best Tejano album
Kendrick Scott (1998) — professional musician (drums); has played with jazz masters such as Terence Blanchard, Kenny Garrett, Stefon Harris, Joe Lovano, Pat Metheny, and Dianne Reeves; music was also featured in the soundtrack to the 2004 movie, She Hate Me
Mark Seliger (1977) — chief photographer for Rolling Stone and Us magazines since 1993; has also worked for GQ and Conde Nast
Mark Simmons (1993) — professional musician (drums); has performed on albums by Walter Beasley (Tonight We Love, 1997), Joey McIntyre (Stay the Same, 1999), Bobby Lyle (Straight and Smooth, 2004) , and Al Jarreau (Accentuate the Positive, 2004)
Ed Smart (1980) — professional musician (composer/arranger); his music has been featured on the prime time TV shows American Idol, Picket Fences, The Practice, and Touched by an Angel; composed music for award-winning documentary Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream; has worked with Beyoncé Knowles, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Amy Grant, and Michael W. Smith.
Helen Sung (1989) — professional musician (piano); has performed or recorded with such jazz stars as Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, Steve Turre, Buster Williams, and legendary composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter; featured on Blue Note recording artist Lonnie Plaxico´s album, Mélange
Camille Zamora (1988) — Professional opera singer; Zamora has performed with a number of ensembles and artists, including the London Symphony and Plácido Domingo. She has been recognized with a 2013 Congressional Citation and been named one of CNN’s Most Intriguing People. Zamora is also a contributor to The Huffington Post and the co-founder of Sing for Hope, a charity created to honor the memory of a close friend who died of HIV/AIDS.
Jeff Hunt (1980) — chief executive officer of global public-relations firm, GCI Group, one of the largest PR firms in the world; also president and CEO of both GCI Read-Poland in Texas and GCI Latin America
Olga Gallegos (1944) — former HISD Board Member; served as an administrative aide to State Representatives Ben Reyes, Al Luna, and Roman Martinez
Jack Valenti (1937) — author, politician, and entertainment icon; aide to former president Lyndon Baines Johnson; became head of the Motion Picture Association of America in 1966 and spearheaded the creation of the movie-rating system that still exists today
Ronald Glenn "Ron" Franklin (1969) — former HISD Board Member (1990-98); attorney; founding member and partner at Franklin, Cardwell & Jones, P.C.
Daniel Gibson (2004) — professional basketball player (guard) drafted in the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006
Darrell Green (1978) — professional football player (defensive back) from the 1980´s to the 2000´s; played for the Washington Redskins
Rosiland A. Jordan (1984) — White House Correspondent for NBC News in Washington, D.C.; reporting for NBC Nightly News and The Today Show
Alfred Williams (1987) — retired professional football player (linebacker and defensive end) with the National Football League; drafted by Cincinnati Bengals in 1991; played for the Bengals as well as the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers
Jo Beth Williams (1966) — actress/producer/director, nominated for Emmy awards (1984 "Adam"), (1988 Baby M), and (1995 Frasier episode); Academy Award (1995 On Hope); and Golden Globe award (1989 Baby M)
Kirbyjon Caldwell (1971) — senior pastor at Windsor Village United Methodist Church; founder of nine community-based organizations, including the Power Center on Houston´s southwest side; delivered the benediction during President George W. Bush´s inauguration
Cynthia Clay-Briggs (1972) — executive director, Communities In Schools-Houston
Craig Curry (1980) — professional football player for Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts
James M. Douglas (1962) — attorney/professor at Texas Southern University; district chairman for the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America; appointed acting president of TSU in 1995; later appointed its ninth president (until 1999)
Jacob Green (1976) — former professional football player; defensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers; also attended Key Middle School
Rodney Hampton (1987) — professional football player; drafted by New York Giants in 1990
Robert Mallett (1975) — senior vice-president of Corporate Affairs, Pfizer, Inc. (one of the world´s largest drug development and manufacturing companies)
Zerick Rollins (1993) — assistant coach of Seattle Seahawks, a professional football team; also attended Terrell Middle and Garden Villas Elementary Schools
Lauren Anderson (1982) — prima ballerina from 1990 to 2006 with The Houston Ballet (the first African-American promoted to that position); has been a guest performer in shows in Chicago, Chile, Moscow, and New York
Hubert B. Bailey (1955) — part-time NASCAR driver who participated in the Grand National/Winston Cup for more than 30 years; first driver to take a qualifying lap at the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994
Jack S. Blanton (1944) — oilman, public servant, and civic leader, former CEO and chairman of Scurlock Oil, the Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce, and the board of trustees of the Houston Endowment
Clarence L. "Buddy" Brock Jr. (1941) — much-loved local bandleader who kept Houstonians entertained for more than 40 years (starting in the 1950s); founder of the Brock Agency, an entertainment-booking service; also served as a physics professor at the University of Houston and worked briefly as an engineer
John A. Culberson (1975) — United States Representative for the Seventh Congressional District of Texas since 2000; State Representative from 1986?2000. Also attended West University Elementary and Sidney Lanier Middle Schools
Jonathan Day (1958) — partner at law firm Andrews Kurth, LLP, general counsel to METRO; former Houston City Attorney; chair of Neighborhood Centers, Inc., The Houston Zoo, Inc., and Scenic Houston; board member of Houston A+ Challenge, The Alley Theatre, the Contemporary Arts Museum, the Wortham Theater Foundation, and the Cultural Arts Council
David Dewhurst (1963) — founded Falcon Seaboard (an energy company) in 1981; elected lieutenant governor of Texas in 2002; also served as Texas Land Commissioner, chair of the Governor´s Task Force on Homeland Security, and a member of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Marsha Dorsey Outlaw (1981) — professional visual artist who has worked with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and Michelle Barnes’ Community Artists Collective. Her murals and mosaics grace a number of public spaces around Houston, including Peggy Park in the Third Ward, and Piney Point Elementary School’s SPARK park.
Linda Ellerbee (1962) — author, journalist, award-winning television producer; wrote and anchored NBC News Overnight; also attended River Oaks Elementary and Lanier Middle Schools
Robert Foxworth (1960) — actor, best known for his roles on TV series Falcon Crest and Six Feet Under
Johnny B. Holmes, Jr. (1959) — former Harris County District Attorney
Kelendria Trené "Kelly" Rowland (1999*) — member of the R&B musical group Destiny´s Child, whose albums have gone multi-platinum with hits like Survivor and Independent Woman; her debut solo album in 2002 went gold, and featured the hit song Dilemma, recorded with rap artist Nelly
Jaclyn Smith (1964), actress, best known for her role in 1970´s TV series Charlie´s Angels
James Marcus Smith (1956) — also known by his stage-name, "P. J. Proby," Smith is a singer, songwriter, and actor who has worked with such luminaries as country-music legend Johnny Cash and rock-n-roll phenomenon Elvis Presley
Tommy Tune (1957) — Tony award-winning Broadway performer, actor, dancer, singer, performer, choreographer, and director
Mark White (1958) — former Texas governor
Sherri Williams (1990) — Channel 39 News anchor
Robert Woodrow Wilson (1953) — Nobel Prize-winning (1978) physicist who discovered cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) in 1964 with Arno Allan Penzias
Marvin Zindler (1939*) — reporter at Channel 13 KTRK-TV station in Houston for more than 50 years; his infamous investigation in La Grange was the inspiration for a Broadway musical; also attended Pershing Middle School
Justin Avery Anderson (2005) — creator and CEO of Anderson Trail, a granola-manufacturing company he founded his junior year in high school. His products are carried at high-end grocery and specialty retailers, such as H-E-B Central Market and Luke's Locker, and he has been profiled in publications such as Texas Monthly and the Fort Worth Business Press.
H. Clay Dahlberg (1965) — professional artist who creates primarily Western-themed sculpture. His work has earned the Best in Show distinction from the Texas Cowboy Artists Association and has been exhibited at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center.
Jeff Filgo (1985) — television producer/screenwriter who has worked on That 70?s Show, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Peter Gardere (1988) — highly regarded college football player for the University of Texas in the late 1980?s/early 1990s; dubbed "Peter the Great" by fans after becoming the only starting quarterback to win four consecutive games against the University of Oklahoma, in an on-going 100-year-plus competition now known as the Red River Rivalry
Billy Gibbons (1968) — guitarist in rock band ZZ Top
Edward Gonzalez (1987) — retired Houston Police Department officer who served as a homicide investigator and a hostage negotiator during his 18-year career in law enforcement. He was elected to the Houston City Council in 2009, and serves District H.
Thad Grundy Jr. (1971*) — senior vice president and general counsel of Sovereign Oil Company (2011); served as the deputy assistant secretary for international affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy under President George H.W. Bush.
Melanie Hauser (1971) — freelance sports writer, award-winning columnist, and feature writer who has worked for the Austin-American Statesman and The Houston Post and contributed to Sports Illustrated and other publications; one of the most respected golf journalists in the country
Randal "Randy" Lemmon (1980) radio personality on KPRC Talk Radio (950); hosts Randy Lemmon´s GardenLine
Jordan Levin (1985*) — founding partner and chief executive officer of Generate (a media management company) who became the youngest chief executive officer in history when he accepted a position with the WB network; also served as development director at Disney/Touchstone Television
Robert K. Ritner (1971) — professor of Egyptology at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago; associate professor of Egyptology for five years at Yale University in the early 1990s
Richard Spence (1987) — served as chief of staff of the economic development committee in the Texas Senate for three years and assistant secretary for legislative affairs for the United States Small Business Administration
Ron Stone, Jr. (1981) — author and contributing reporter to KPRC-TV, Channel 2; collaborated on award-winning TV series The Eyes of Texas with his father, Ron Sr.; writer and producer at Stonefilms of Texas
Steve Smyers (1971) — award-winning golf course architect who has designed almost two dozen courses, in locales as nearby as Florida and Louisiana and as far-flung as Africa, England, and Australia
D. Gibson Walton (1968) — partner at Hogan Lovells law firm; served as president of the State Bar of Texas (2007-2008) and the Houston Bar Association (1998-1999); named a Texas Super Lawyer (2003-2011) and one of the Best Lawyers in America (2008-2010)
Greg Watson (1989) — vice president of finance for the professional National Football League team, the Houston Texans, and the McNair Group
John P. White (1991) — actor who has appeared in a number of Hollywood films, including Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Can?t Hardly Wait, and Galaxy Quest, as well as several television series, such as Chicago Hope and Party of Five
Stiles White (1987) — writer or production coordinator on a number of Hollywood films, including Galaxy Quest, The Sixth Sense, Inspector Gadget, and Pearl Harbor
Kirk Baptiste (1982) — silver medalist in the 1984 Olympics (200-meter track event)
Lance Blanks (1983*) — professional basketball player in the early 1980´s; played for the Detroit Pistons
Peter Brett Cullen (1974) — stage, screen, and television actor for more than 25 years; nominated by Soap Opera Digest for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1980s TV show Falcon Crest; has also played in movies (Apollo 13), TV mini-series (The Thorn Birds), and made appearances on prime-time shows (Desperate Housewives, The West Wing, Ally McBeal)
Mark Goldberg (1976) — City of Houston Council member for District C
Larry V. Green (1983) — City of Houston Council member for District K. Green was sworn into office in January 2012 and serves the area from the edge of the Texas Medical Center to the portion of Houston within Fort Bend County.
Greg Kite (1979) — professional basketball player (center) in the 1980´s and 90´s; played for the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sacramento Kings, the Orlando Magic, the New York Kicks and the Indianapolis Pacers
(Torrance) Moran Norris (1996) — professional football player (fullback) for New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers
Broderick Thomas (1985) — professional football player (linebacker) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Dallas Cowboys
Vince Young (2002) — arguably one of the greatest college athletes of all time, in 2006 Young led the University of Texas to its first national football title since 1970. He is the highest-ranked of all UT quarterbacks (by percentage of games won as starter), and finished the 2005 regular season as the top-rated passer in the nation. A finalist for the 2006 Heisman Trophy, Young entered the National Football League draft in 2006.
Carol Alvarado (1987) — City of Houston Councilwoman
Miguel "Mike" Barajas (1973) — KRIV-TV FOX News anchor
Michael Berryhill (1963) — freelance writer; previously worked for The Houston Chronicle and The Houston Press
Fentress Bracewell (1937) — founder of Houston-based Bracewell & Tunks law firm in 1945 (now Bracewell & Giuliani); served as port commissioner for two years in the late 1960s and as chairman of the Port of Houston for 15 more; also served as director of Houston Chamber of Commerce and was instrumental in bringing first Major League Baseball team to Houston
Hannah L. Chow (1966) — retired Harris County Criminal Court judge
Diana Dávila (1991) — HISD Board Member; also attended Park Place and Lewis Elementary Schools and Deady Middle School
Donald Driver (1994) — retired professional football player; wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers
Mario V. Gallegos, Jr. (1969) — retired captain in Houston Fire Department; Texas State Senator; first Hispanic senator ever elected to represent Harris County, (son of Olga Gallegos; see Houston High School)
Robert "Bob" Alton Gammage (1956) — U.S. Representative/ State Supreme Court Justice
K.T. Oslin (1960) country-western singer; won two Grammy awards (best country-western song and best country-western female vocal performance) in 1988 for her song, "Hold Me"
Gordon Quan (1966) — former Houston Mayor Pro-Tem and Councilmember-at-Large
Aleida Rios (1987) — vice president of BP’s operations in the Gulf of Mexico; sponsors the company’s Supplier Diversity Council and Gulf of Mexico Women’s Leadership Council, which supports gender diversity and promotes networking and career development opportunities.
T. G. Waggoner (1938) — an early television wrestler, better known in the 1950´s as "Gorgeous George"
Paul Neal "Red" Adair (1933*) — firefighter known for his skill in capping oil well fires and his extinguishment of "The Devil´s Cigarette Lighter" in the Sahara Desert in 1962, a fire so big astronaut John Glenn could see it from space; also attended Harvard Elementary and Hogg Middle Schools
Mary Kay (née Mary Kathlyn Wagner) Ash (1934) — founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc., one of the most successful direct-sales companies in the world. The late businesswoman´s creation now boasts more than a quarter of a million independent sales associates and reported more than a billion dollars in revenue in 1992
Wayne Graham (1954) — retired professional baseball player; played for New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies; also served as baseball coach at HISD´s George C. Scarborough High School before earning legendary status for leading San Jacinto College to five national titles in six years and Rice University to seven College World Series appearances, including its first national championship win in 2003
Richard "Racehorse" Haynes (1944) — criminal defense attorney, known for his work in trials immortalized by best-selling books Blood and Money, Deadly Blessing, Texas vs. Davis, and Blood Will Tell
Larry Hovis (1954) — actor; remembered for his role as Sergeant Carter on the 1960´s TV sitcom Hogan´s Heroes, as well as stints on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and Rowan & Martin´s Laugh-In
Raymond Knight (1940) — First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps; awarded Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic service and self-sacrifice during World War II
Everett Augustus "Squatty" Lyons (1929) — retired Harris County Commissioner for Precinct 4, which encompasses Crosby, Huffman, Humble, Spring, Tomball, the Champions area, Jersey Village, and parts of Spring Branch and River Oaks; dedicated 48 years of his life to public service
Dan Rather (1950) broadcast journalist, former CBS Evening News anchorman; also attended Love Elementary and Hamilton Middle Schools
Gordon "Craig" Reynolds (1971) — professional baseball player; drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971; also played for the Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros
Martha (née Jee) Wong (1957) — former Houston City Councilwoman; State Senator
Denton Cooley (1937) — world-renowned heart surgeon, famous for his innovative cardiovascular surgical techniques and performing the first successful heart transplant on a human
Anthony Joseph "A.J." Foyt Jr. (1953*) — racecar driver, four-time winner of the Indy 500, three-time winner of the 24-Hour Le Mans, and winner of the Daytona 500 (the auto-racing "triple crown"); also attended Alexander Hamilton and John Pershing Middle Schools and Mirabeau Lamar High School; father attended John Reagan High School
Richard J.V. Johnson (1948) — chairman and publisher of The Houston Chronicle daily newspaper
Walter Cronkite (1933) — former CBS Evening News anchorman
Glenn McCarthy (1929) — legendary oilman/entrepreneur; also known as "Diamond Glenn" and "King of the Wildcatters"; built the Shamrock Hotel in the Texas Medical Center in 1945; was the inspiration for character Jett Rink in Edna Ferber´s novel Giant (1952)
Kathy J. Whitmire (1964) — first female mayor of the City of Houston (1982?1992)
Dwayne Bohac (1985) — elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2002
Phil Boriskie (1974) — named City of Houston Fire Department Chief in 2004 by Mayor Bill White. Led the department´s successful effort to obtain certification by the International Commission on Fire Accreditation
Karen Dufilho-Rosen (1987) — Academy Award-winning producer of Pixar animated short films Geri´s Game (1997) and For the Birds (2000). Head of Pixar´s "shorts" department; produced outtakes for A Bug´s Life, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc. Also responsible for 2003 Academy Award-nominated short film Mike´s New Car.
Clarence Bagby (1982) — journalist and community activist; founder of the Houston Lesbian and Gay Community Center
Robert Earl Keen (1974) — Texas singer/songwriter
David McCarty (1988) — professional baseball player; played for Minnesota Twins
Luke Prestridge (1975) — retired professional football player; punter for Denver Broncos and New England Patriots (1979-84)
Michael J. Reardon (1971) — cardiothoracic surgeon at Baylor College of Medicine; known primarily for the groundbreaking "autotransplant" technique he and his brother developed with Dr. Denton Cooley, in which the heart is removed the body, tumors are excised, and the organ is returned to the body and reattached. He first performed this procedure successfully in 1998; brother of Patrick R. Reardon
Patrick R. Reardon (1975) — cardiothoracic surgeon; surgical director of the Reflux Center and assistant professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine; brother of Michael J. Reardon
Steve Rosen (1976) — high-profile trial lawyer often known as "The Rocket"
Margaret (née Dudar) Spellings (1975) — nominated to post of U.S. Secretary of Education in 2004 by President George W. Bush
Forest "Greg" Swindell (1983) — retired professional baseball player; pitcher for Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Arizona Diamondbacks
Yolanda Adams (1979) — award-winning gospel singer; received Grammy awards in 1999 and 2001 for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, 13 Stellar Awards
Clyde Drexler (1980) — also known as "Clyde the Glide," retired professional basketball player (guard) for Portland Trailblazers and Houston Rockets, named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996; perennial All-Star and a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream Team (gold-medalist)
Zina Garrison (1982) — retired professional tennis player and Olympic gold medalist (1988); captured 14 singles titles and 20 doubles crowns; earned $4.6 million in prize money during her 15-year career
Carlotta “Monique” Nation (1982) — Award-winning Houston television personality for KRIV-TV Fox 26 who covered a number of high-profile crime stories, including the execution of convicted killer Karla Faye Tucker in Huntsville and the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. in Jasper; recognized by the Young Women’s Christian Association as one of its Women of Achievement in 2000 and Young Minority Achievers in 2001; tied for first-place prize from Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her commentary on the Jasper case (1999) and second-place prize for her coverage of a fire (1997)
James Wallace Edwin Dixon II (1981) — pastor of Northwest Community Baptist Church; founder of the Dominion Academy, an HISD Charter School
Shelley Duvall (1967) — actress/producer, known for her role as Olive Oyl in the film Popeye, and her Tall Tales and Bedtime Stories children´s TV series
Debra Sue Maffett (1975) — crowned winner of the Miss America pageant in 1983; appeared in popular 1980s television shows such as Matlock, Family Feud, and Super Password; created and produced the Hip, Hot and Country music TV show in the mid-1990s and hosted TNN Country News on the Tennessee Nashville Network
Van Malone (1989) — professional football player (defensive back) in the 1990s; played for the Detroit Lions
Keenan McCardell (1987) — professional football player (wide receiver) from the 1990´s to the 2000´s; played for the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Patrick Swayze (1971) — actor/dancer, known for his roles in the movies Dirty Dancing and Ghost. Also attended Oak Forest Elementary and Black Middle Schools
John H. Whitmire (1968) — Texas State Senator for District 15
Jennifer Holliday (1978) — Tony Award-winning singer/actress, perhaps best known for her breakout performance in the Broadway show Dream Girls in 1981
Lawrence Marshall (1951) — HISD Board Member; president of M Associates of Houston, a consulting firm; served as Interim Superintendent of Kendleton ISD and deputy superintendent of HISD before retiring
Robert "Bob" Allen (1964) — Houston´s Channel 13 (KTRK) Sports Director; also attended Lamar High School
Bennie Brazell (2001) represented the USA at the 2004 Summer Olympics in the mens´ 400-m hurdles.
David "Dave" Elmendorf (1967) — professional football player (defensive back) in the 1970´s; played for Los Angeles Rams
Bayano Kamani (1997) — represented the country of Panama at the 2004 Summer Olympics in the mens´ 400-m hurdles
Allan Moser (1968) — research physicist; has worked for Bristol-Myers Squibb, DuPont Pharmaceuticals, DuPont, ARCO, Gulf Research, and Georgia Tech; cofounder and Vice President of Technology of Cira Discovery Sciences (PA); member of Cira´s board of directors
Joan Severance (1977) — famous print and runway model during the 1980s; later an actress who appeared in more than a dozen films and TV shows, such as L.A. Law, The Love Boat: the Next Wave, and CSI: Miami
Michael Strahan (1990*) — professional football player (defensive end) for the New York Giants
Ayana Walker (1998) — professional basketball player (center) for the WNBA´s Detroit Shock
Westside High School-opened 2000
Shannon Walker (1983) — astronaut with the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA); first astronaut born in the Space City (Houston); served as flight controller for the Space Shuttle Program
Harold V. Dutton (1961) — State Representative (District 142)
Albert "Al" Edwards (1955) — State Representative (District 146)
Arthur M. Gaines, Jr. (1942) — former HISD Board Member; served on the Board of Regents of Texas Southern University (1983?89); served HISD students as teacher, principal, district superintendent, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent before retiring in 1990
Lester Hayes (1973) — professional football player (defensive back); played for the Oakland Raiders during the 1970´s and 80´s
Dwight Elmo Jones (1970) — drafted by Atlanta Hawks; professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets from 1977?1980; also attended E. O. Smith Education Center
Barbara Jordan (1952) — first African-American U.S. Congresswoman from the South; also attended Roberson Elementary.
El Franco Lee (1968) — architect and Harris County Commissioner
Mickey Leland (1963) — former Texas legislator who was serving as a U.S. Congressman at the time of his death in 1989
Lonnie Bernard Rochon (1945) — became the first black disc jockey in Houston, working as "The Rambler" at KNUZ and later KCOH. After stints in New York and St. Louis, ended his radio career as an on-air personality and community affairs director at KDAY in Los Angeles.
Joseph Leslie "Joe" Sample (1957) — jazz musician for more than 40 years; successful both as a solo artist (with albums like The Pecan Tree) and as a piano player for The Crusaders for more than 30 years
(Martha) Algenita Scott-Davis (1967) — attorney; former president of National Bar Association(only the third woman ever to serve in that capacity)
Ruth Simmons (1963), first African-American president of an Ivy League institution; President of Brown University since November 2000
Gregory Anderson (1983) — professional basketball player (forward) sometimes known as "Cadillac"; has played for San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Atlanta Hawks
Clifford Branch (1967) — former professional football player; played wide receiver for Oakland (and later, the Los Angeles) Raiders for more than a decade; three-time Super Bowl winner; also attended Fairchild Elementary and Attucks Middle Schools
Milton Carroll (1968) — founder of oil equipment manufacturing company Instrument Products, Inc.; chairman of CenterPoint Energy´s Board of Directors
Ralph Cooper (1966) — KCOH Radio (1430 AM) Sports Rap host, veteran sports broadcaster and sports writer; also attended Grimes ES and Attucks MS
Terri Ellis (1982) — founding member of the girl group EnVogue; recorded a string of hits in the early 1990s, including My Lovin' (Never Gonna Get It), Free Your Mind, and the theme song on the movie soundtrack to Set It Off starring Queen Latifah
Christopher Hudson (1990) — former professional football player who played for the Atlanta Falcons; drafted 1995; spent seven years in the NFL
Brian Iwuh (2002) — retired professional linebacker who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, and Denver Broncos
Michael "Mike" Singletary (1977) — Hall-of-Fame professional football player (linebacker) for the Chicago Bears
Lemuel Stinson (1984) — professional football player (defensive back) in the late 1980s and early 1990s; played for the Chicago Bears
Wesley Weston (1999) — rap singer known as L´il Flip; has tracks featured on the Sony PlayStation 2 game NBA Live 2004, and the Electronic Arts-Sports game "NFL Street"
Debbie Allen (1967) — actress/dancer /director/producer, often remembered for her role as "Lydia Grant" in the 1980s TV drama series Fame
Phylicia Allen Rashad (1966) — actress/producer, perhaps best known for her role opposite famed comedian Bill Cosby as Claire Huxtable on the 1980´s sitcom The Cosby Show
Johnny Bailey (1986) — professional football player in the 1990s; played for the Chicago Bears, the Arizona Cardinals, and the St. Louis Rams
Garnet F. Coleman (1979) — State Representative for District 147, which includes the Third Ward, Fourth Ward, South Park, downtown, midtown, Sagemont, and Hobby Airport areas
Santana Dotson (1987) — professional football player for Green Bay Packers
Kim Gagné (1982) — two-time Emmy Award winner and supervising producer of “The Steve Harvey Show”; also started the show “City Under Siege” for FOX-TV, “The Defenders” and “Great Day Houston with Whitney Casey” for KHOU-TV Channel 11
Conrad O. Johnson (1933) — known as "Prof;" world-renowned jazz saxophonist and leader of the Conrad Johnson Orchestra; patented his own model of a saxophone ligature (the CJ Ligature); established the Conrad Johnson Music & Fine Arts Foundation and the Conrad Johnson School of Music, a Magnet program for aspiring jazz musicians (housed at Kashmere High School)
Monica V. Lamb (1983) — former professional basketball player for the Houston Comets; drafted in 1998 and helped lead the team to its second and third consecutive championships in 1998 and 1999
Dexter Manley (1977) — professional football player (defensive end) in the 1980s and 90s; played for the Washington Redskins, the Phoenix Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Roland Martin (1987) — nationally syndicated columnist, commentator for the TV One Cable Network, and host and managing editor of “Washington Watch with Roland Martin,” a one-hour Sunday morning news show; also a CNN analyst who was named by Ebony magazine in 2008, 2009, and 2010 as one of the 150 Most Influential African-Americans in the United States
David McGee (1981) — professional artist whose work has been included in either group or curated exhibits in such esteemed institutions as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Harvard University, and the Menil Collection; has received numerous grants and awards for his work, and had solo exhibitions in Texas, New York, Rhode Island, and North Carolina
John Roper (1984) — professional football player in the 1980s and 90s; played for the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Philadelphia Eagles