List of Lebanese people (USA)
Encyclopedia
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 in the United States.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
ancestry and/or people of Lebanese and American dual nationality who live in the United States.
Entertainment personalities
- Jenna DewanJenna DewanJenna Lee Dewan-Tatum , better known by her birth name Jenna Dewan, is an American actress, dancer, and former model.-Early life:...
– actress - Shannon ElizabethShannon ElizabethShannon Elizabeth is an American actress and former fashion model. Elizabeth is well known for her roles in comedy films such as Scary Movie, American Pie, and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. She is also well known for her work in horror films such as Thirteen Ghosts, Cursed, and Night of the Demons...
– actress - Lili EstefanLili EstefanLili Estefan is a famous well known Cuban American model and show host, currently the host of El Gordo y la Flaca on Univision.-Biography:...
– Cuban-American television personality, niece of Emilio EstefanEmilio EstefanEmilio Estefan, Jr. is a Cuban-American of Lebanese ancestry who is a musician and producer. Estefan's first taste of celebrity came as a member of the Miami Sound Machine, but he is also recognized as the producer of many famous singers. He is the husband of singer Gloria Estefan... - Jamie FarrJamie FarrJamie Farr is an American television, film, and theater actor. He is best known for having played the role of cross-dressing Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger in the television sitcom M*A*S*H.-Early life:...
– actor (sitcom M*A*S*H) - Khrystyne HajeKhrystyne HajeKhrystyne Kamil Haje is an American television and film actress who is best known for her role as Simone Foster in the television series Head of the Class.-Biography:...
– actress, (sitcom Head of the ClassHead of the ClassHead of the Class is an American sitcom that ran from 1986 to 1991 on the ABC television network. The series follows a group of gifted students in the Individualized Honors Program at the fictional Monroe High School in Manhattan, and their history teacher Charlie Moore...
) - Hank the Angry Drunken DwarfHank the Angry Drunken DwarfHenry Joseph Nasiff Jr. , better known as Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf, was an American entertainer. He appeared numerous times on The Howard Stern Show as a member of the show's Wack Pack. He began August 16, 1996 when he entered the studio of radio station WXRK in New York City...
– radio and television personality - Salma HayekSalma HayekSalma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez de Pinault is a Mexican film actress, director and producer. She received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role as Frida Kahlo in the film Frida.-Early life:...
– Mexican-American actress - Dan JbaraDan JbaraDan Jbara is a television and film producer whose career has primarily focused onthe reality television field in the U.S.. He also executive-produced the 2008short film thriller Trunk, starring Kyle Gallner and Zachery Bryan.-Early life and career:...
– television and film producer - Gregory JbaraGregory Jbara-Early life:Jbara was born in Nankin Township , Michigan, the son of an advertising office manager and an insurance claims adjuster. He is of Lebanese and Irish descent. After graduating from Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne, Michigan, Jbara attended the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1981...
– television and film actor - Casey KasemCasey KasemKemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
– radio personality American Top 40American Top 40American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
franchise and voiceover actorVoice actingVoice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
(cartoon series "Scooby Doo", "TransformersThe Transformers (TV series)The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
") - Kerri KasemKerri KasemKerri Kasem July 12, 1978 in Los Angeles, California) is a radio and television host, actress and covermodel.She is the daughter of the radio host Casey Kasem and his first wife, Linda Myers Kasem, a Republican Party fund raiser.BIOGRAPHY...
– radio and television host (daughter of Casey Kasem) - Mario KassarMario KassarMario F. Kassar is a film producer and industry executive whose projects are frequently in association with Andrew G. Vajna.Kassar was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Working for Columbia Pictures and TriStar Pictures, he was executive producer of several movies starting with Victory in 1981...
– filmmaker, founder of Carolco PicturesCarolco PicturesCarolco Pictures, Inc., Carolco International N.V., or Anabasis Investments was an American independent film production company that, within a decade, went from producing such blockbuster successes as Terminator 2: Judgment Day and the first three movies of the Rambo series to being bankrupted by... - Catherine KeenerCatherine KeenerCatherine Ann Keener is an American actress. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Being John Malkovich and Capote...
– actress - Alek KeshishianAlek KeshishianAlek Keshishian is a Lebanese-born Armenian film director. He is best known for his 1991 film Madonna: Truth or Dare, which for a time was the highest-grossing documentary of all time....
- film director (born in Lebanon; emigrated to U.S.) - Callie KhouriCallie KhouriCallie Khouri is an American screenwriter and film director. In 1992 she won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for the film, Thelma & Louise.-Biography:...
– Oscar-winning screenwriter - Frank LackteenFrank LackteenFrank Lackteen was a Lebanese-born American film actor best known for his antagonistic roles. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1916 and 1965, including several Three Stooges shorts. He was born in Kubber-Ilias, Lebanon and died in Los Angeles, California...
– actor - John LeguizamoJohn LeguizamoJonathan Alberto "John" Leguizamo is an Colombian-American actor, producer, voice artist, and comedian.-Early life:...
– actor (maternal grandfather was Lebanese) - Peter MacdissiPeter MacdissiPeter Macdissi is an actor who was born in Beirut, Lebanon. His filmography consists mostly of television work, most notably playing long-time recurring character Olivier Castro-Staal on Alan Ball's hit HBO series Six Feet Under. In 2007 and in 2008, he was seen in Towelhead, a feature film which...
– film and television actor - Wentworth MillerWentworth MillerWentworth Earl Miller III is an English-born American actor; model and screenwriter who rose to stardom following his role as Michael Scofield in the Fox Network television series Prison Break.-Early life:...
– actor - George NaderGeorge NaderGeorge Nader was an American film and television actor of Lebanese descent. He appeared in a variety of films from 1950 through 1974, including Phone Call from a Stranger , Congo Crossing , and The Female Animal...
– actor, uncle of Michael Nader - Michael NaderMichael NaderMichael Nader is an American actor of Lebanese descent, known for his role on the ABC primetime soap opera Dynasty from 1983 to 1989 as Farnsworth "Dex" Dexter, the third husband of Alexis Colby .Nader's first soap opera role was opposite actress Marie Masters playing the character of Kevin...
– actor, All My ChildrenAll My ChildrenAll My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most... - Kathy NajimyKathy NajimyKathy Ann Najimy is an American actress, most notable as Olive Massery on the television series Veronica's Closet, Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act and the voice of Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill. Prior to her film work, she was best known for two Off Broadway shows...
– actress - George NooryGeorge NooryGeorge Ralph Noory is a Lebanese-American radio talk show host.As of 2010, he is the weekday host of the late-night radio talk show Coast to Coast AM. He is heard across the United States and Canada on many AM and FM stations as well as on XM Satellite Radio. His show is one of the most listened...
– radio host, (radio program Coast To Coast AMCoast to Coast AMCoast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
) - Michael NouriMichael NouriMichael Nouri is an American television and film actor. He may be best known for his role as Nick Hurley, in the 1983 film Flashdance. He has had recurring roles in numerous television series, including NCIS as Eli David, the father of Mossad officer Ziva David, The O.C. as Dr...
– actor, film FlashdanceFlashdanceAnother song used in the film, "Maniac", was also nominated for an Academy Award. It was written by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky, and was inspired by the 1980 horror film Maniac. The lyrics about a killer on the loose were rewritten so that it could be used in Flashdance... - Zoe SaldanaZoe SaldanaZoe Saldana , sometimes stylized Zoë Saldaña, is an American actress. She had her breakthrough role in the 2000 film Center Stage and later gained prominence for her roles as Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Uhura in the 2009 film Star Trek, and a starring role...
– Dominican-American actress - Elie Samaha – film producer
- Tom ShadyacTom ShadyacThomas Peter "Tom" Shadyac is an American comedian, director, screenwriter, and producer. Shadyac, who was the youngest joke-writer ever for comedian Bob Hope, is widely known for writing and directing the films Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Nutty Professor, Liar Liar, Bruce Almighty, and the...
– film director - Tony ShalhoubTony ShalhoubAnthony Marcus "Tony" Shalhoub is an American actor of Lebanese descent. His television work includes the roles of Antonio Scarpacci on Wings and sleuth Adrian Monk on the TV series Monk. He has won three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for his work in Monk...
– actor, (sitcom MonkMonk (TV series)Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
). - Haaz SleimanHaaz Sleiman-Career:One of Sleiman's first roles was in the 2004 African-American gay comedy film The Ski Trip. He co-starred as undocumented Syrian immigrant Tarek in the critically acclaimed 2008 independent film The Visitor, a drama nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Oscar, directed by Thomas...
– actor (series Nurse JackieNurse JackieNurse Jackie is an American series that premiered on June 8, 2009, on Showtime, Movie Central and The Movie Network.The series stars Edie Falco as the title character Jackie Peyton, an emergency room nurse at All Saints' Hospital in New York City...
; film The VisitorThe Visitor (2008 film)The Visitor is a 2008 American drama film written and directed by Thomas McCarthy and produced by Michael London and Mary Jane Skalski. Executive producers were Jeff Skoll and Omar Amanat...
) - Danny ThomasDanny ThomasDanny Thomas was an American nightclub comedian and television and film actor, best known for starring in the television sitcom Make Room for Daddy . He was also the founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital...
– actor - Marlo ThomasMarlo ThomasMargaret Julia “Marlo” Thomas is an American actress, producer, and social activist known for her starring role on the TV series That Girl . She also serves as National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital...
– actress - Vince VaughnVince VaughnVincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
– actor (Lebanese grandfather) - Amy YasbeckAmy YasbeckAmy Marie Yasbeck is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her role as Casey Chapel Davenport on the sitcom Wings from 1994-1997.-Early life:...
– actress
Musicians
- Ron AffifRon AffifRon Affif is an American jazz guitarist of mixed Lebanese and Italian origin. He is the son of boxing welterweight and middleweight fighter Charley Zivic who being a jazz fan initiated him in music...
– jazz guitarist and musician - Paul AnkaPaul AnkaPaul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
– singer and composer - Nadia AzziNadia AzziNadia Azzi is a young American classical pianist of Lebanese-Japanese origin. She began playing piano at age four and a half and has won many awards since then. She still currently resides in Florida.-Studies:...
- pianist - Jack Barakat – guitarist of the American band All Time LowAll Time LowAll Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
- Dick DaleDick DaleDick Dale is an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.-Early life:Dale was born in South Boston, Massachusetts and lived in nearby...
– rock guitarist - John DolmayanJohn DolmayanJohn William Dolmayan is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American songwriter and drummer. He is best known as the drummer of System of a Down. Dolmayan is also the drummer for the band Scars on Broadway and Indicator....
– Lebanese-American of Armenian descent, drummer of band System of a DownSystem of a DownSystem of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan... - Mohammed El-BakkarMohammed El-BakkarMohammed El-Bakkar was a Lebanese tenor, oud player, and conductor.El-Bakkar was a noted tenor and appeared in several Arabic-language films. He moved to the United States in 1952 and lived in Brooklyn. He released several LPs of Arabic music in the United States...
– tenor singer, oud player, and conductor - Emilio EstefanEmilio EstefanEmilio Estefan, Jr. is a Cuban-American of Lebanese ancestry who is a musician and producer. Estefan's first taste of celebrity came as a member of the Miami Sound Machine, but he is also recognized as the producer of many famous singers. He is the husband of singer Gloria Estefan...
– Cuban-American musician and producer; husband of Gloria EstefanGloria EstefanGloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those... - Emile GhantousEmile GhantousEmile Ghantous is a Chicago born songwriter/musician from Lebanese origins, songwriter and record producer, who has worked on albums that have accumulated over 5 million in sales worldwide. He is, alongside Erik Nelson, a founding member of the successful songwriting/production duo The Insomniax...
- songwriter, musician, music producer - Sammy HagarSammy HagarSam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
– rock musician - Paul JabaraPaul JabaraPaul Jabara was an American actor, singer, and songwriter of Lebanese ancestry. He wrote Donna Summer's "Last Dance" from Thank God It's Friday and Barbra Streisand's song "The Main Event/Fight" from The Main Event...
– composer - SorayaSoraya (musician)Soraya was an American singer/songwriter, guitarist, arranger and record producer.A successful Colombian music star, she had two number-one songs on Billboard's Latin Pop Airplay charts...
– Colombian-American singer - Serj TankianSerj TankianSerj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer–songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, playwright, record producer, poet, and political activist...
– Lebanese-American of Armenian descent, lead singer of band System of a Down - TiffanyTiffany (singer)Tiffany Renee Darwish , known popularly as Tiffany, is an American singer and former teen icon. She is most notable for her 1987 cover version of "I Think We're Alone Now", originally recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967. Released as the second single from her eponymous album, Tiffany,...
– singer - Tiny TimTiny Tim (musician)Tiny Tim , , born in Manhattan, was an American singer and ukulele player. He was most famous for his rendition of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" sung in a distinctive high falsetto/vibrato voice.-Rise to fame:Born to Lebanese parents in 1932, Khaury displayed musical talent at a very young age...
– folk singer
Business
- Magid AbrahamMagid AbrahamMagid M. Abraham, is an entrepreneur and expert on market research, consumer modeling, and information solutions. He has held several executive leadership positions throughout his career, two of which were within companies he founded....
– market research expert and businessman - Malouf Abraham, Jr.Malouf Abraham, Jr.Malouf Abraham, Jr. , is a retired physician and active art collector from Canadian, a community in the Texas Panhandle and the seat of Hemphill County...
– businessman - Clifford AntoneClifford AntoneClifford Antone was the founder of a well-known Austin blues club, record label, and a mentor to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan and numerous other musicians....
– founder of Antone's blues club in Austin, TexasAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in... - Thomas Barrack – businessman and founder of Colony Capital
- Charles ElachiCharles ElachiCharles Asshur Al-Wadad Elachi is the Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory , located in Pasadena, California. He has held this position since May 1, 2001 and also holds professorships in electrical engineering and planetary science at Caltech....
– director of Jet Propulsion LaboratoryJet Propulsion LaboratoryJet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena... - Tony FadellTony FadellAnthony M. Fadell is a Lebanese American computer science engineer. He was known for being the Senior Vice President of the iPod Division at Apple Inc., having succeeded Jon Rubinstein in 2006. On November 4, 2008, Apple announced that Fadell would be stepping down as Senior Vice President but...
– product development manager at Apple Inc. - Frédéric FekkaiFrédéric FekkaiFrédéric Fekkai is a French celebrity hairstylist.-Early life:Fekkai was born in Aix-en-Provence, France, and grew up in Aix-en-Provence and Paris...
– French-American hairdresser and founder of Frédéric Fekkai salons and hair products - Alec GoresAlec GoresAlec E. Gores is an American businessman who made his fortune through leveraged buyouts of technology firms. His personal wealth was estimated at roughly $1.5 billion by Forbes magazine in 2008.-Early life and education:...
– entrepreneur - Tom GoresTom GoresTom Gores is an American billionaire with an estimated current net worth of $2.4 billion dollars. He appears on the Forbes list of 2011 World's Billionaires. On June 1, 2011 he became the owner of the Detroit Pistons.-Biography:...
– founder and CEO of Platinum EquityPlatinum EquityPlatinum Equity, LLC is a private equity investment firm founded by Tom Gores in 1995. The firm focuses on leveraged buyout investments of established companies in the U.S. and Europe....
. - Joseph J. JacobsJoseph J. JacobsJoseph J. Jacobs was an American chemical engineer who founded Jacobs Engineering Group, a major international engineering-construction company.He earned bachelor's , master's and doctor's degrees in chemical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn .-Early life:Jacobs...
– former chairman and founder of the Jacobs Engineering GroupJacobs Engineering GroupJacobs Engineering Group Inc., a publicly traded company with over 50,000 employees and 2010 revenues of nearly $10 billion, provides technical, professional, and construction services globally. Headquartered in Pasadena, California, it was founded in 1947 by Dr. Joseph J. Jacobs. Jacobs offers... - Joe JamailJoe JamailJoseph Dahr Jamail, Jr. is a Lebanese American attorney and billionaire. The wealthiest practicing attorney in America, he is frequently referred to as the King of Torts. As of 2011, his net worth was estimated by Forbes to be $1.5 billion, making him the 833rd richest person in the world.Jamail...
– attorney and businessman - George JosephGeorge JosephGeorge Joseph, founder of Mercury Insurance Group of Los Angeles, was born in West Virginia in 1921. The son of a West Virginia restaurateur of Lebanese origin, he served as a B-17 navigator in World War II, serving in some 50 missions, and then attended Harvard...
– founder of Mercury Insurance GroupMercury Insurance GroupMercury Insurance Group is an American automobile and property insurance company founded by George Joseph in 1961. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.-History:... - John J. MackJohn J. MackJohn J. Mack is the current Chairman of the Board at Morgan Stanley, the New York-based investment bank and brokerage firm. Mack announced his retirement as Chief Executive Officer on September 10, 2009, which was effective January 1, 2010. Former Co-President James P...
– former CEO of investment bank Morgan StanleyMorgan StanleyMorgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City serving a diversified group of corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley also operates in 36 countries around the world, with over 600 offices and a workforce of over 60,000....
(2005 - 2009) - George J. Maloof, Jr.George J. Maloof, Jr.George J. Maloof, Jr. , also credited as George Maloof Jr. of the Maloof Family, is the son of Colleen and George J. Maloof, Sr...
– businessman and owner of the Sacramento MonarchsSacramento MonarchsThe Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, Sacramento KingsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
and the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas - George J. Maloof, Sr.George J. Maloof, Sr.George Joseph Maloof, Sr. was a businessman and, at the time of his death, owner of the Houston Rockets....
– businessman and former owner of the Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being... - Manuel MorounManuel MorounManuel "Matty" Moroun is an American businessman of Lebanese descent and the owner of CenTra, Inc., the holding company which controls the Ambassador Bridge. The former is significant as it is the only private ownership of a border crossing between the United States and Canada. He bought the...
– businessman and the owner of the Ambassador BridgeAmbassador BridgeThe Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States... - Fares D. NoujaimFares D. NoujaimFares Noujaim is Executive Vice Chairman of Global Corporate & Investment Banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Mr. Noujaim is also a member of the Global Corporate & Investment Banking Leadership team and recently served as Global Head of Sovereign Wealth Funds, after previously serving as...
– business executive - Jacques NasserJacques NasserJacques Nasser is a leading global business executive who currently serves as Chairman of the Board of BHP Billiton. After serving as a Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since 2006, Mr. Nasser was appointed Chairman of both companies effective 31 March 2010...
– former business executive - Paul OrfaleaPaul OrfaleaPaul Orfalea , nicknamed "Kinko" because of his curly red hair, founded the copy-chain Kinko's. His father descends from Urfa.Orfalea was born in Los Angeles, California to parents of Lebanese descent...
– founder of Kinko's - Madeleine A. PickensMadeleine A. PickensMadeleine A. Pickens is an American businesswoman who owns in Rancho Santa Fe, California .She is also a Thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder and an animal welfare activist and philanthropist who has earned a black belt in the martial art of Taekwondo.Born Madeleine Baker of an English father...
– business executive - Richard E. Rainwater – investor and fund manager
- Nassim Nicholas Taleb – best-selling author and business person
- Jean Succar KuriJean Succar KuriJean Thouma Hannah Succar Kuri is a Lebanese-born Mexican businessman convicted of pederasty in Cancún, Quintana Roo...
– businessman - John ZogbyJohn ZogbyJohn Zogby is an American political pollster and first senior fellow at The Catholic University of America's Life Cycle Institute. He is the founder, president and CEO of Zogby International, a polling firm known for both phone polling and interactive, Internet-based polling.-Early years:Zogby...
– founder, president and CEO of Zogby InternationalZogby InternationalIBOPE Zogby International is an international market research, opinion polling firm founded in 1984 by John Zogby. The company polls and consults for a wide spectrum of business media, government, and political groups, and conducts public opinion research in more than 70 countries...
Education
- Joseph Aoun – president of Northeastern University
- Robert KhayatRobert Khayat-External links:*...
– chancellor of the University of Mississippi
Journalism
- Tamsen FadalTamsen FadalTamsen Fadal is a Lebanse American journalist, author and media personality who is currently the morning anchor on the WPIX Morning News in New York City. Previously, she hosted Totally Tamsen segments for WPIX in New York City. Fadal also appears regularly on the syndicated television show Better...
– television journalist - Brigitte GabrielBrigitte GabrielBrigitte Gabriel is the pseudonym, of a Lebanese American journalist, author, and activist. Gabriel says that Islam keeps countries backward, and that it teaches terrorism...
– journalist - Octavia NasrOctavia NasrOctavia Nasr is a journalist who covers Middle East affairs. She served as CNN’s Senior Editor of Mideast affairs until her dismissal in July 2010 over her public statement of respect on Twitter for the Lebanese cleric Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, who she considered "one of Hezbollah's giants...
– former television journalist for CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States... - Walid PharesWalid PharesWalid Phares an American scholar of Lebanese origins, he is a professor and commentator on global terrorism and Middle Eastern affairs.Phares has testified before committees of the U.S. State, Justice, Defense and Homeland Security Departments, the United States Congress, the European Parliament,...
– security and anti-terrorism expert - Anthony ShadidAnthony ShadidAnthony Shadid is a foreign correspondent for The New York Times based in Baghdad and Beirut. He has won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting twice, in 2004 and 2010.-Career:...
– foreign correspondent for The New York Times and earlier The Boston Globe - Helen ThomasHelen ThomasHelen Thomas is an American author and former news service reporter, member of the White House Press Corps and opinion columnist. She worked for the United Press and post-1958 successor United Press International for 57 years, first as a correspondent, and later as White House bureau manager...
– journalist who has covered every U.S. President from 1961 to 2010
Medicine
- Michael DeBakey – surgeon
- George HatemMa Haide (George Hatem)Ma Haide , born Shafick George Hatem in Buffalo, New York, USA, is an ethnic Lebanese Chinese doctor.- Family background :Shafick George Hatem was born into a Lebanese-American family in upstate New York...
– ('"Ma Haide"') one of the founders of the public health system in the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Military
- John AbizaidJohn AbizaidJohn Philip Abizaid, AO is a retired General in the United States Army and former Commander of the United States Central Command , overseeing American military operations in a 27-country region, from the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, to South and Central Asia, covering much of the Middle...
– retired General in the United States Army. - James JabaraJames JabaraJames "Jabby" Jabara was the first American jet ace in history. Born in Oklahoma, he lived in Kansas where he enlisted as an aviation cadet at Fort Riley after graduating high school. Jabara attended four flying schools in Texas before he received his pilot's wings and was commissioned as a ...
– first American jet aceFlying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
. - George JoulwanGeorge JoulwanGeorge Alfred Joulwan is a retired United States Army general, and is now a businessman. Joulwan, of Lebanese origin, studied at the United States Military Academy and Loyola University Chicago....
– retired U.S. Army General - Michael A. MonsoorMichael A. MonsoorMichael Anthony Monsoor was a U.S. Navy SEAL killed during the Iraq War and posthumously received the Medal of Honor. Monsoor enlisted in the United States Navy in 2001 and graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in 2004...
– U.S. Navy SEAL awarded Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
after being killed during the Iraq War
Activists
- Candy LightnerCandy LightnerCandace Lynne "Candy" Lightner is the organizer and founding president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving . On May 3, 1980, Lightner’s 13-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a hit-and-run driver at Sunset and New York Avenues in Fair Oaks, California.The leniency of the sentence given to the...
– activist and founder of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers - James ZogbyJames ZogbyJames J. Zogby is the author of Arab Voices and the founder and president of the Arab American Institute , a Washington, D.C.–based organization which serves as a political and policy research arm of the Arab American community. He is a senior analyst with his brother's polling firm, Zogby...
– founder of Arab-American Institute - John ZogbyJohn ZogbyJohn Zogby is an American political pollster and first senior fellow at The Catholic University of America's Life Cycle Institute. He is the founder, president and CEO of Zogby International, a polling firm known for both phone polling and interactive, Internet-based polling.-Early years:Zogby...
– pollster founder of Zogby InternationalZogby InternationalIBOPE Zogby International is an international market research, opinion polling firm founded in 1984 by John Zogby. The company polls and consults for a wide spectrum of business media, government, and political groups, and conducts public opinion research in more than 70 countries...
Politicians
- James AbdnorJames AbdnorJames Abdnor is a Republican politician from the state of South Dakota.-Personal:He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1945 where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He served in the United States Army during World War II and from 1957 to 1969 was a member of the South Dakota...
– former U.S. politician - James AbourezkJames AbourezkJames George Abourezk is a former Democratic United States Representative and United States Senator, and was the first Arab-American to serve in the United States Senate. He represented South Dakota in the U.S...
– former U.S. senator - Malouf Abraham, Sr.Malouf Abraham, Sr.Malouf Abraham, Sr. was a self-made Texas multi-millionaire in the oil and natural gas business and a political and civic leader from Canadian, the seat of Hemphill County in the northeastern Texas Panhandle. He made his fortune in part by leasing mineral rights throughout the eastern Panhandle...
– politician and businessman - Spencer AbrahamSpencer AbrahamEdmund Spencer Abraham is a former United States Senator from Michigan. He served as the tenth United States Secretary of Energy, serving under President George W. Bush. Abraham is one of the founders of the Federalist Society....
– former U.S. politician - Victor G. AtiyehVictor G. AtiyehVictor George Atiyeh is an American politician, elected the 32nd Governor of Oregon in 1978. A member of the Republican Party, Atiyeh was the first elected governor of Arab descent in the United States, serving eight years from 1979 through 1987...
– former Governor of Oregon - John BaldacciJohn BaldacciJohn Elias Baldacci is an American politician who served as the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of Maine from 2003 until 2011. A Democrat, he also served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003....
– present Governor of the State of MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost... - Charles BoustanyCharles BoustanyCharles William Boustany, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and medical career:...
– U.S. Congressman from LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... - Chris GreeleyChris GreeleyChristian D. "Chris" Greeley is a former representative in the Maine state legislature. He is a Republican. He represented District 22 in the House of Representatives for four consecutive two-year terms, from 2002 to 2010, at which point he was prohibited from running again by term limits.He is a...
– former Maine state representative - Philip HabibPhilip HabibPhilip Charles Habib was a Lebanese-American career diplomat known for work in Vietnam, South Korea and the Middle East...
– former U.S. Ambassador and envoy - Darrell IssaDarrell IssaDarrell Edward Issa is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 48th, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was formerly a CEO of Directed Electronics, the Vista, California-based manufacturer of automobile security and convenience products...
– U.S. Congressman - Chris JohnChris JohnChristopher Charles "Chris" John is American politician who was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2005, representing Louisiana's 7th congressional district.-Early life:...
– former U.S. politician - Abraham Kazen, Jr. – former U.S. politician
- Ray LaHoodRay LaHoodRaymond H. "Ray" LaHood is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms .-Early life and...
– present U.S. Transportation Secretary - Manuel MaloofManuel MaloofManuel Joseph Maloof was the Chief Executive Officer and Commission Chairman of DeKalb County, Georgia, prominent Atlanta politician and owner of Manuel's Tavern, a popular Atlanta bar.- Early life :...
– former U.S. government official and businessman - George J. MitchellGeorge J. MitchellGeorge John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
– U.S. Congressman - Toby MoffettToby MoffettAnthony John "Toby" Moffett, Jr. was an American politician from the state of Connecticut. A Democrat, Moffett served in the United States House of Representatives as the member from Connecticut's 6th congressional district from 1975 to 1983.-Early life and education:Moffett was born in Holyoke,...
– former U.S. politician - Ralph NaderRalph NaderRalph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
– political activist and former U.S. presidential candidate (Green PartyGreen Party (United States)The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
) - Mary Rose OakarMary Rose OakarMary Rose Oakar is an American Democratic politician and former member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio, the first Democratic woman elected to the United States Congress from that state....
– former U.S. politician - Jeanine PirroJeanine PirroJeanine Ferris Pirro is a former prosecutor, judge, and elected official from the state of New York, who is currently a legal analyst and television personality. A Republican from Westchester County, Pirro served as a county court judge before serving as the elected District Attorney of...
– politician, judge and television host - Nick RahallNick RahallNick Joe Rahall II is the U.S. Representative for West Virginia's 3rd congressional district, serving since 1977. Rahall is currently Ranking Member of the House Resources Committee. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of the southern portion of the state, including...
– U.S. Congressman - Edmund ReggieEdmund ReggieEdmund M. Reggie, Sr. , is a Democratic politician and former city judge from Louisiana. Reggie is originally from the rice-growing city of Crowley, the seat of Acadia Parish, but resides in Lafayette. He still claims that he maintains the record of being the youngest person to serve as a judge in...
– judge and politician - Selwa RooseveltSelwa RooseveltSelwa Showker “Lucky” Roosevelt the daughter of Druze Lebanese immigrants, was Chief of Protocol of the United States from 1982-1989—almost seven years and longer than anyone has ever served in that position....
– former U.S. government official - Donna ShalalaDonna ShalalaDonna Edna Shalala served for eight years as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Bill Clinton and has been president of the University of Miami, a private university in Coral Gables, Florida, since 2001. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest...
– former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services - John E. SununuJohn E. SununuJohn Edward Sununu is a former Republican United States Senator from New Hampshire, of Lebanese and Palestinian Christian ancestry. Sununu was the youngest member of the Senate for his entire six year term. He is the son of former New Hampshire Governor John H...
– politician - John H. SununuJohn H. SununuJohn Henry Sununu is a former Governor of New Hampshire and former White House Chief of Staff under President George H. W. Bush. He is the father of John E. Sununu, a former senator from New Hampshire, and formerly a U.S. Representative...
– former White House Chief of Staff; former Governor of New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
Other personalities
- Joseph FarahJoseph Farah-External links:* Official website* *...
– author and journalist - Adele Khoury GrahamAdele Khoury GrahamAdele Khoury Graham is a Lebanese-American educator and the wife of former Florida governor and senator Bob Graham.Adele Graham was the First Lady of the state of Florida from 1979 to 1987. She spent her career as public school teacher in Massachusetts and Miami, Florida. In all, she had four...
– educator and former first ladyFirst LadyFirst Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of the State of FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... - Victoria Reggie KennedyVictoria Reggie KennedyVictoria Reggie "Vicki" Kennedy is an American lawyer and the widow of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy.-Early life and education:...
– attorney and widow of U.S. Senator Edward KennedyEdward KennedyEdward Kennedy may refer to:*Ted Kennedy, Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy , United States Senator from Massachusetts*Edward Kennedy , journalist who first reported the German surrender in World War II*Edward Kennedy, Jr., son of U.S...
Sciences
- Hassan Kamel Al-SabbahHassan Kamel Al-SabbahHasan Kamel Al-Sabbah, sometimes referred to as Camil A. Sabbah, was an electrical and electronics research engineer, mathematician and inventor. He was born in Nabatieh, Lebanon. He studied at the American University of Beirut. He taught mathematics at Imperial College of Damascus, Syria, and at...
– Lebanese-American technology innovator - Elias Corey – 1990 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry
- Michael Debakey – doctor and heart surgeon
- Charles ElachiCharles ElachiCharles Asshur Al-Wadad Elachi is the Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory , located in Pasadena, California. He has held this position since May 1, 2001 and also holds professorships in electrical engineering and planetary science at Caltech....
– Director of NASA Jet Propulsion Labs - Christa McAuliffeChrista McAuliffeChrista McAuliffe was an American teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, and was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster....
– secondary school teacher and first American civilian selected to be an astronaut; perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger disasterSpace Shuttle Challenger disasterThe Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
. Great niece of historian Philip Khuri Hitti
Athletes
- David AzziDavid AzziDavid Azzi was formerly a wide receiver and slotback in the Canadian Football League .-Football:In 1999 Azzi was named 1st Team All-Canadian, 1st Team All-Academic and earned a full scholarship to attend Div. 1A Bowling Green State University in the NCAA. Azzi played quarterback for under Coach...
– professional American football player - Terry Brunk – (aka "Sabu") professional wrestler
- Liz CarmoucheLiz CarmoucheLiz Carmouche is an American mixed martial arts fighter. Carmouche currently competes for Strikeforce in the women's welterweight division....
– mixed martial artist - Doug FlutieDoug FlutieDouglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
– former professional American football player - Matt FreijeMatt FreijeMatthew Wayne Freije is a Lebanese American professional basketball player who currently plays for Hebraica y Macabi in Uruguay. Freije attended Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas before attending Vanderbilt University where he was an All-SEC performer...
– ex-NBA player and member of Lebanon national basketball teamLebanon national basketball teamThe Lebanon national basketball team is the basketball team representing Lebanon in international competitions.-History:The first time basketball was ever played in Lebanon was in the mid-1920s in the American University of Beirut... - Joe GirardiJoe GirardiJoseph Elliott Girardi is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager of the New York Yankees. During a 15-year playing career, he played from 1989–2003 for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals...
– former MLB catcher & current manager of the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division... - John GrabowJohn GrabowJohn William Grabow, nicknamed "Grabes" , is a Major League Baseball left-handed reliever....
– MLB pitcher for the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National... - Ryan KalilRyan KalilRyan Kalil is an American football offensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Drafted by Carolina in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft, Kalil played college football at the University of Southern California...
– professional American football player - Joe LahoudJoe LahoudJoseph Michael Lahoud is an American former professional baseball player. He played all or part of eleven seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily as an outfielder and designated hitter, for the Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Brewers , California Angels , Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals...
– baseball player - Bobby RahalBobby RahalRobert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal is an American auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver, he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500...
– professional car racer - Rony SeikalyRony SeikalyRonald Fred "Rony" Seikaly is a retired Lebanese-born American professional basketball player.-Early life:Seikaly was born in Beirut, Lebanon. At the age of 9, Rony moved from Beirut where he'd been attending elementary school at the Athenee de Beirut to Greece, where he spent the rest of his youth...
– former professional basketball player in the NBA and for both the U.S. and Lebanon's national basketball team - Joe VogelJoe VogelFor American author, see Joseph VogelJoseph Vogel is an American-Lebanese basketball player. Vogel attended Colorado State. Upon graduation, he was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Draft...
– professional basketball player and member of Lebanon's national basketball team - Jackson VromanJackson VromanJackson Vroman is a US-born Lebanese professional basketball player. He was naturalized as a Lebanese citizen to play in the Lebanon national basketball team, substituting the other naturalized American Lebanese player, Joe Vogel...
– former professional basketball player and member of Lebanon's national basketball team
Playing card tournament titleholders
- Kassem "Freddy" DeebFreddy DeebKassem Ibrahim "Freddy" Deeb is a professional poker player who emigrated from Lebanon to the United States at the age of 19.-Before poker:...
– two-time WSOP-bracelet winner - Ihsan "Sammy" FarhaSam FarhaIhsan Farha is a professional poker player. He is best known for finishing as runner up in the World Series of Poker main event in 2003 and has won three bracelets at the WSOP.-Early years:...
– two-time WSOP-bracelet winner
Writers
- William Peter BlattyWilliam Peter BlattyWilliam Peter Blatty is an American writer and filmmaker. The novel The Exorcist, written in 1971, is his magnum opus; he also penned the subsequent screenplay version of the film, for which he won an Academy Award....
– writer/screenwriter - Vance BourjailyVance BourjailyVance Bourjaily was an American writer, novelist, playwright, journalist, and essayist.-Life:Bourjaily was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Monte Ferris Bourjaily, a Lebanese immigrant who was a journalist and later became editor of the United Features Syndicate, and Barbara Webb, an American-born...
– novelist - Khalil GibranKhalil GibranKhalil Gibran Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān,Jibrān Khalīl Jibrān, or Jibrān Xalīl Jibrān; Arabic , January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer...
– artist, author, philosopher, theologian. - Geoff JohnsGeoff JohnsGeoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
– comic book writer - Saree Makdisi Saree MakdisiSaree Makdisi is an American literary critic of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, specializing in eighteenth and nineteenth century British literature. He also writes on contemporary Arab politics and culture. Makdisi currently holds the title of Professor of English and Comparative Literature at...
– author and literary critic - Mikha'il Na'imaMikha'il Na'imaMikha'il Na'ima was a Lebanese author and poet of the New York Pen League.-Biography:...
– author and poet - Amin al-RihaniAmin al-RihaniAmeen Rihani, also spelled Amin al-Rihani , was a Lebanese Arab-American writer, intellectual and political activist. He was also a major figure in the mahjar literary movement developed by Arab emigrants in North America, and an early theorist of Arab nationalism...
– author
See also
- Lebanese American
- Lebanon – United States relations
- List of Lebanese people
- List of Lebanese people (Diaspora)