List of Albanian Americans

This is a list of notable Albanian Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.

Note: An asterisk (*) next to a name indicates that the person is Arbëreshe, an Albanian subgroup from Italy.

Science and academia

• Laura Mersini-Houghton – cosmologist
• Ferid Murad – medical researcher Nobel laureate^[1]
• Arshi Pipa – philosopher, writer, poet and literary critic^[2]
• Andrea Shundi – agronomist
• Stavro Skëndi – linguist and historian^[3]

Cinema

• Jim Belushi – actor
• John Belushi – actor and film producer
• James Biberi – actor
• Eliza Dushku – actress (Albanian father)
• Klement Tinaj – actor
• Mike Dusi – actor and film producer
• Enver Gjokaj – actor
• Victor Gojcaj – actor
• Agim Kaba – actor and film producer
• Masiela Lusha – actress
• Peter Malota – actor
• Nickola Shreli – actor and producer
• Evis Xheneti – actress
• Robert Belushi – actor
• Tracee Chimo – actress (Albanian father)
• Nate Dushku – actor (Albanian father)

Arts and entertainment

• Thomas Nassi – musician and composer
• Paul Leka – music songwriter and producer
• Stan Dragoti – film director, producer, artist
• Gjon Mili – pioneer photographer
• Burim Myftiu – contemporary photographer
• Kara DioGuardi – singer-songwriter and television personality
• Tony Dovolani – professional ballroom dancer
• Kristine Elezaj – singer
• JMSN – singer-songwriter and producer
• Joe Lala – actor and singer
• Alana Lee – singer and beauty queen
• Regis Philbin* – television personality
• George Pali – painter
• Bebe Rexha – singer and songwriter
• Sislej Xhafa – contemporary artist
• Angela Martini – model, beauty queen (Miss Universe Albania in 2010)
• G4SHI – hip-hop artist
• Big Body Bes – hip-hop artist
• Action Bronson – hip-hop artist
• Luke Burbank^[4] – radio and podcast host
• Emina Cunmulaj – model
• Drita D'Avanzo – television personality
• Afërdita Dreshaj – model, singer, beauty queen

Business and civil society

• Anthony Athanas – restaurateur
• Ekrem Bardha – businessman
• Florin Krasniqi – businessman, politician
• Martin Shkreli – businessman
• Ramiz Tafilaj – businessman, political activist
• Nicolas Berggruen – businessman
• Mark Gjonaj – businessman, politician
• James J. Schiro* – businessman

Criminals

• John Alite – mobster
• Joseph Ardizzone* – mobster
• Ismail Lika – mobster
• Alex Rudaj – mobster

Media

• Fadil Berisha – photographer
• Florina Kaja – singer and reality TV actress, The Bad Girls Club Season 4
• Bill Kovach – journalist and editor
• Donald Lambro – journalist^[5]
• Eric Margolis – journalist and editor of the Toronto Sun; mother is Albanian^[6]
• Gjekë Marinaj – author and translator
• Gjon Mili – photographer
• Burim Myftiu – photographer
• Tom Perrotta* – novelist and screenwriter^[7]
• George Tames – photographer for the New York Times^[8]
• Nick Tosches* – journalist, novelist, biographer, and poet
• Nexhmie Zaimi – journalist
• Emin Kadi – photographer, journalist, art director
• Molly Qerim – moderator, reporter

Politics

• Joseph J. DioGuardi* – Congressman^[9]
• Mark Gjonaj – Assemblyman, New York
• Konstantina Lukes – former mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts
• Fan S. Noli – former Prime Minister of Albania and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church
• John Papajani – former Washington State Senate member^[10][11][12]
• Bardhyl Tirana – co-chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee (1976–1977) and director of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (1977–1979)^[13][14]
• Sal Albanese* – politician
• Victor H. Schiro* – politician, 55th Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana

Science and technology

• Donald Leka – pioneer in cloud computing and creator of the award-winning Glide OS^[15][16]

Sport

• Max Domi – hockey player
• Tie Domi – hockey player
• Dilly Duka – MLS soccer player
• Lee Elia – baseball player, coach and manager
• Elvir Muriqi – professional boxer
• Aaron Palushaj – professional hockey player
• Kristjan Sokoli – NFL player
• Donald Suxho – volleyball
• Andy Varipapa* – professional trick bowler
• Graham Zusi – soccer player
• Edon Molla – basketball player
• Elizabeta Karabolli – shooting sport
• Andy Parrino* – baseball player

Religion

• Nikon (Liolin) – OCA's Bishop of Diocese of New England, Locum tenens of Diocese of the South, and Archbishop of American Albanian Archdiocese

References

1. "Ferid Murad: Albanian-American Nobel Prize Winner" Frosina.org
2. Elsie, Robert. "Arshi Pipa". Robert Elsie. Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2012. Writer and scholar, Arshi Pipa (1920–1997) ..studied philosophy...published... poetry
3. "The Teaching of Albanian at Columbia University by Peter Prifti, Rafaela Kondi". Questia.com. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
4. TBTL with Luke Burbank: 1-18-11 12:00 pm-1:00 pm, podcast at KIRO-FM website (Burbank discusses his place on Wikipedia's List of Albanian Americans).
5. "Albanian Americans". Everyculture.com. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
6. "Robert Elsie: Albanian Literature in Translation". Albanianliterature.com. December 15, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
7. John Crace (February 21, 2009). "Tom Perrotta interview". London: Guardian. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
8. "Presidential images: photographs by George Tames, 1944–74". USA Today. 1996.
9. Susan Araki Vergnani (2002). "Albanian Merchants Add Verve to Bronx's "Little Italy"". Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Archived from the original on May 15, 2006.
10. Main Page (in Albanian), Qyteza.org, retrieved 13.10.13 Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
11. "Our Campaigns – Candidate – John Papajani". ourcampaigns.com.
12. "MI6". google.com.
13. "Albanian Americans – History, The first Albanians in america, Significant immigration waves". everyculture.com.
14. Edwin Jacques (January 16, 2009), The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present 2, McFarland, p. xi, ISBN 978-0786442386, retrieved November 9, 2013
15. "Demo: TransMedia’s Glide". AllThingsD.
16. "Albanian-American Donald Leka Selected Among 300 of the World's Most Respected Innovators" Frosina.org

External links

• National Albanian American Council
• Alb-Net.Com – The Albanian Connection
• Albanian Americans – history, the first Albanians in America, significant immigration waves, settlement patterns and notable Albanian Americans