List of Albanian Americans

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

Politics

• Sal Albanese – politician
• Richard Caliguiri – politician
• Joe DioGuardi – Congressman[1]
• Gjevalin Gegaj – member of the board of trustees of the National Albanian American Council (NAAC)
• Mark Gjonaj – assemblyman, New York
• Rexhep Krasniqi – historian, teacher, nationalist, and anti-communist politician and activist
• Konstantina Lukes – former mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts
• Nicholas Scutari – Democratic Party politician

Science and academia

• Carol Folt – biologist and first woman leader of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• William G. Gregory – astronaut
• Laura Mersini-Houghton – cosmologist
• Ferid Murad – medical researcher Nobel laureate[2]
• Arshi Pipa – philosopher, writer, poet and literary critic[3]
• Andrea Shundi – agronomist
• Stavro Skëndi – linguist and historian[4]

Cinema

• Jim Belushi – actor
• John Belushi – actor and film producer
• Robert Belushi – actor
• James Biberi – actor
• Mike Bongiorno – Italian-American television host
• Tracee Chimo – actress
• Eliza Dushku – actress
• Nate Dushku – actor
• Mike Dusi – actor and film producer
• Enver Gjokaj – actor
• Victor Gojcaj – actor
• Agim Kaba – actor and film producer
• Masiela Lusha – actress
• Pjetër Malota – actor
• Andamion Murataj – Albanian film director, producer, and screenwriter
• J. J. Philbin – American producer and screenwriter
• Nickola Shreli – actor and producer
• Klement Tinaj – actor
• Nik Xhelilaj – actor
• Josh Mostel – actor[5]

Arts and entertainment

• Michael Bellusci – musician and drummer
• Olivier Berggruen – art historian and curator; his maternal grandfather is Alessandro Moissi who is of Albanian origin
• Big Body Bes – hip-hop artist
• Anita Bitri – singer
• Njomza – singer
• Bleona – singer
• Action Bronson – hip-hop artist
• Luke Burbank[6][7] – radio and podcast host
• Drita D'Avanzo – television personality
• Kara DioGuardi – singer/songwriter and television personality
• Tony Dovolani – professional ballroom dancer
• Stan Dragoti – film director, producer, artist
• Kristine Elezaj – singer
• Bosch Fawstin – cartoonist
• Gashi – hip-hop artist
• Jen Selter – Fitness model
• Genta Ismajli – American-Albanian singer, songwriter, and actress
• JMSN – singer/songwriter and producer
• Joe Lala – actor and singer
• Paul Leka – music songwriter and producer
• Lindita – Singer and songwriter
• Ava Max – singer
• Gjon Mili – pioneer photographer
• Burim Myftiu – contemporary photographer
• Thomas Nassi – musician and composer
• Vasiliev Nini – Albanian-born American sculptor
• George Pali – painter
• Steven Parrino – American artist and musician associated with energetic punk nihilism
• Talip Peshkepia – film composer and songwriter
• Regis Philbin – television personality
• Bebe Rexha – singer and songwriter
• Sxip Shirey – American electric-acoustic composer, performer, and storyteller
• Bobbi Starr – pornographic actress
• Aureta Thomollari – Albanian American luxury consultant
• Sislej Xhafa – contemporary artist
• Unikkatil – Albanian American rapper
• Fatrin Krajka – composer and pianist [8]

Literature

• Pema Browne – American abstract artist
• Costa Chekrezi – Albanian patriot, historian, and publicist
• Daniela Gioseffi – poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and performer
• Betim Muço – writer, poet, translator, and seismologist
• Emin Toro – American lawyer
• Ardian Vehbiu – author and translator

Business and civil society

• Anthony Athanas – restaurateur
• Ekrem Bardha – businessman, political activist
• Nicolas Berggruen – businessman
• Mark Gjonaj – businessman, politician
• Florin Krasniqi – businessman, politician
• James J. Schiro – businessman
• Martin Shkreli – businessman
• Ramiz Tafilaj – businessman, political activist
• Olsi Rama – project manager
• Louis V. Mato – American politician and businessman
• Gjevalin Gegaj – American businessman

Media

• Fadil Berisha – photographer
• Emin Kadi – photographer, journalist, art director
• Florina Kaja – singer and reality TV actress, The Bad Girls Club Season 4
• Bill Kovach – journalist and editor
• Donald Lambro – journalist[9]
• Eric Margolis – journalist and editor of the Toronto Sun; mother is Albanian[10]
• Gjekë Marinaj – author and translator
• Gjon Mili – photographer
• Burim Myftiu – photographer
• Tom Perrotta – novelist and screenwriter[11]
• Molly Qerim – moderator, reporter
• George Tames – photographer for The New York Times[12]
• Nick Tosches – journalist, novelist, biographer, and poet
• Nexhmie Zaimi – journalist
• Iliriana Sulkuqi – journalist
• Andrew Kaczynski – journalist, and a political reporter for CNN[13][14]

Models

• Emina Cunmulaj – model
• Floriana Garo – television presenter and model
• Jasmina Cunmulaj – American model
• Afërdita Dreshaj – model, singer, beauty queen
• Angela Martini – model
• Cindy Marina – model, volleyball player, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Albania 2019

Science and technology

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

Sport

• Dilly Duka – MLS soccer player
• Lee Elia – baseball player, coach and manager
• Elizabeta Karabolli – shooting sport
• Elvir Muriqi – professional boxer
• Aaron Palushaj – professional hockey player
• Andy Parrino – baseball player
• Enkelejda Shehu – air pistol shooter
• Jaren Sina – basketball player
• Kristjan Sokoli – NFL player
• Donald Suxho – volleyball
• Andy Varipapa – professional trick bowler
• Joe Albanese – baseball player
• Robert Baggio Kcira – American soccer player
• Šaćir Hot – American soccer player
• Frank Leskaj – American swimmer
• Halil Kanacević – American-born Montenegrin professional basketball player
• Max Rugova – Kosovo Albanian professional footballer
• Sadri Gjonbalaj – retired American soccer player
• Tie Domi – professional ice hockey player
• Dominick Bellizzi – American jockey
• Kristina Maksuti – American-born Albanian professional footballer[17]
• Vera Razburgaj – Albanian football midfielder[18]
• Max Rugova – soccer player

Religion

• Archbishop Nikon of Boston – OCA's Bishop of Diocese of New England, Locum tenens of Diocese of the South, and Archbishop of American Albanian Archdiocese
• Baba Rexheb

Criminals

• John Alite – mobster
• Joseph Ardizzone – mobster
• Ismail Lika – mobster
• Martin Shkreli - convicted of securities fraud
• Sami Osmakac - convicted terrorist

References

1. 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.
2. "Ferid Murad: Albanian-American Nobel Prize Winner". frosina.org. August 6, 2004. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011.
3. 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
4. Kondi, Rafaela; Prifti, Peter (September 22, 2000). "The Teaching of Albanian at Columbia University by Peter Prifti, Rafaela Kondi". East European Quarterly. Questia.com. 34 (3): 381. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
5. "american people of Arbereshe descent". wiki. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
6. 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).
7. Walsh, Andrew. "Episode #2248: A Very Specific Set Of Insecurities".
8. FATRIN KRAJKA PRIX DE LA MEILLEURE MUSIQUE POUR ANATOMY OF THE TIDE, klarabudapost.com
9. "Albanian Americans". Everyculture.com. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
10. "Robert Elsie: Albanian Literature in Translation". Albanianliterature.com. December 15, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
11. John Crace (February 21, 2009). "Tom Perrotta interview". Guardian. London. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
12. Binder, David (February 24, 1994). "George Tames, Photographer, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
13. "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
14. https://www.albanianinstitute.org/program/andrew-kaczynski-to-arbereshe-in-the-coming-times/
15. "Demo: TransMedia's Glide". AllThingsD.
16. "Albanian-American Donald Leka Selected Among 300 of the World's Most Respected Innovators" Frosina.org
17. "Women World Cup Qualifiers Europe 2017/2018 » Teams (Albania)". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
18. "Vera Razburgaj - Women's Soccer". Oakland University Athletics. Retrieved May 15, 2020.

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