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

• Peter Lumaj – attorney, author, U.S. Senate candidate, talk show host, media personality
• Sal Albanese – politician
• Richard Caliguiri – American politician
• Joe DioGuardi – American congressman^[1]
• Mark Gjonaj – American assemblyman, New York
• Rexhep Krasniqi – Albanian-American historian, teacher, nationalist, and anti-communist politician and activist
• Konstantina Lukes – American former mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts
• Victor Schiro – Mayor of New Orleans during the early 1960s of Arbereshe ancestry
• Nicholas Scutari – American Democratic Party politician
• Ardian Zika – American Republican politician from Florida

Science and academia

• Carol Folt – American biologist and first woman leader of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and 12th president of the University of Southern California
• William G. Gregory – American astronaut
• Wilson Kokalari – Albanian-American aerospace engineer
• Laura Mersini-Houghton – Albanian-American cosmologist
• Ferid Murad – American medical researcher Nobel laureate^[2]
• Arshi Pipa – philosopher, writer, poet and literary critic^[3]
• Andrea Shundi – agronomist
• Stavro Skëndi – linguist and historian^[4]
• Etel Adnan – Lebanese-American poet, essayist, and visual artist^[5]
• Mira Murati – Albanian born American engineer, CTO of OpenAI

Cinema

• Jim Belushi – American actor
• John Belushi – American actor and film producer
• Robert Belushi – American actor
• James Biberi – Albanian-American actor
• Danny DeVito – American actor
• Eliza Dushku – American actress
• Nate Dushku – American actor
• Mike Dusi – American actor and film producer
• Enver Gjokaj – American actor
• Victor Gojcaj – American actor
• Agim Kaba – American actor and film producer
• Masiela Lusha – Albanian-American actress
• Pjetër Malota – actor
• Andamion Murataj – Albanian film director, producer, and screenwriter
• Mitchel Musso – American actor, voice actor, singer-songwriter and musician
• Tracee Chimo Pallero – American actress
• J. J. Philbin – American producer and screenwriter
• Nickola Shreli – American actor and producer
• Nik Xhelilaj – actor

Arts and entertainment

• Michael Bellusci – American musician and drummer
• Olivier Berggruen – art historian and curator; his maternal grandfather is Alessandro Moissi who is of Albanian origin
• Cindy Marina – beauty pageant titleholder, model, TV host and volleyball player who was born in Chicago to Albanian parents. Marina was crowned Miss Universe Albania 2019 and placed Top 20 at Miss Universe 2019
• D J Ashba — American guitarist former member of Guns-N-Roses
• Big Body Bes – American hip-hop artist
• Genti Bejko – director, actor, producer
• Anita Bitri – singer
• Njomza – American singer
• Bleona – Albanian and American singer
• Amber Brkich – American reality show contestant, 3 time player on Survivor (Seasons 2, 8, 40.) Winner of Survivor: All Stars.
• Action Bronson – American hip-hop artist
• Luke Burbank^[6][7] – radio and podcast host
• Drita D'Avanzo – American television personality
• Kara DioGuardi – American singer-songwriter and television personality
• Tony Dovolani – Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer
• Stan Dragoti – American film director, producer, artist
• Kristine Elezaj – Albanian-American singer
• Bosch Fawstin – American cartoonist
• Gashi – American rapper
• Jen Selter – American fitness model
• Genta Ismajli – American-Albanian singer-songwriter, and actress
• JMSN – American singer-songwriter and producer
• Joe Lala – American actor and singer
• Paul Leka – American music songwriter and producer
• Ava Max – American singer
• Gjon Mili – pioneer master photographer
• Burim Myftiu – Albanian-American contemporary photographer, curator and visual artist
• Jimmy Kimmel – American comedian and talk show host
• Thomas Nassi – musician and composer
• Vasiliev Nini – Albanian-born American sculptor
• Tracee Chimo Pallero – Albanian American television, film and Broadway actress
• George Pali – painter
• Steven Parrino – American artist and musician associated with energetic punk nihilism
• Talip Peshkepia – American film composer and songwriter
• Regis Philbin – American television personality
• Bebe Rexha – American singer-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
• Melinda Ademi – Kosovo-Albanian and American rapper and singer^[8]
• Enisa Nikaj – American singer-songwriter, model^[9][10]
• Anxhelina Hadërgjonaj – Albanian-American singer, fashion blogger and influencer^[11][12][13]

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
• Rexh Xhakli – businessman, political activist and philanthropist

+ Henry Djonbalaj businessman, political activist

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^[14]
• Eric Margolis – journalist and editor of the Toronto Sun; mother is Albanian^[15]
• Gjekë Marinaj – author and translator
• Gjon Mili – photographer
• Burim Myftiu – photographer
• Tom Perrotta – novelist and screenwriter^[16]
• Molly Qerim – moderator, reporter
• George Tames – photographer for The New York Times^[17]
• Nick Tosches – journalist, novelist, biographer, and poet
• Nexhmie Zaimi – journalist
• Iliriana Sulkuqi – journalist
• Andrew Kaczynski – journalist, and a political reporter for CNN^[18][19]

Models

• Emina Cunmulaj – model
• Floriana Garo – television presenter and 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

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^[20]
• Vera Razburgaj – Albanian football midfielder^[21]
• 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
• Zef Mustafa – mobster
• Nicolo Schiro – 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 December 1, 2011. 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. 34 (3): 381. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011.
5. Colby, Georgina (2019). Reading Experimental Writing. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press. p. 15. ISBN 9781474440400.
6. TBTL with Luke Burbank: 1-18-11 12:00 pm-1:00 pm Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, 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". Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
8. "15 European Pop Acts You Might Not Know". The New York Times (NY Times). May 22, 2019. Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
9. Bonilla, Brian (February 28, 2017). "Star on the Rise: Enisa Nikaj from Brooklyn College | The University Network". The University Network. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
10. "American singer adopts Nigerian name, after 'overwhelming' love from Nigerians". Premium Times Nigeria. December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
11. "Anxhelina Hadërgjonaj–Biografia" (in Albanian). TeksteShqip. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
12. "Baballarët atraktivë të yjeve shqiptare". Telegrafi (in Albanian). October 7, 2016. Archived from the original on December 11, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
13. "Partnerët e këngëtareve shqiptare që u përballën me drejtësinë". Telegrafi (in Albanian). May 5, 2016. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
14. "Albanian Americans". Everyculture.com. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
15. "Robert Elsie: Albanian Literature in Translation". Albanianliterature.com. December 15, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
16. John Crace (February 21, 2009). "Tom Perrotta interview". Guardian. London. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
17. Binder, David (February 24, 1994). "George Tames, Photographer, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
18. "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
19. "Andrew Kaczynski To Arbëreshë in the Coming Times". June 12, 2020.
20. "Women World Cup Qualifiers Europe 2017/2018 » Teams (Albania)". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
21. "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