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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

^ 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.
^ "Ferid Murad: Albanian-American Nobel Prize Winner". frosina.org. August 6, 2004. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011.
^ 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
^ 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.
^ Colby, Georgina (2019). Reading Experimental Writing. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press. p. 15. ISBN 9781474440400.
^ 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).
^ Walsh, Andrew. "Episode #2248: A Very Specific Set Of Insecurities". Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
^ "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.
^ Bonilla, Brian (February 28, 2017). "Star on the Rise: Enisa Nikaj from Brooklyn College | The University Network". The University Network. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
^ "American singer adopts Nigerian name, after 'overwhelming' love from Nigerians". Premium Times Nigeria. December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
^ "Anxhelina Hadërgjonaj–Biografia" (in Albanian). TeksteShqip. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
^ "Baballarët atraktivë të yjeve shqiptare". Telegrafi (in Albanian). October 7, 2016. Archived from the original on December 11, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
^ "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.
^ "Albanian Americans". Everyculture.com. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
^ "Robert Elsie: Albanian Literature in Translation". Albanianliterature.com. December 15, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
^ John Crace (February 21, 2009). "Tom Perrotta interview". Guardian. London. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
^ Binder, David (February 24, 1994). "George Tames, Photographer, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
^ "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
^ "Andrew Kaczynski To Arbëreshë in the Coming Times". June 12, 2020.
^ "Women World Cup Qualifiers Europe 2017/2018 » Teams (Albania)". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
^ "Vera Razburgaj - Women's Soccer". Oakland University Athletics. Retrieved May 15, 2020.