60 Notable alumni of
Oral Roberts University
Updated:
Oral Roberts University is 883rd in the world, 324th in North America, and 302nd in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 60 notable alumni from Oral Roberts University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Kathie Lee Gifford
- Occupations
- film directorjournalisttelevision presentersingervoice actor
- Biography
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Kathryn Lee Gifford is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress, and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and Regis Philbin hosted the talk show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford is also known for her 11-year run with Hoda Kotb, on the fourth hour of NBC's Today show (2008–2019). She has received 11 Daytime Emmy nominations and won her first Daytime Emmy in 2010 as part of the Today team.
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Joel Osteen
- Occupations
- writerpoliticianChristian minister
- Biography
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Joel Scott Osteen is an American pastor, televangelist, businessman, and author based in Houston, Texas, United States. Known for his weekly televised services and several best-selling books, Osteen is one of the more prominent figures associated with prosperity theology and the Word of Faith movement.
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Ryan Tedder
- Occupations
- singer-songwritercomposerrecord producerguitaristpianist
- Biography
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Ryan Benjamin Tedder is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder, frontman and lead vocalist for the pop rock band OneRepublic, while also serving as a prolific contributor—by songwriting and production—to material for other artists since the mid-2000s.
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Kenneth Copeland
- Occupations
- writertelevangelist
- Biography
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Kenneth Max Copeland is an American televangelist associated with the charismatic movement. He is the founder of Eagle Mountain International Church Inc. (EMIC), which is based in Tarrant County, Texas. Copeland has also written several books and other resources, and is known for his broadcast Believers Voice of Victory.
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John Allen Chau
- Occupations
- missionary
- Biography
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John Allen Chau was an American evangelical Christian missionary who was killed by the Sentinelese, a tribe in voluntary isolation, after illegally traveling to North Sentinel Island in an attempt to introduce the tribe to Christianity.
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Michele Bachmann
- Occupations
- politicianautobiographerlawyer
- Biography
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Michele Marie Bachmann is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 6th congressional district from 2007 until 2015. A member of the Republican Party, she was a candidate for president of the United States in the 2012 election, but dropped out after the Iowa Caucus.
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Carlton Pearson
- Occupations
- religious writerChristian minister
- Biography
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Carlton D'Metrius Pearson was an American Christian minister and gospel music artist. At one time, he was the pastor of the Higher Dimensions Evangelistic Center Incorporated, later named the Higher Dimensions Family Church, which was one of the largest churches in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During the 1990s, it grew to an average attendance of over 6,000.
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Kari Jobe
- Occupations
- composersinger-songwriterrecording artistsinger
- Biography
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Kari Brooke Jobe is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter. Since her first album in 2009, she has received two Grammy Award nominations and ten Dove Award nominations, six of which she won.
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Daniel Amen
- Occupations
- psychiatristmedical writer
- Biography
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Daniel Gregory Amen is an American celebrity doctor who practices as a psychiatrist and brain disorder specialist. He is the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Amen Clinics. He is also the founder of Change Your Brain Foundation, BrainMD, and Amen University. Discover Magazine recognized Amen's research on PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as one of the top 100 science stories of 2015. He is a twelve-time New York Times best-selling author as of 2023.
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Marcos Witt
- Occupations
- businesspersonsinger-songwritercomposer
- Biography
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Jonathan Mark Witt Holder, better known as simply Marcos Witt, is an American Christian singer and pastor. Witt is considered one of the most influential and famous Spanish speaking figures of Christian music.
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Don Moen
- Occupations
- radio personalitypianistviolinistcomposersinger-songwriter
- Biography
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Donald James Moen is an American singer, pianist, and songwriter, specializing in Christian worship music.
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Richard Roberts
- Occupations
- television presenter
- Biography
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Richard Lee Roberts is an American television evangelist and faith healer who serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association. He previously served fifteen years as the president of Oral Roberts University.
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David Barton
- Occupations
- pseudohistorianreligious writerwriterpolitical activist
- Biography
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David Barton is an American evangelical author and political activist for Christian nationalist causes. He is the founder of WallBuilders, LLC, a Texas-based organization that promotes pseudohistory about the religious basis of the United States.
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Karri Turner
- Occupations
- film actoractortelevision actor
- Biography
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Karri Kathleen Turner is an American television actress who is best known for playing Lieutenant Harriet Sims in the television series JAG (1997–2005).
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Jordan Romano
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Jordan Robert Romano is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays.
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Mark Gottfried
- Occupations
- basketball playerbasketball coach
- Biography
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Mark Frederick Gottfried is an American men's college basketball coach, basketball podcaster, and former player who most recently served as head coach of the Cal State Northridge Matadors.
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Michael Cloud
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Michael Jonathan Cloud is an American politician representing Texas's 27th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2018. He is a member of the Republican Party.
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Max Abmas
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Maxwell Abmas is an American professional basketball player for the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns and Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. He is one of 12 players in NCAA Division I college men's basketball history to score more than 3,000 career points.
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Tyler Saladino
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Tyler Artolo Saladino is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers, and in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions.
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Adam Hamilton
- Years
- 1964-.. (age 61)
- Occupations
- pastor
- Biography
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Adam Hamilton is an American minister. He is the senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, a mainline protestant church with multiple locations in the Greater Kansas City area.
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Donald Olson
- Occupations
- aircraft pilotpoliticianphysicianbusinessperson
- Biography
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Donald C. "Donny" Olson is an American physician, attorney, commercial pilot, reindeer herder, and politician, currently serving as a member of the Alaska Senate since 2001. Olson represents rural communities in Western Alaska and Arctic Alaska including Nome, Kotzebue, and Utqiagvik.
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Haywoode Workman
- Occupations
- basketball playerbasketball official
- Biography
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Haywoode Wilvon Workman is an American former basketball player who is a referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
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Michael Graham
- Born in
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United States - Occupations
- journalistradio personality
- Biography
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Michael Graham is an American conservative media personality and commentator based in Boston. He is a political editor for NH Journal, a columnist for the Boston Herald and a CBS News analyst.
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Matt Pinnell
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Philip Matthew Pinnell is an American politician serving as the 17th lieutenant governor of Oklahoma, since 2019. Pinnell is also serving as the first Oklahoma Secretary of Tourism & Branding. Pinnell is a member of the Republican Party.
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Paul Gazelka
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Paul E. Gazelka is an American politician and small business owner from Minnesota. A Republican, Gazelka was a member of the Minnesota Senate and was previously a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. In the state senate, Gazelka served as majority leader from 2017 to 2021.
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Jeremy Hefner
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Jeremy Scott Hefner is an American former professional baseball pitcher and pitching coach for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Mets, and has previously coached for the Minnesota Twins.
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Caleb Green
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Caleb Eugene Green is an American former professional basketball player. Standing at 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), he plays at the power forward position. He played college basketball for Oral Roberts University in Tulsa.
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Madeline Manning
- Occupations
- middle-distance runner
- Biography
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Madeline Manning Mims is a former American runner and Olympic champion. Between 1967 and 1981 she won ten national titles and set a number of American records. She participated in the 1968, 1972, and 1976 Summer Olympics. She likely also would have participated in the 1980 Games in Moscow, had they not been boycotted by the United States. At the 1968 Olympics she won a gold medal in the 800 m, one of only two American women to win this event. (To date, the other was Athing Mu who won gold in the 2020 Olympics.) Until 2008, she was the youngest winner of the event. At the 1972 Games in Munich she won a silver medal in the 4 × 400 m relay with teammates Mable Fergerson, Kathy Hammond, and Cheryl Toussaint. When she was three years old, she was diagnosed with spinal meningitis and not expected to live. She recovered, but was consistently sick until she was a teen.
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Mike Moore
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Michael Wayne Moore is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher.
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Ron Luce
- Occupations
- writer
- Biography
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Ronald Allan Luce, is the co-founder and president of Teen Mania Ministries which was located in Garden Valley, Texas. Together with his wife Katie, Ron founded Teen Mania in 1986 and led the organization until its bankruptcy in 2015. Luce is now CEO of a new ministry called Generation Next.
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Kyle McCarter
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Kyle McCarter is an American politician from Illinois and former diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to Kenya from 2019 to 2021. He previously served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate from February 2009 to January 2019.
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Kelvin Torve
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Kelvin Curtis Torve is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball First baseman, and current head coach of the American Legion Baseball Post 22 Hardhats in Rapid City, South Dakota. Torve batted left and threw right.
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Stephen Mansfield
- Occupations
- writer
- Biography
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Stephen Lee Mansfield is an American author who writes about history, modern culture, religion and men's issues. His books have appeared on the New York Times best-seller list.
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Reggie Moore
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Reginal Dennis Benjamin Moore was an American-born Angolan basketball player. A 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) power forward, attended from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 2001-2003. He played in Norway, United States Basketball League (USBL; under coach John Starks), Germany, and Portugal. He has a daughter, Makayla Moore who is a university student and lives in Texas. He has a son named Maverick that lives in Angola.
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Larry Owens
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Larry Owens is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Yavapai College and Oral Roberts University.
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Lora Reinbold
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lora H. Reinbold is an American politician who was a member of the Alaska Senate. She was a member of the Alaska House from 2013 to 2019, representing District 26. In 2018, Reinbold was elected to the Alaska State Senate representing the G district. She served in the State Senate from 2019 until retiring in 2023. From 2015 to the end of her tenure, Reinbold was the only member of the Alaska State Legislature unaffiliated with a caucus organization, as she was ejected from the Republican-led majority caucus in March 2015.
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Keith Lockhart
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Keith Virgil Lockhart is an American former major league second baseman and third baseman who played for 10 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1994 to 2003.
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Shawn King
- Enrolled in Oral Roberts University
- Studied in 2006-2008
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Shawn Ethelbert King is a Vincentian professional basketball player, who lastly played for Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski of the Polish Basketball League (PLK). King is one of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' most prominent basketball figures.
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Kevin Obanor
- Years
- 1999-.. (age 26)
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Kevin Charles Obanor is an American professional basketball player for the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
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Bruna Honório da Silva
- Occupations
- volleyball player
- Biography
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Bruna Honorio da Silva is a Brazilian female volleyball player.
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Doug Bernier
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Douglas Howell Bernier is an American former professional baseball infielder. He is an alumnus of Oral Roberts University. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins.
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David Nekrutman
- Enrolled in Oral Roberts University
- 2013-2016 graduated with master's degree
- Occupations
- theologian
- Biography
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David Nekrutman is an American-Israeli Orthodox Jewish theologian, writer, director, columnist, public speaker, and pro-Israel activist. He is a prominent figure and pioneer in the world of Jewish-Christian relations and is the former executive director and co-founder of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC), co-founder of the Day to Praise global interfaith initiative, and founder of the Blessing Bethlehem aid organization. Nekrutman currently serves as the Executive Director and co-founder of The Isaiah Projects, a ministry dedicated to helping Christians discover the Hebraic roots of their faith. In addition, Nekrutman is a columnist who has written for The Jerusalem Post, Charisma Magazine, and The Times of Israel.
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Tony Leech
- Occupations
- film produceractorscreenwriterfilm directorfilm editor
- Biography
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Tony Leech is an American filmmaker who currently lives in Los Angeles. Tony attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While a student there, Leech and fellow ORU student Mark Steele, along with some friends, wrote and performed a sketch comedy show called Standing Room Only, or SRO. Leech acted, wrote, directed, and edited for the Fire By Nite Christian variety show that was based at Willie George Ministries in Tulsa. He also worked on projects with Teen Mania Ministries, then based in Tulsa and headed by ORU-alumnus Ron Luce.
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Phil Cooke
- Years
- 1954-.. (age 71)
- Occupations
- authorfilm producer
- Biography
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Phil Cooke is an American writer, television producer, and media consultant based in Burbank, California, as well as a critic and commentator on contemporary American and American-influenced Christian culture. He is an evangelical Christian and, as Scott McClellan of Collide Magazine wrote, "At times, Cooke may appear to be Christian media's biggest critic but, as he is quick to point out, he criticizes because he loves."
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Jeffery Gibson
- Occupations
- hurdlersprinter
- Biography
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Jeffery Gibson is a Bahamian sprint athlete from Grand Bahama who mainly competes in the 400 metres and 400 metres hurdles. He is the Bahamian national record holder in the latter event with a 49.39 seconds clocking during the semi-finals of the 2013 NCAA Championships. He attended Bishop Michael Eldon School formerly Freeport Anglican High School. He later competed for Oral Roberts University following in the foot steps of compatriot Andretti Bain.
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Justin Mayo
- Occupations
- socialite
- Biography
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Justin Mayo is an American humanitarian, youth activist and philanthropist. He is the executive director of the international charity Red Eye and founder of the Youth Mentor initiative. He is the son of Sam Mayo and international speaker and author Jeanne Mayo.
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Timothy J. Downing
- Years
- 1979-.. (age 46)
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Timothy J. Downing is an American attorney and former politician who served as the United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma from 2019 to 2021. He represented the 42nd district in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as a Republican from 2016 to 2018. He currently serves as a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals.
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Chi Chi González
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Alexander "Chi Chi" González is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, and Miami Marlins. González goes by Chi Chi, a nickname given to him by his grandfather.
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Emmanuel Nzekwesi
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Emmanuel Chukwubuikem Nzekwesi is a Dutch professional basketball player for Śląsk Wrocław of the Polish Basketball League (PLK). He played college basketball for Oral Roberts.
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Teresa Knox
- Born in
- United States
- Occupations
- businesspersonbusiness executive
- Biography
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Teresa Knox is an American businesswoman, historic preservationist, developer, and entertainment producer. She is the founder and former CEO of Community Care College, Clary Sage College, and Oklahoma Technical College which were started in 1995. She converted the colleges from a for-profit corporation to a public charity in 2015. In 2016, she bought and restored the recording studio, The Church Studio. A historic preservationist, Knox purchased and restored the Harwelden Mansion. Knox owns multiple commercial properties and has created a neighborhood called Studio Row. Knox produces the YouTube channel for The Church Studio which includes the shows Church Studio Legends and the Legacy Concert Series.
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Michael Huebsch
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Michael D. "Mike" Huebsch is an American Republican politician from La Crosse County, Wisconsin. He was the 76th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, serving a total of 16 years in the Assembly (1995–2011). He later served as the 15th secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration in the cabinet of Governor Scott Walker.
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James Coleman
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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James Rashad Coleman is an American politician, who is currently serving as a member of the Colorado Senate from the 33rd district. He is currently the president pro tempore of the Colorado Senate. Prior to entering the State Senate, he was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 7th district.
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Bradford Humes Young
- Occupations
- biblical scholar
- Biography
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Bradford Humes Young, also known as Brad Young, is a professor of Biblical Literature in Judeo Christian Studies at the Graduate Department of Oral Roberts University. He is also founder and president of the Gospel Research Foundation, Inc.
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Mark Klaassen
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Mark Allen Klaassen is an American attorney who served as the United States Attorney in the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming from 2017 to 2021.
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Mike Hollimon
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Michael T. Hollimon is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) second baseman and shortstop. After a collegiate baseball career at the University of Texas and Oral Roberts University, Hollimon entered professional baseball with the Detroit Tigers organization in 2005. He played professionally through 2012, including a short stint with the 2008 Tigers, during which he played 11 major-league games.
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Michael Craion
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Michael Craion is an American professional basketball player for Union Tours Basket Métropole of the French NM1.
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David Rogers
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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David William Rogers is an American politician from the state of North Carolina. He is a former Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, who represented the 112th district (including constituents in Rutherford and Burke counties) from 2016 to 2023. He was first appointed to the chamber in August 2016.
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Juan Chang
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Juan José Chang Urrea is a football manager who manages the Samoa women's national football team. Born in Germany, he was a Guatemala youth international.
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Pam Peterson
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Pamela Peterson is an American Republican Party politician from the U.S. state of New York, who represented the 67th district in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2004 to 2016. The district is contained in Tulsa County. She served as majority floor leader, the first woman to hold that post.
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Jonathan Conneely
- Years
- 1980-.. (age 45)
- Occupations
- businesspersonmotivational speaker
- Biography
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Jonathan Conneely, Coach JC is an American entrepreneur, coach, author and motivational speaker. Conneely is the founder of Bootcamp Tulsa, Dynamic Sports Development and nonprofit organization Fit First Responders.
