Famous People from North Central Washington

Tucked away in the Cascade foothills, North Central Washington has a list of remarkable talent. From Wenatchee to the rugged Methow and Okanogan basins, this region—often overlooked beside Seattle's dazzle—has a list of great athletes, musicians who shaped rock anthems, and writers who captured human solitude. Their stories rise like sage-scented wind, reminding us that greatness often blooms in the quiet places.

Chelan County (Wenatchee & Cashmere)

Rainn Wilson (Actor): Best known as Dwight Schrute on The Office, Wilson’s father, Robert G. Wilson (a novelist, painter, business consultant, and resident of East Wenatchee), died in August 2020 at age 78 from complications related to advanced heart disease. Rainn still visits his mom in East Wenatchee from time to time. We can tell when he’s here, thanks to great photos from the Wenatchee Valley on his Instagram account. Yes, he went to high school and college in Seattle, but we now proudly claim him.

Chris DeGarmo (Musician): Native of Wenatchee and the founding guitarist/primary songwriter for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche.

Hailey Van Lith (Athlete): A standout basketball star from Cashmere who became one of the most famous names in women’s college basketball (LSU/TCU), an Olympic 3x3 medalist, and a recent first-round draft pick with the Chicago Sky of the WNBA.

Tyler Farrar (Cyclist): This Wenatchee High School graduate is one of the most successful American sprinters in cycling history, winning stages in the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a España.

Heidi Schreck (Playwright): A Wenatchee native whose play What the Constitution Means to Me was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Grant County (Moses Lake, Quincy, Ephrata)

Valkyrae (Rachell Hofstetter): One of the world’s most-watched female streamers and a co-owner of the gaming organization 100 Thieves; she grew up in Moses Lake.

Clarence Gilyard (Actor): Famous for roles in Top Gun, Die Hard, and as Cordell Walker’s partner in Walker, Texas Ranger.

Pierson Fodé (Actor): A Moses Lake native and Emmy-nominated actor known for The Bold and the Beautiful and The Man from Toronto.

Ryan Doumit (Athlete): A former MLB catcher and outfielder who played 10 seasons, primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Chief Moses: The influential leader of the Sinkiuse-Columbia (Sinkiuse) tribe, for whom the city of Moses Lake is named.

Dave Heaverlo (Athlete): A Moses Lake High graduate from 1968. He was a right-handed relief pitcher who played seven seasons with the Giants, A's, and Mariners.

Kittitas County (Ellensburg)

Mark Lanegan (Musician): The "Dark Mark" was the frontman of Screaming Trees and a member of Queens of the Stone Age. He was a central figure in the Washington grunge scene.

Blippi (Stevin John): The massive children's entertainer was born in Ellensburg and served in the Air Force before becoming a YouTube sensation.

Brian Thompson (Actor): Attended Central Washington University. Known for his imposing roles in The Terminator, The X-Files, and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.

Drew Bledsoe (Athlete): Though born in Ellensburg, the former NFL #1 overall pick and Patriots legend moved away to Walla Walla, but his roots remain firmly in the Kittitas Valley.

Okanogan County (Omak & Okanogan)

Jake Muxworthy (Actor): The Twisp actor appeared in Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), then I Heart Huckabees. The brutal cult horror Borderland (2007), the demonic Asylum (2008), and the post-Iraq nightmare Shadow (2009).

Bernie Whitebear (Activist): A major Native American rights activist and co-founder of the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation.

Frank S. Matsura (Photographer): A Japanese photographer whose early 20th-century photos of the Okanogan frontier are historically invaluable.

Emily Warn (poet): She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1978 and currently divides her time between Seattle and Twisp. Her essays and poems have appeared in Poetry, Parabola, The Kenyon Review, Blackbird, BookForum, and The Bloomsbury Review. Her most recent poetry book, Shadow Architect, was published in 2008.

Douglas County (East Wenatchee & Waterville)

Clyde Pangborn (Aviator): He became a global legend for completing the first-ever non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean in 1931, landing his plane (the Miss Veedol) on a hillside in East Wenatchee.

Turk Edwards (Athlete): A Hall of Fame NFL offensive tackle and coach for the Washington Redskins, born in Douglas County.

Clyde Ballard (Politician): Long-serving Speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives and a major figure in state politics.