List of people from the Dominican Republic

This is a list of notable individuals from the Dominican Republic or who have Dominican ancestry and reside overseas.

Dominican Republic

(In Detail)

Authors

• Julia Alvarez
• Arambilet
• Josefina Baez
• Rei Berroa
• Manuel del Cabral
• Aída Cartagena Portalatín
• Hilma Contreras
• Angie Cruz
• Junot Díaz
• José Luis González
• Pedro Henríquez Ureña
• Mariano Lebrón Saviñón
• Jordhy Ledesma
• Miguel D. Mena
• Leopoldo Minaya
• Pedro Mir
• José Núñez de Cáceres
• Arturo Rodríguez Fernández
• Salomé Ureña
• Roberto Herrera

Business

• Waldo Cabrera – businessman
• The Franjul Family – prominent business family
• Bartolomé Gamundi – businessman and government official in Puerto Rico
• Vicini family - business family

Fashion and beauty pageant personalities

• Mariasela Álvarez – Miss World 1982
• Eva Arias – beauty queen and fashion model
• Susie Castillo – Miss USA 2003
• Ana Contreras – Miss World Beach beauty semifinalist
• Claudia Cruz – Miss World 2004 first runner-up
• Marianne Cruz – Miss Universe 2008 second runner-up
• Yadira Cury – Miss International 2005 first runner-up
• Ada de la Cruz – Miss Universe 2009 first runner-up
• Magali Febles – owner of the Miss Dominican Republic pageant franchise
• Gilda Jovine – fashion model
• Claudette Lali – former model/film wardrobe stylist
• Dulcita Lieggi- beauty pageant contestant
• Denny Méndez – Miss Italy 1997
• Ruth Ocumárez – former beauty queen
• Oscar de la Renta - fashion designer
• Amell Santana – Miss Earth 2005 first runner-up
• Renata Soñé – Miss Universe 2005 second runner–up
• Arlenis Sosa – fashion model
• Amelia Vega – Miss Universe 2003, actress and model
• Chris Perez

Motion picture and television personalities

• Nancy Alvarez – psychologist/television talk show host
• Tina Aumont – film actress (daughter of Maria Montez)
• Lourdes Benedicto – actress
• Freddy Beras-Goico – comedian
• Francis Capra - actor
• Sergio Carlo – actor
• Aimee Carrero - actress
• Terry Carter – actor
• Hosea Chanchez - actor
• Charytín – actress/singer/television host
• Alexandra Cheron – actress/model
• José Guillermo Cortines – actor/musician
• Nelson de la Rosa – actor/comedian
• Yasmin Deliz – television personality/actress
• Juan Fernández – actor
• René Fortunato - film director
• J. Teddy Garces - actor
• Andrés García – actor
• Rick Gonzalez – actor
• Oscar Haza – television journalist
• Wilson Jermaine Heredia – actor
• Wolf Hudson – adult film star
• Stephanie Leonidas – actress
• Arthur Lithgow – actor
• Yorlin Madera – actor (television series One Life to Live)
• Judy Marte – actress
• Agliberto Meléndez – film director
• Mirtha Michelle – actress
• Maria Montez – actress
• Patrícia Mota – actress
• Amaury Nolasco - actor
• Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. – actor
• Karen Olivo – Tony award-winning actresss
• Manny Pérez – actor (films Party Monster and El Cantante)
• Rafael José – Puerto Rican television personality (Dominican father)
• Dania Ramirez – actress (television series Heroes and Entourage)
• Silvestre Rasuk – actor
• Victor Rasuk – actor
• Judy Reyes – actress (television series Scrubs)
• Birmania Ríos – television personality (television show Despierta America)
• Michelle Rodriguez – actress
• Zoe Saldana – actress
• Merlin Santana – actor
• Enrique Segoviano – producer/director
• Rosanna Tavarez – singer/television personality
• Shannon Tavarez – Broadway actress and singer (Dominican father)
• Jessy Terrero – director
• Celines Toribio – actress/model
• Julian Scott Urena – actor
• Michelle Vargas - actress/model
• Ludo Vika – actress/comedian
• Tristan Wilds, actor
• Carmen Wong Ulrich – journalist
• Sandra Zaiter – actress and television host

Painters and artists

• Jaime Colson
• Paul Giudicelli
• Aurelio Grisanty
• Gilberto Hernández Ortega
• Clara Ledesma
• Yoryi Morel
• Olivia Peguero
• Rigo Peralta
• Amaya Salazar
• Jorge Noceda Sanchez
• Darío Suro
• Celeste Woss y Gil
• Mariojosé Angeles
• Amable Sterling

Political and military figures

• Rafael Alburquerque – former vice president
• Buenaventura Báez Méndez – former president
• Joaquín Balaguer Ricardo – former president (1960–1962, 1966–1978, 1986–1996)
• Salvador Jorge Blanco – former president (1982–1986)
• Juan Bosch y Gaviño - former president
• Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deñó - former president
• Fernando Cabrera - New York City Councilman
• Margarita Cedeño de Fernández – former First Lady of the Dominican Republic
• Wandy Batista - runner up for senator.
• Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez - 65th Secretary of State of New York
• Juan Pablo Duarte – one of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic
• Adriano Espaillat – New York State Assemblyman; first Dominican American to be elected to a State House in the United States
• Leonel Fernández Reyna – former President (1996–2000, 2004–2008, 2008–2012)
• Pedro Florentino – hero of the Battle of Jacuba, during the War of Independence from Haiti
• Maximiliano Gómez – revolutionary political leader
• Máximo Gómez – military commander of the Cuban War of Independence
• Antonio Guzmán Fernández – former president
• Ulises Heureaux - former president
• Gregorio Luperón – former president
• Miguel Martinez – former New York City Councilman
• Hipólito Mejía – was and running for president
• Ramón Matías Mella – one of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic
• The Mirabal sisters – political dissidents
• José Nunez-Melo - politician
• José Francisco Peña Gómez – mayor of Santo Domingo (1982–1986)
• Joseline Peña-Melnyk – member of the Maryland General Assembly
• Cesar A. Perales - 67th Secretary of State of New York
• Thomas Perez – civil rights lawyer
• Donald Reid Cabral – former president
• Tilo Rivas – government official
• Ydanis Rodríguez - New York City councilman
• José Antonio (Pepillo) Salcedo – first president after the Restoration of the Dominican Republic
• Francisco del Rosario Sánchez – one of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic
• José Santana – former government minister
• Pedro Santana Familias – first president (1844)
• Angel Taveras - mayor of Providence, Rhode Island
• Rafael Leónidas Trujillo – dictator (1930–1961)
• Ramfis Trujillo – general and son of dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
• Elias Wessin y Wessin – former general

For a complete list, please refer to List of Presidents of the Dominican Republic

Scientists and scholars

• Víctor A. Carreño – NASA aerospace engineer
• Erich E. Kunhardt – physicist
• Frank Moya Pons – historian
• Feniosky Peña-Mora – engineer
• Margot Taule – architect
• Juan Manuel Taveras Rodríguez - radiologist
• Héctor Valdez Albizu – economist

Singers and musicians

• AZ – rapper
• Manny Albam – jazz musician
• Luis Alberti – merengue musician
• José Alberto (aka El Canario) – salsa singer
• Anaís – pop singer
• Andy Andy – singer
• Arcángel – reggae ton artist
• Ivan Barias - music producer
• Eduardo Brito - baritone singer
• Alex Bueno – merengue/bachata singer
• Aventura – bachata group
• Nini Caffaro – singer
• José Manuel Calderón – bachata musician
• Michel Camilo – jazz pianist
• Angela Carrasco – singer
• Aisha Syed Castro – violinist
• Las Chicas del Can
• Angel Clivillés – singer/lead member of The Cover Girls
• Javier Colon - singer and winner of the first season of U.S. reality series The Voice
• Coro – freestyle singer/actor
• Cristal Marie – Latin Pop singer, songwriter
• Kat DeLuna – singer
• DJ Prostyle – hip hop DJ
• Don Miguelo – reggaeton artist
• El Cata – merengue musician
• El Jeffrey – merengue singer
• El Prodigio – accordionist
• Jackeline Estevez – pop singer
• Fabolous – rapper
• Zacarías Ferreira – bachata singer
• Omar Franco - singer/composer
• Billo Frómeta – singer
• Irv Gotti – producer
• Juan Luis Guerra – merengue/bachata/salsa musician
• Tatico Henriquez – merengue musician
• Martha Heredia – singer
• Julio Alberto Hernández – composer
• Maridalia Hernández
• Eddy Herrera – merengue singer
• Nicky Jam – reggaeton artist
• Krisspy – merengue singer
• Ñico Lora – known as the "Father of Merengue" music, singer
• Los Hermanos Rosario – merengue group
• Luny Tunes – reggaeton producers/artists
• Irka Mateo – folk singer/songwriter
• Henry Mendez - regaetton artist
• Miguelito – rapper (Dominican father)
• Munchi - DJ
• Nova – singer
• Noztra – reggaeton artist
• Francisco Núñez - musical conductor
• Pavel Nuñez – pop/rock musician
• Johnny O - freestyle singer
• Prince Royce – bachata singer
• Juan Francisco Ordóñez – guitarist/composer
• Ramón Orlando – merengue singer
• Shalim Ortiz – singer
• Johnny Pacheco – salsa singer/producer/bandleader
• Leonardo Paniagua – bachata artist
• Karina Pasian – singer/pianist
• Chichí Peralta – singer, bandleader, percussionist
• Geovanny Polanco – merengue singer
• Milly Quezada – singer, dubbed the "Queen of Merengue"
• Fausto Rey – singer/composer
• Frank Reyes – bachata singer
• Trio Reynoso - known as the "kings of merengue tipico" merengue/bachata group
• Mario Rivera – jazz composer/artist
• Karen Rodriguez – singer and contestant on American Idol
• Raulín Rodríguez – bachata singer
• Tito Rodríguez - singer, bandleader
• Rosangela - singer
• Toño Rosario – merengue singer
• Raulín Rosendo – salsa singer
• Roger Sanchez – DJ/house music producer
• Daniel Santacruz – singer/songwriter
• Juelz Santana – rapper
• Lizette Santana (also known as Lizé) – singer/songwriter
• Antony Santos – bachata singer
• Yoskar Sarante – bachata singer
• Luis Segura – singer
• Triple Seis – rapper
• Rafael Solano – songwriter/composer
• Ines Thomas Almeida – opera singer
• Cuco Valoy – merengue singer/bandleader
• Luis Vargas – bachata singer
• Sergio Vargas – merengue singer
• Wilfrido Vargas – merengue singer
• Johnny Ventura – merengue singer
• Fernando Villalona – singer
• J.R. Writer - rapper

Sports figures

Baseball

• Manny Acta – Former manager of the Cleveland Indians
• Antonio Alfonseca – professional baseball player
• Carlos Almanzar – professional baseball player
• Felipe Alou – professional baseball manager and player
• Jesús Alou – professional baseball player
• Matty Alou – professional baseball player
• Moisés Alou – professional baseball player
• Joaquín Andújar – professional baseball player
• Greg Aquino – professional baseball player
• Joaquin Arias – professional baseball player
• Miguel Batista – professional baseball player
• Tony Batista – professional baseball player
• Danny Bautista – professional baseball player
• Denny Bautista – professional baseball player
• José Bautista – professional baseball player
• José Bautista – professional baseball player (pitcher)
• George Bell – professional baseball player
• Ronnie Belliard – professional baseball player
• Francis Beltrán – professional baseball player
• Adrián Beltré - professional baseball player
• Esteban Beltré – professional baseball player
• Armando Benítez – professional baseball player
• Joaquín Benoit – professional baseball player
• Ángel Berroa – professional baseball player
• Wilson Betemit – professional baseball player
• Tony Blanco – professional baseball player
• Pedro Borbón, Jr. – professional baseball player
• Yhency Brazobán – professional baseball player
• Juan Brito – professional baseball player
• Daniel Cabrera – professional baseball player
• Francisco Cabrera – professional baseball player
• Melky Cabrera – professional baseball player
• Robinson Canó – professional baseball player
• Fausto Carmona – professional baseball player
• Rico Carty – professional baseball player
• Bernie Castro – professional baseball player
• Fabio Castro – professional baseball player
• Starlin Castro – professional baseball player
• Alberto Castillo – professional baseball Player
• Luis Castillo – professional baseball Player
• César Cedeño – professional baseball player
• Jesús Colomé – professional baseball player
• Bartolo Colón – professional baseball player
• Román Colón – professional baseball player
• Francisco Cordero – professional baseball player
• Deivi Cruz – professional baseball player
• Johnny Cueto – professional baseball player
• Octavio Dotel – professional baseball player
• Edwin Encarnación - professional baseball player
• Juan Encarnación - professional baseball player
• Pedro Feliz – professional baseball player
• Bartolomé Fortunato – professional baseball player
• Rafael Furcal – professional baseball player
• Julio Franco – professional baseball player
• Jerry Gil – professional baseball player
• Carlos Gómez - professional baseball player
• Vladimir Guerrero – professional baseball player
• José Guillén – professional baseball player
• Cristian Guzmán – professional baseball player
• Freddy Guzmán – professional baseball player
• Félix Heredia – professional baseball player
• Runelvys Hernández - professional baseball player
• Stan Javier - professional baseball player
• José Lima – professional baseball player
• Francisco Liriano – professional baseball player
• Pedro Liriano – professional baseball player
• Mendy López – professional baseball player
• Julio Lugo – professional baseball player
• Ruddy Lugo – professional baseball player
• Héctor Luna – professional baseball player
• Manny Machado - professional baseball player
• Henry Mateo – professional baseball player
• Julio Mateo – professional baseball player
• Juan Marichal – professional professional baseball player
• Dámaso Marté – professional baseball player
• Pedro Martínez – Cy Young Award–winning professional baseball player
• José Mesa – professional baseball player
• Omar Minaya – General Manager of the New York Mets
• Raúl Mondesí – professional baseball player
• Agustín Montero – professional baseball player
• Juan Morillo – professional baseball player
• Abraham Núñez – professional baseball player
• Leo Núñez – professional baseball player
• José Offerman – professional baseball player
• Miguel Olivo – professional baseball player
• David Ortiz – professional baseball player
• Ramón Ortiz – professional baseball player
• Pablo Ozuna – professional baseball player
• Ronny Paulino – professional baseball player
• Carlos Peña – professional baseball player
• Tony Peña – professional baseball player
• Wily Mo Peña – professional baseball player
• Jhonny Peralta - professional baseball player
• Antonio Pérez – professional baseball player
• Mélido Pérez – professional baseball player
• Neifi Pérez – professional baseball player
• Odalis Pérez – professional baseball player
• Rafael Pérez – professional baseball player
• Timo Pérez – professional baseball player
• Hipólito Pichardo - professional baseball player
• Plácido Polanco – professional baseball player
• Albert Pujols – professional baseball player
• Aramis Ramírez – professional baseball player
• Hanley Ramírez – professional baseball player
• Manny Ramírez – professional baseball player
• José Reyes – professional baseball player
• Fernando Rodney – professional baseball player
• Alex Rodriguez – professional baseball player
• Félix Rodríguez - professional baseball player
• Henry Rodríguez – professional baseball player
• Duaner Sánchez – professional baseball player
• Víctor Santos – professional baseball player
• Alfonso Soriano – professional baseball player
• Jorge Sosa - professional baseball player
• Sammy Sosa - professional baseball player
• Julián Tavárez – professional baseball player
• Willy Taveras – professional baseball player
• Miguel Tejada – professional baseball player
• Rubén Tejada - professional baseball player
• Robinson Tejeda – professional baseball player
• Luis Terrero – professional baseball player
• Salomón Torres – professional baseball player
• Juan Uribe – professional baseball player
• Wilson Valdez – professional baseball player
• José Valverde – professional baseball player
• Claudio Vargas – professional baseball player
• José Vizcaíno – professional baseball player
• Luis Vizcaíno – professional baseball player
• Edinson Volquez – professional baseball player
• Héctor Wagner – professional baseball player

For a complete list refer to List of Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic

Other sports

• Raul Aguayo – national sail team member
• Orlando Antigua – professional basketball player
• Trevor Ariza – professional basketball player
• Milagros Cabral - professional volleyball player
• Brenda Castillo - professional volleyball player
• Luis Castillo – professional football player
• Stalin Colinet – former professional football player
• Carlos Cruz – former professional boxing champion
• Leo Cruz – professional boxing champion (brother of Carlos Cruz)
• Bethania de la Cruz - professional volleyball player
• Manuel Félix Díaz – professional boxer
• Karla Echenique - professional volleyball player
• Edward Vinicio Espinal - professional soccer player
• Jaime Espinal - Olympic wrestler
• Lisvel Elisa Eve - professional volleyball player
• Mary Joe Fernández – professional tennis player
• Javier Fortuna - professional boxer
• Francisco García – professional basketball player
• Julio Gervacio - professional boxer
• Aumi Guerra - professional bowler
• Fernando Guerrero - professional boxer
• Dionicio Gustavo - karateka
• Joan Guzmán – professional boxer
• Al Horford - professional basketball player
• Tito Horford – professional basketball player
• Jhohanny Jean - taekwondo athlete
• Ernesto Jerez – sportscaster
• Luis Ernesto José – professional boxer
• Felipe López – professional basketball player
• Víctor Martínez – professional bodybuilder
• Sammy Mejia – professional basketball player
• Eleoncio Mercedes – professional boxer
• Gabriel Mercedes - taekwondo practitioner
• Sidarka Núñez - professional volleyball player
• Delvin Rodriguez - professional boxer
• Edwin Rodriguez - professional boxer
• Heidy Rodríguez - karateka
• Jeoselyna Rodríguez Santos - professional volleyball player
• Cindy Rondón - professional volleyball player
• Dante Rosario – professional football player
• Félix Sánchez – Olympic gold medal–winning hurdler
• Luguelín Santos - Olympic sprinter
• Edgar Sosa - professional basketball player
• Glen Tapia - professional boxer
• Annerys Vargas – professional volleyball player
• Jack Veneno – professional wrestler
• Charlie Villanueva – professional basketball player

Other personalities

• Carlos Almonte – Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist arrested in June 2010
• Danny Almonte – notable little league player
• Wandy batista - radio show host
• Carlos Alvarez-Aranyos - political speechwriter
• Marino Vinicio Castillo – lawyer
• Federico Alberto Cuello Camilo – diplomat
• Jose DeCamps – dancer
• Víctor de la Cruz – cigarmaker
• Mario Alvarez Dugan – journalist
• Michele Jimenez – ballet dancer
• Jose E. Martinez – lawyer
• Ralph Mercado – founder of RMM Records and music producer
• Rafael Molina Morillo – journalist
• Providencia Paredes, assistant/confidante to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
• Quirino Paulino – notorious drug smuggler
• Ilka Tanya Payán – actress, AIDS/HIV activist
• Pedro Saúl Pérez – activist
• Domingo Pilarte – evangelist
• Porfirio Pina - music executive
• Santiago Luis Polanco Rodríguez – drug dealer
• Porfirio Rubirosa – socialite
• Roberto Herrera - pastor

See also

• Dominican people (Dominican Republic)
• Dominican American