The Andrew Carnegie Foundation has announced its 2026 class of “Great Immigrants, Great Americans,” recognizing individuals born outside the United States who have made notable contributions to American society. The list, released on Tuesday, includes leaders in business, academia, arts, and sports.
Among those honored are Iman Abuzeid, co-founder and CEO of Incredible Health, originally from Sudan, and Jane Fraser, Chair and CEO of Citi, who hails from Scotland. Nikesh Arora, Chair and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, and Reshma Kewalramani, President and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, both originally from India, are also included in this year's class. The list also features academics such as Sunil Amrith, a professor of history at Yale University from Kenya, and Mahzarin Banaji, a professor at Harvard University from India.
Other notable figures include Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Hernan Diaz from Argentina and Cristina Rivera Garza from Mexico, as well as novelist Ling Ma from China. In the scientific and academic fields, Ingrid Daubechies, a mathematics professor from Belgium, and Omar Yaghi, a chemistry professor and Nobel Prize winner from Jordan, were recognized. Broadcom Inc. President and CEO Hock E. Tan, originally from Malaysia, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise President and CEO Antonio Neri from Argentina are also among the honorees.
The foundation's list also features figures from the arts and culture, including Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Conductor Cristian Măcelaru from Romania, visual artist Guadalupe Maravilla from El Salvador, and fashion designer Gabriela Hearst from Uruguay. Abbas Karimi, a Paralympian swimmer from Afghanistan, represents the world of sports.
The Carnegie Foundation's recognition aims to highlight the diverse backgrounds and significant impacts of immigrants in the United States. The honorees represent a wide range of fields and geographic origins, underscoring the varied contributions immigrants have made across the nation.