George Booth was a renowned newspaperman, advocate of the arts, and lifelong philanthropist, whose crowning achievement was the establishment of Cranbrook. 

Ellen Warren Scripps Booth greatly influenced her husband George G. Booth and their cultural work as founders and leaders of Cranbrook, and was central to the building of Kingwood School for Girls.

Carl Milles was a Swedish sculptor who served as the Academy's sculptor-in-residence from 1931 to 1951. The campus features dozens of his works. 

Robert Hatt was a zoologist, researcher, and director of the Cranbrook Institute of Science from 1935 to 1967.

Jessie Winter was the first headmistress and the longest-serving director of Brookside School (1922-1961).

William Stevens was the first headmaster of Cranbrook School (1927 to 1935).

Henry Wood Booth was active in the Temperance movement and the father of Cranbrook founder George Gough Booth.

Samuel Marquis was the first official rector of Christ Church Cranbrook (1924 to 1939).

Sadafumi Uchiyama is the designer of the Cranbrook Japanese Garden 2019 Master Plan and the Garden Curator of the Portland Japanese Garden.