Eric Szmanda

Eric Kyle Szmanda is an American actor best known for his role as Greg Sanders in the CBS police drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He appeared in the series from its premiere in 2000 through its final season in 2015.

Szmanda was born on July 24, 1975, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to parents Elaine and Donald Szmanda. Raised alongside his two brothers, Brett and Robert, his family relocated to Mukwonago, Wisconsin, during his early childhood. His great-uncle, Ray Szmanda, gained local notoriety in the Midwest as the television spokesperson for the Menards hardware store chain.

He attended Mukwonago High School before enrolling at Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. During his student years, Szmanda completed marketing internships with the music conglomerate BMG and later moved to Chicago, Illinois, to work full-time in the music industry. Pursuing an acting career, he spent four years taking classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California, from which he graduated.

Szmanda made his television debut starring in The Net, a series adapted from the 1995 feature film of the same name. In 2000, he was cast in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Greg Sanders, initially playing the recurring character of a DNA technician and investigator during the show's first two seasons. He was promoted to the main cast in the third season and remained with the series until its conclusion after fifteen seasons in September 2015.

In addition to his acting career, Szmanda has been involved in international advocacy and animal welfare initiatives. He supports the U.S. Campaign for Burma and previously traveled to Thailand to evaluate the living conditions of displaced refugees from Burma. In March 2017, Szmanda collaborated with his former CSI co-star Jorja Fox to co-host a fundraiser for Animal Defenders International, an organization dedicated to protecting animals from cruelty and circus exploitation. As part of this effort, Szmanda and Fox visited the White House to advocate for legislation aimed at banning the use of animals in circuses.