LDS Church calls Elder Clark G. Gilbert to Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Elder Clark G. Gilbert has been called as the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to an official announcement from the church. The church said he was called on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, and ordained on Thursday, February 12, by President Dallin H. Oaks together with other senior leaders.

In remarks shared by the church following his ordination, Elder Gilbert framed his new role around a message of Christian discipleship and public witness. “This is an amazing time to point people to the Savior Jesus Christ,” he said, adding that faith in Christ can bring “joy and comfort and peace,” and that his calling centers on testifying “that Jesus is the Christ.”

Early life and church service

Elder Gilbert, 55, was born in Oakland, California, and spent most of his childhood in Phoenix, Arizona, the church said. He has served as a General Authority Seventy since April 2021 and has been the Commissioner of the Church Educational System since August 2021.

Alongside his professional roles, the church noted a wide range of congregational and leadership service, including time as a full-time missionary in Japan, as well as service as elders quorum president, counselor in a stake presidency, bishop, and Area Seventy.

Education shaped by faith

In the church’s profile, Elder Gilbert described a home life where religious faith and learning were taught as mutually reinforcing. He said his parents raised him with the idea that “the gospel of Jesus Christ and education are naturally intertwined,” and later reflected that greater faith can deepen a desire to learn—and that learning can, in turn, strengthen faith.

His formal studies took him through several prominent institutions. He earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1994, followed by a master’s degree in East Asian studies from Stanford University in 1995, and a doctorate in business administration from Harvard Business School in 2001, according to the church.

While Elder Gilbert later joined Harvard’s faculty, he said he hoped to return to teaching within the BYU system. That path opened when he and his wife, Christine, were invited in 2006 to join BYU–Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho, where he was asked to help “rethink Church education on a global scale,” the profile said.

Leadership across education and media

The church described Elder Gilbert’s professional experience as rooted in mentoring students, navigating communication technology, and leading large organizations. Over time, he held leadership roles including CEO of Deseret Digital Media (2009), president of Deseret News (2010), president of BYU–Idaho (2015), and inaugural president of BYU–Pathway Worldwide (2017) before being called to full-time church service.

As Commissioner of the Church Educational System, he oversaw the network that includes BYU, BYU–Idaho, BYU–Hawaii, Ensign College, BYU–Pathway Worldwide, and the church’s Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, according to the church profile.

Global access and “divine potential”

A pivotal experience, the church said, came during Elder Gilbert’s years in Boston, where interactions with inner-city Latter-day Saint youth shaped how he later approached educational access and mentorship. In church remarks, he described focusing on students’ potential and watching gradual growth that led, over time, to higher education, family life, and leadership roles.

In discussing BYU–Pathway Worldwide, Elder Gilbert emphasized a spiritually grounded view of education centered on personal development. The church said the program has served more than 288,000 students in more than 180 countries since its beginnings in 2009. In the profile, Elder Gilbert summarized the underlying philosophy in a simple statement: “We believe in the divine potential of all of God’s children.”

He also stressed that life circumstances vary widely, but progress is still possible. The church profile quoted him saying that “in the Lord’s timing, it is not where we start but where we are headed that matters most,” a principle he connected to his work with students around the world.

Family life

The church said Elder Gilbert and his wife, Christine, were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1994 and are the parents of eight children.

Why this matters

For Latter-day Saints, membership in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the faith’s highest leadership responsibilities, combining spiritual teaching with worldwide pastoral oversight. In his first public remarks after the ordination, Elder Gilbert said his focus is to “witness that Jesus is the Christ” and to encourage people everywhere to look to Christ for meaning and hope.

As the church continues to grow internationally, Elder Gilbert’s background in education and global learning initiatives is likely to be closely followed by members and observers alike—especially where faith, community life, and access to learning intersect.