Russell Nelson
Religious Leader
American religious leader who was sworn in as the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2018. Previously, he was a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for over 30 years.
He earned his PhD at the University of Minnesota and helped develop a heart-lung machine.
He authored 10 different inspirational books between 1979 and 2015.
His father Marion was a reporter for the Deseret News and his mother's name was Floss. He married nurse and educator Wendy L. Watson in 2006.
He succeeded Thomas Monson as the LDS Church president.