Elder Clark G. Gilbert

General Authority Seventy

Many know Elder Clark G. Gilbert as president of BYU–Pathway Worldwide and as past president of Brigham Young University–Idaho. Many also know him for his innovative development of online higher education programs at both institutions.

Elder Clark credits meaningful Church service—helping young men in inner-city Boston, Massachusetts, USA—for preparing him to take educational opportunities to larger audiences. That service opportunity came as he was busy with graduate school and caring for a young family.

“Those young men didn’t always have a lot of support. They became a part of our lives, and we grew to love them,” he said. “I learned to listen to the Lord and knew He was in their lives. I could hear Him telling me what I needed to do for them.”

Elder Gilbert said the Lord taught him about the needs of other people. “It wasn’t just that He was preparing me for education, but He was showing me what He could do in the lives of people at a deep, personal level.”

Clark Gordon Gilbert was born in Oakland, California, USA, on June 18, 1970, to Paul and Susan Gilbert. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. After serving in the Japan Kobe Mission, he married Christine Calder in 1994 in the Salt Lake Temple. They have eight children.

Elder Gilbert received a bachelor’s degree in international relations in 1994 from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree in Asian studies in 1995 from Stanford University, and a doctor of business administration degree in 2001 from Harvard University. He has worked as an assistant professor at Harvard Business School, associate academic vice president at BYU–Idaho, and president and chief executive officer for the Deseret News and Deseret Digital Media.

An Area Seventy at the time of his call, Elder Gilbert has served as elders quorum president, counselor in a stake Young Men presidency and stake presidency, and bishop.