Bradford C. Newton was elected executive secretary of the Pacific Union on March 5, 2008. Newton became executive secretary after serving as president of Nevada-Utah Conference since 2004. From 1999 to 2004 Newton served as the government relations director and associate public affairs and religious liberty director of the Pacific Union. Before assuming responsibilities in religious liberty, Newton served as the senior pastor of the Simi Valley church in Southern California and pastor of a number of congregations in the Illinois Conference. In January of 2010, he assumed the additional responsibility of Union Ministeriral Director. A native of Arcadia, California, Newton received his Bachelor of Arts degree, Master of Divinity degree and Doctor of Ministry degree from Andrews University. Bradford's wife, Jennifer Christian Newton, is a health care management consultant. The Newtons have two children; Amanda who is employed in the finance department at Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Tyler, who is the Recruiter for Sonora Regional Medical Center in Sonora, California.