First Presidency Announces 2020 Area Leadership Assignments

Contributed By Scott Taylor, Church News Managing Editor

  • 16 April 2020

The First Presidency has announced changes in the Church’s area leadership assignments, which will become effective on August 1, 2020.

The First Presidency has announced the Church’s area leadership assignments for 2020–21, effective August 1. The changes affect the Presidency of the Seventy and Area Presidencies. 

Changes include a third area in Africa—with last summer’s announcement of the planned division of the existing Africa Southeast Area into the Africa South and new Africa Central areas. Also last year, Nairobi, Kenya, was designated as headquarters for the new Africa Central Area.

The division and area creation in Africa bring the total number of Church areas to 22—6 that span the United States and Canada, with 16 more outside those two countries.

Area Presidencies direct the work of the Church in specific geographic locations. The presidencies for the North America and Utah areas are administered in Salt Lake City, as is the presidency for the Middle East/Africa North Area.

For 2020, there are no changes in the Presidency of the Seventy, and 4 of the 22 Area Presidencies remain intact from the current 2019-20 year.

The new assignments include eight new Area Presidents, with four of the outgoing presidents now assigned as counselors in other Area Presidencies. Two of the Area Presidency counselors are Area Seventies living in their respective areas, and three other counselors are newly called General Authority Seventies who were sustained in the April 2020 general conference.

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles acts under the direction of the First Presidency “to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations. . . . 

“The Seventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Twelve . . . , in building up the church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:33–34).

Presidency of the Seventy
Patrick Kearon
President
Carl B. Cook
President
Robert C. Gay
President
Terence M. Vinson
President
 
José A. Teixeira
President
Carlos A. Godoy
President
Brent H. Nielson
President
 
North America Central
Chi Hong (Sam) Wong
First Counselor
S. Gifford Nielsen
President
Arnulfo Valenzuela
Second Counselor

 

North America Northeast
W. Mark Bassett
First Counselor
Randall K. Bennett
President
John A. McCune
Second Counselor

 

North America Southeast
Vern P. Stanfill
First Counselor
James B. Martino
President
Marcos A. Aidukaitis
Second Counselor

 

North America Southwest
Kyle S. McKay
First Counselor
Paul B. Pieper
President
Evan A. Schmutz
Second Counselor

 

North America West
Scott D. Whiting
First Counselor
Kevin W. Pearson
President
Rubén V. Alliaud
Second Counselor

 

Utah
Mark A. Bragg
First Counselor
Craig C. Christensen
President
Walter F. González
Second Counselor
Africa Central
Matthew L. Carpenter
First Counselor
Joseph W. Sitati
President
Thierry K. Mutombo
Second Counselor
Africa South
Edward Dube
First Counselor
S. Mark Palmer
President
Ciro Schmeil
Second Counselor
Africa West
Larry S. Kacher
First Counselor
Hugo E. Martinez
President
Jörg Klebingat
Second Counselor
Asia
Peter F. Meurs
First Counselor
David F. Evans
President
David P. Homer
Second Counselor
Asia North Area
L. Todd Budge
First Counselor
Takashi Wada
President
James R. Rasband
Second Counselor
Brazil
Joaquin E. Costa
First Counselor
Adilson de Paula Parrella
President
Joni L. Koch
Second Counselor
Caribbean
Eduardo Gavarret
First Counselor
José L. Alonso
President
Jorge M. Alvarado
Second Counselor
Central America
Taylor G. Godoy
First Counselor
Brian K. Taylor
President
Alan R. Walker
Second Counselor
Europe
Massimo De Feo
First Counselor
Gary B. Sabin
President
Erich W. Kopischke
Second Counselor
Europe East
Hans T. Boom
First Counselor
Christoffel Golden
President
Kyrylo Pokhylko
Second Counselor
Mexico
John C. Pingree Jr.
First Counselor
Rafael E. Pino
President
Hugo Montoya
Second Counselor
Middle East/Africa North
Randy D. Funk
First Counselor
Anthony D. Perkins
President
Jeffrey H. Singer
Second Counselor
Pacific
K. Brett Nattress
First Counselor
Ian S. Ardern
President
Kazuhiko Yamashita
Second Counselor
Philippines
Steven R. Bangerter
First Counselor
Taniela B. Wakolo
President
Yoon H. Choi
Second Counselor
South America Northwest
Mathias Held
First Counselor
Jorge F. Zeballos
President
Jorge T. Becerra
Second Counselor
South America South
Allen D. Haynie
First Counselor
Benjamín De Hoyos
President
Juan Pablo Villar
Second Counselor

 

 

 

 

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