This is a list of notable people who are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In addition to living and deceased members, the list also includes notable former Seventh-day Adventists and those who were raised in the church, but did not become members.
Academia Niels-Erik Andreasen – former president at Andrews University and Walla Walla College; also former teacher at Pacific Union College and former dean of Loma Linda University School of Religion Delbert Baker – President of Adventist University of Africa Sidney Brownsberger (1845–1930) – educator and first president of Healdsburg College (1882–1886) Gary Chartier – American legal scholar; philosopher and author who is Associate Dean and Professor of Law and Business ethics at La Sierra University Eva Beatrice Dykes (1893–1986) – taught at Dunbar High School; Walden University; Howard University, and was chair of the English department and the Division of Humanities at Oakwood University Larry Geraty – archaeologist; 7th president of Atlantic Union College (1985–1993), and 2nd president of La Sierra University (1993–2007) Lilia Wahinemaikaʻi Hale (1913-2003) - Kanaka Maoli educator, musician and author Siegfried Horn (1908–1993) – German archaeologist; Bible scholar; author, and Professor of History of Antiquity and Dean of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Milton E. Kern (1875–1961) – President of Foreign Mission Seminary (1910–1914); Dean of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (1934–1943), and Chairperson of the Ellen G. White Estate (1944–1951) Heather Knight – 21st president of Pacific Union College (2009–2016) Dr. Norman Maphosa – Zimbabwean scholar, who is the former Vice Chancellor of Solusi University (1992–2011); former Zimsec board chairman and current Director General of Zimbabwe Institute of Public Management Malcolm Maxwell (1934–2007) – 19th president of Pacific Union College (1983–2001) and son of Arthur S. Maxwell Richard Osborn – 20th president of Pacific Union College (2001–2009); founder of the Association of Adventist Colleges and Universities; former principal of Takoma Academy; former Education director of Columbia Union Conference; former Vice-President for Education for the North American Division; former president of the Council for American Private Education; chairman of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities & Vice-President of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Leslie Pollard - African-american who is the 11th president of Oakwood University W. W. Prescott (1855–1944) – President of Battle Creek College (1885–1894); founded Union College and became the first president in 1891; became president of Walla Walla College in 1891; founded Avondale School for Christian Workers; editor of the Review and Herald, and vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day AdventistsWilliam Warren Prescott IMS Media Retrieved 5 March 2019 Denton E. Rebok (1897–1983) – taught at Washington Missionary College, La Sierra College; president of Southern Missionary College; Dean of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary; Chairperson of the Ellen G. White Estate (1952) and missionary to China Dr. Leona G. Running (1916–2014) – first female linguist and Bible scholar at Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (1955–2002) and first female president of the Chicago Society of Biblical Research (1981–1982) Homer Russell Salisbury (1870–1915) – American professor, minister and missionary who founded Duncombe Hall College, taught at Claremont Union College; also former president of the South England Conference and Indian Union Mission. Killed when the SS Persia was sunk by a German submarine, during World War I. John Luis Shaw (1870–1952) – educator; missionary and treasurer
Literature Anna L. Colcord (1864–1950) – American writer and editor Ray Garton – horror novelist raised Adventist; credits his interest in horror to a reaction to the beasts in Bible prophecy (see: Seventh-day Adventist eschatology)Quoted in See his article "When Adventists Riot!" in the same issue Hesba Fay Brinsmead (1922–2003) – children's author Nathan Brown – author and editor of Signs Publishing Company Candy Carson – African American author; philanthropist and wife of Ben Carson Diran Chrakian (1875–1921) – Armenian poet, writer, painter, teacher, and victim of the Armenian genocide Roswell F. Cottrell (1814–1892) – American writer; hymnist; poet; counselor, and preacher Clifford Goldstein – Jewish-American author and editor Arthur S. Maxwell (1896–1970) – known as Uncle Arthur, author of the Bedtime Stories series, and The Bible Story set of books, among 112 books Roger Morneau (1925–1998) – author on faith and prayer Christopher Mwashinga – author and poet, writes in English and Kiswahili Andrew Nelson (1893–1975) – missionary and linguist Cameron Slater – controversial blogger and editor of New Zealand Truth Annie R. Smith (1828–1855) – wrote 12 hymns and four poems Steven Spruill – novelistSpectrum 35:4 (Fall 2007). See his article "My Brothers and My Sisters" in that issue Standish brothers, Colin D. (1933–2018) and Russell R. (1933–2008) – identical twin authors
Movies, television, and radio Terry Benedict - American film producer who created The Conscientious Objector and co-produced Hacksaw Ridge about Desmond Doss Grigoriy Dobrygin – Russian film and theatre actor; director, and producer DeVon Franklin – American producer, author and motivational speaker Antoinette Hertsenberg – Dutch actress and TV presenter, wife of Niko Koffeman, a politician who belongs to Party for the Animals Darwood Kaye (1929–2002) – former Our Gang actor who spent his adult life as a pastor Cesar Montano – multi-awarded Filipino actor, film producer/director; game show host & singer; Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board (2016-2018) Cid Moreira (1927-2024) – Brazilian journalist and TV presenter Nǃxau ǂToma (1944–2003) – starred as a Kalahari Bushman in the films The Gods Must Be Crazy, The Gods Must Be Crazy 2, Crazy Safari, Crazy in Hong Kong, and The Gods Must Be Funny in China; converted in later lifeGod Isn’t Crazy, Signs of the Times"Reaching the Unreached by Sebastian Tirtirau and Dan Serb" by Sebastian Tirtirau. Michael Kunz's YouTube Channel Utica Queen – American drag queen and contestant on Rupaul's Drag Race
Painters, illustrators and sculptors Harry Anderson (1906–1996) – American painter and illustrator whose clients were American Airlines, The American Magazine, Buster Brown Shoes, Coca-Cola, Collier's, Cosmopolitan, Cream of Wheat, Esso, Ford, Good Housekeeping, Humble Oil, John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, Ladies' Home Journal, Massachusetts Mutual, Ovaltine, Redbook, Review and Herald Publishing Association, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Saturday Evening Post, Woman's Home Companion, and Wyeth; won many award's and also was elected to the Illustrators Hall of Fame in 1994 Luis Germán Cajiga – Puerto Rican painter, linocutter, and silk-screen printer Alan Collins (1928–2016) – American sculptor and art professor at Atlantic Union College (1968–1971), Andrews University (1971–1978) and La Sierra University (1978–1989) Greg Constantine – Canadian-American painter and illustrator and retired art professor at Andrews University Shirley Ardell Mason (1923–1998) – painter and art teacher who was known as Sybil and had Dissociative identity disorder
Singers, songwriters, musicians, and conductors Rose May Alaba - Austrian singer, songwriter, recording artist and sister of David Alaba Herbert Blomstedt – Swedish conductor for the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor for the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (1954–1962), conductor for the Oslo Philharmonic (1962–1968), conductor for the Staatskapelle Dresden (1975–1985), conductor for the Danish Radio Orchestra (1967–1977), music director for the San Francisco Symphony (1985–1995), music director for the NDR Symphony Orchestra (1996–1998), and music director for the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (1998–2005) Charmaine Carrasco - American Christian pop musician Committed – winner of the second season of NBC's The Sing-Off Del Delker (1924–2018) – American contralto sacred music female vocalist who sang on the Voice of Prophecy Roy Drusky (1930-2004) - American Country music singer, songwriter producer, actor and disc jockey Manuel Escórcio – South African tenor who sang for the Cape Town City Opera Anna German (1936–1982) – famous Polish singer Heritage Singers – American gospel group founded by Max and Lucy Mace Wayne Hooper (1920–2007) – Musical Director for Voice of Prophecy radio program; composer; baritone The Isley Brothers – Grammy Award-winning American musical group consisting of brothers Ron and Ernie Isley Iyaz – R&B singer, rapper and songwriter; born Keidran Jones of the Virgin Islands; grew up in the church and still attends from time to time King's Heralds – American male gospel music quartet Little Richard (1932–2020) – former singer-songwriter and musician of Rock and roll Sunny Liu (1924–1987) – minister and singing evangelist Joe Lutcher (1919–2006) – American R&B saxophonist and bandleader who abandoned his musical career and witnessed to Little Richard Hugh Martin (1914–2011) – American theater and film composer; also accompanist for Del Delker NOTA – winner of the first season of NBC's The Sing-Off Kevin Olusola – cellist and beatboxer, member of Grammy Award-winning a cappella group Pentatonix, winners of third season of NBC's The Sing-Of Wintley Phipps – singer, songwriter, ordained pastor Tyler Rand - American arts executive Salt – American rapper & songwriter who was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church on a mission trip in Ethiopia with Oakwood College. Take 6 – American a cappella gospel music sextet Rozonda Thomas – singer-songwriter; dancer; actress; television personality and model Sverre Valen (1925–2023) – Norwegian choir conductor Davido – Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer; his father Adedeji Adeleke, Nigerian Billionaire, business magnate, founder and president of Adeleke University is a devout Seventh-Day Adventist
Business E. G. Fulton (1867–1949) – Canadian-American businessperson and writer Will Keith Kellogg (1860–1951) – American industrialist who was the co-inventor of cornflakes with brother John Harvey Kellogg; philanthropist who founded the Fellowship Corporation, The Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, Child Welfare Foundation, W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center, and Ann J. Kellogg School Almeda Lambert – American cookbook writer and businessperson Eric Rajah - Co-founder of A Better World Dale E. Twomley – American businessman, former president of Worthington Foods, educator and author
Law James Alexander Chiles (1860–1930) – African American lawyer who argued at the Supreme Court against Chesapeake and Ohio Railway for desegregation of railroad coaches Daniel Nsereko – International Criminal Court judge
Pioneers J. N. Andrews (1829–1883) – first Seventh-day Adventist missionary; minister; writer; editor of the Adventist Review and 3rd President of the General Conference of Seventh-day AdventistsJ. N. Andrews Biography Ellen G. White Estate Retrieved 9 October 2018 Joseph Bates (1792–1872) – seaman; founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; wrote a tract on the seventh-day Sabbath which convinced James and Ellen White to start observing it, and minister Goodloe Harper Bell (1832–1899) – teacher at first Seventh-day Adventist school Hiram Edson (1806–1882) – evangelist who introduced sanctuary doctrine and started first Seventh-day Adventist press