Russ has worked in the financial services industry since 1980. He is a Senior Wealth Advisor and Managing Director for Mariner Wealth advisors, and holds several professional designations, earning his Juris doctor degree from Ventura College of Law in 2003. He was admitted to the California Bar in 2004. He is the founder of Channel Islands Law Group in Ventura.
Russ volunteers his professional services to several non-profit organizations, including having served as president of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation board. He is president of the Worldwide Civility Council. He also previously served as a director on the board of The Midnight Mission and is active in Temple Beth Torah in Ventura, having served as its president. He volunteers for Channel Islands Restoration and served as treasurer for the Conflict Resolution Institute of Ventura County. He served as Grand Master of Masons of California in 2014/15, serving more than 50,000 members. Along with co-author Michael Ashley, he wrote The Civility Mosaic: How Anyone Can Use the Principles of Freemasonry to Repair Our World.

Russ lives in Ventura with his wife, Linda. He has a daughter, Alissa; son and daughter-in-law, Keith and Kendall; and grandsons, Tanner and Hudson.