Wondrous Women of Christmas & Mr. Ambassadors

If ever there was a man born to be Santa Claus, it is Phillip L. Wenz. As a four-year-old child, he donned his first Santa

outfit. By the time he was fourteen, he was in his first parade and at the ripe old age of twenty-three, he became the

year-round Santa Claus for the iconic Santa’s Village Theme Park in Dundee, Illinois. It is an association he has now had

for over 35 years. He is the longest tenured Santa in the park’s sixty-five plus-year history and is one of the very few true

full-time year around professional Santas in history. He appears in costume at the park and at special events over 200-

plus days a year. (Note: He retired from the park at the end of December 2024 at the age of sixty-two.)

Wenz has appeared in over 65 Christmas Parades including the nationally televised parades in Chicago, Illinois and

Houston, Texas. He has been Santa on numerous TV shows, billboards, commercials, and magazine covers, along with

appearing at some of the nation’s largest corporate and civic holiday events, including emceeing the Christmas Tree

Lighting ceremonies in both Chicago and Houston. As Santa he has been given the title of "Chicago's Very Own" by WGN-

TV, awarded the 1994 Brass Ring Award for Best Theme Park Commercial by the International Association of

Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), and received the "Hats Off 2 Houston" award from KPRC-TV in Houston. In

2012 he was presented the “Spirit of St. Nicholas” award from the St. Nicholas Institute in Detroit, Michigan.

His resume also includes work in Santa Claus, Indiana at the historic Candy Castle, consulting on Christmas programs,

and being a published author. He is considered a leading authority and historian on the Santa Claus legend, history, and

folklore. Wenz is, bar none, one of the most experienced Santas ever and is the creator of the Santa Claus Oath, which is

widely accepted by nearly every Santa portrayer across the globe.

In December 2010, Wenz was bestowed with the highest honor a Santa Claus can receive, enshrinement as a charter

member into the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame in Santa Claus, Indiana. Of the original fourteen honorees,

including the first department store Santa and several men born in the 19th century, Wenz was the first living Santa to

be inducted. He was also recognized by his peers from the Santa Claus Community in March 2013 by receiving the first

ever “Legendary Santa Claus” award.

Phillip L. Wenz retired from all performing as the character completely in January 2025, but he continues to work and

engage with his business partners and connections including the Christmas Entertainers Community.

Performance Training * Speaker 

Cat Ellen first took to the stage at age 4 and has been living backstage and onstage ever since. First taught to read to help her mom run lines for stage, training as an instrumentalist, singer, and dancer through all her school years, and then spending a decade as a professional dance instructor, Cat has been thinking about incremental improvement her whole life. 

Together with Santa True, she is the co-founder of Christmas Performer Workshops and she is the driving force behind the instructional design and publications. Cat is fiercely committed to enabling adult learners to embrace their existing experience and channel it into the training techniques designed to create the performing magic of their dreams. 

Michelle Smith donned her first set of 'elf ears' back in 2019 to join her father-in-law—a Santa with over 25-years of experience in Michigan. From that one moment, little did she know what started as a simple sit-in, would be the conception of Minty the Elf. Since then, Michelle has continued to grow and shape Minty's whimsical character alongside her real-life partner, Santa

(Paul) Smith. Together, they’ve immersed themselves in the Christmas performance world, attending multiple national Santa schools to refine their craft and build lasting connections within the Santa community.

Michelle is a ‘seasoned’ marketing and advertising professional who brings her expertise to the North Pole. She leads the development of Santa Smith & Minty’s digital presence, including the website and social media, and designs targeted email campaigns that help build brand

awareness and foster customer engagement—all with just the right touch of holiday spirit.

She's also playing a key role in the launch of The Sleigh Society (announcement coming soon!) and is an active team member of The Wondrous Women of Christmas. Michelle is passionate about spreading Christmas cheer and helping elevate the artistry of all Christmas characters—with a giggle, a sparkle, and just a hint of peppermint sass.

Registration - Workshop Presenter - Mrs. Claus Pledge  - Founding Member of the Mrs. Claus Commission

Trish has portrayed Mrs. Claus for 30 + years alongside her Santa (Dale Parris). They​​ work mostly as a team and being Mrs. Claus has been a great life experience.  Dale and Trish are both retired US Marines and he is retired from the US Federal Government as well.

Trish has worked in the local school system, volunteered at school and church, run a private business (or two) and assisted with multiple major “Santa” conventions as a volunteer, board member and co-director.  Retiring after 20 years in the Marine Corps has given her the opportunity to put her organizational skills to work doing what she loves.  

Trish is the Co-Director for Santa Family Reunion. And has been involved with the event since the beginning.

For the past 19 years, Cynthia has had the joy of bringing Mrs Claus to life—both as a solo performer and alongside Santa. With a background as a professional clown and face painter, Cynthia adds extra sparkle, laughter, and creativity to every event. 

Beyond the holiday season, Cynthia’s years of experience working with children of all abilities, including those with disabilities, have shaped her approach with patience, compassion, and joy. Whether she is telling a story, painting a smile, or sharing Mrs. Claus’s gentle warmth, Cynthia creates memorable, inclusive experiences that make every child feel special.