Parenting Conference 2018

Ashley writes and speaks widely about religion, feminism and politics. She is the author of "Sex Scandal: The Drive to Abolish Male and Female". Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, TIME, and USA TODAY, among others. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband Brian and three children.

Tom and Amy Spence live in McLean and have 10 children and two grandchildren. After serving as President of Spence Publishing in Dallas for many years, Tom moved with his family to Virginia some 5 years ago to take up the position of Senior Editor at Regnery Publishing. "Family life can be exasperatingly crowded, rowdy and unfair, but somehow it works out with self-giving love - not a bad preparation for the big wide world."

Chris Ullman is four time national and international whistling grand champion. He has performed with orchestras, for Presidents, at major sporting events and on The Tonight Show. His repertoire includes classical, blues, jazz, Broadway, rock and patriotic songs. Annually he serenades more than 500 people on their birthdays. In June 2017, Chris published "Find Your Whistle: Simple Gifts Tough Hearts and Change Lives", and in 2012 he was inducted into the International Whistling Hall of Fame. By day he is a Director of Global Communications at The Carlyle Group.

In their bestselling book, "The Temperament God Gave You", authors Art and Laraine Bennett re-introduced the age-old concept of the four classic temperaments, and showed how to use them to understand yourself, get along with others, and grow closer to God. Now they're back with more temperament wisdom, designed specially for couples and guaranteed to improve your marital communication, intimacy, and happiness: "The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse". ln no other kind of human relalionship is knowledge of the temperaments - the fundamental personality traits that affect the way we respond to the world around us - so critical and so fruitful for a Christian marriage. For it's only through mutual understanding of our own patterns of reaction, and those of our spouse, that we can love each other with the selfless patience to which Christ calls us in the sacrament.

Dr. Gress has lived and worked professionally in Washington D.C. and Rome, Italy and her work has been translated into eight languages. She is the author of "Nudging Conversions: A Practical Guide to Bringing Those You Love Back to the Church", "Ultimate Makeover: The Transforming Power of Motherhood" and co-author with George Wigel of "City of Saints: A Pilgrim's Guide to John Paul II's Krakow". Her latest book, "The Marian Option: God's Solution to a Civilization in Crisis", was released May 2017. A homeschooling mother of four, Dr. Gress and her family live in Virginia.

Father Halhaway is the pastor of St. Mary's church in Alexandria. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 18, 1991, by Arlinglon Bishop John R. Keating. His first assignment was as parochial vicar of St. Michael's Church in Annandale, then as parochial vicar of St. Andrew the Apostle in Clifton to 1999 and at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington to 2000. He served as pastor of St. John the Beloved Church in McLean to 2005, at St. John the Baptist Church in Front Royal to 2007, and then at St. Veronica Church in Chantilly until 2015.