Our Board

Phyllis J. Scalf #98855, President

Phyllis “Phyl” Scalf is an approved AKC Junior Showmanship judge and serves as President and CEO of Arizona Dog Judges Education, Inc. A member of the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States (RRCUS) and a member of the Tibetan Spaniel Club of America, she is an American Kennel Club Breeder of Merit of Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Tibetan Spaniels. She serves on the RRCUS Education Committee and is a parent club approved mentor and presenter. She has served on the Board of Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue, Inc. She is a charter member of the Arizona Rhodesian Ridgeback Club and currently serves as its Education Coordinator and 2023 Specialty Chair.

Her experience in all-breed kennel clubs includes membership in the Lost Dutchman Kennel Club (Apache Junction, Arizona) and Superstition Kennel Club (Mesa, Arizona). She is the Treasurer for the Lost Dutchman Kennel Club and, since joining in 1992, has served the organization in multiple capacities including Show Chair and Education Committee Chair. She has spearheaded program development in the partnership between Sahuaro State Kennel Club and Lost Dutchman Kennel Club to expand children’s programs and a community-based education program to introduce second graders to the concept of responsible dog ownership. As a member of Superstition Kennel Club, she serves on the Pee Wee Committee and has served on the Nominating Committee.

In her professional career, Phyl worked in the nonprofit sector in positions ranging from program development and chief executive officer on a local level to management consultant with a national nonprofit membership organization. Her career experience and volunteer work with nonprofits includes developing and conducting volunteer selection and training programs, managing programs such as childcare, summer camps for children, senior services such as home delivered meals, domestic violence shelters, and job training for displaced women. She has planned and implemented community relations strategies to promote programs and written grant proposals that resulted in funding for nonprofit programs from federal, state and foundation sources.  She conducted accreditation reviews of local chapters for a national nonprofit. She served as a volunteer mediator with the Arizona Attorneys General for several years and was part of the launch of the program.

She holds a Master of Science in Educational Psychology with an undergraduate degree in Teaching Psychology and Sociology.

 

Claire “Kitty” Steidel #4371, Vice-president

Claire “Kitty” Steidel is a breeder of Basset Hounds and Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens (PBGV), a multiple group judge, a published author and the co-founder (with Lila Wadsworth) of Scottsdale Dog Judges Workshop. In 1968, she began her journey in the dog fancy with exhibiting Basset Hounds and later obtained her first PBGV with the breed’s introduction to the United States in 1983.  She is an AKC approved judge of the Sporting, Hound, and Toy Groups, Junior Showmanship, Miscellaneous, and Best in Show.  She has judged nationally and internationally for over 30 years and has traveled to Argentina, Australia, Denmark, England, New Zealand, and Switzerland to judge.

A past AKC Gazette columnist for the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen Club of America (PBGVCA), she has served the organization as Judges Education Coordinator beginning with the club’s founding in 1984.  She has presented PBGV AKC Sanctioned Judges Education Seminars and Workshops at 

multiple venues across the United States.  She represented the Channel City Kennel Club (Santa Barbara, California) as AKC Delegate for 14 years and served as a member of the Board of the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen Club of America. In co-founding and managing the Scottsdale Dog Judges Workshop (SDJW), she hosted AKC Sanctioned Judges Education Seminars and Workshops for decades. In 2017, she dissolved SDJW and rebranded it as the Arizona Dog Judges Education, Inc. a nonprofit organization she co-founded. 

In 1987, she wrote Understanding the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen  (Orient) which was nominated for best breed book by the Dog Writers Association of America. It was the first book written in any language devoted exclusively to the PBGV.  As an author she wrote a scent hound column for Sight and Scent. 

Kitty is a graduate of Wells College in Aurora, New York with a major in English. She holds a Masters degree from Cornell University and is a former teacher.

 

Robert “Bob” Robinson #6039, Secretary/Treasurer

Robert “Bob” Robinson began his AKC judging career in 1994 and is approved by AKC to judge Sporting, Hound, Working, and Herding Groups, Junior Showmanship, and Best in Show. In addition, he is approved to judge for the United Kennel Club, American Rare Breeds Association, and the Australian Shepherd Club of America. He is a co-founder of Arizona Dog Judges Education, Inc.

An AKC Breeder of Merit, Bob has bred approximately fifty breeder-owner handled champions of record including National Specialty winners, and Hunt Test and Field Trial qualifiers. He attends Lure Coursing, Herding Trials, Coonhound Night Hunts, Obedience, and Agility Trials, as well as Hunt Tests and Field Trials.

Bob is a parent club approved Irish setter mentor and has presented a number of parent club sanctioned judges seminars as well as mentored aspiring judges. He was President of the Irish Setter Club of America from 2004 through 2008 and also served the organization as Past President (2009) and National Specialty Show Chair (2008).

He is a member of the Dog Judges Association of America, and the American Dog Judges Association. He is a founding member and President of the Sporting Dog Association of Arizona, Treasurer of the Working Dog Club of Arizona, and a founding director of Arizona Dog Judges Education, Inc.  He was instrumental in developing the organization’s Basic Documents and in submitting applications for incorporation and later status as a public charity. He has served six terms as the President of the Irish Setter Club of Arizona, one term as a director and member of the Irish Setter Club of Greater Tucson, and as both President and Treasurer of Sahuaro State Kennel Club (Phoenix, Arizona). He was instrumental in reestablishing the Irish Setter Club of America Foundation and served as its Chairman and Secretary/Treasurer.

 

Beverly R. Andersen #66209, Advisor

Beverly Andersen began showing Gordon Setters in American Kennel Club conformation events in 1974 but her love of purebred dogs began with the ownership of a purebred Pug when she was  8-years-old. 

When she was 10-years-old, she fell in love with her neighbor’s Gordon Setter which ultimately led to owning and exhibiting all four Setter breeds plus English Cockers, Smooth Fox Terriers and Russell Terriers. She has bred Gordon Setters, English Cocker Spaniels and Smooths Fox Terriers. She currently judges three AKC Groups plus Best in Show and All-Breed Juniors. Beverly and her spouse, Gary Andersen, were instrumental in forming the Sporting Dog Association of Arizona.  She has taught handling classes and agility.

A member of the Board of Directors of the Irish Red and White Setter Association of America for six years, she served on the Standard Revision Committee and developed a power point presentation for the Irish Red and White Setter. This presentation is used as an adjunct to the club’s judges education Standard Presentation. As Co-Chair of the Club’s Judges Education Committee, she has presented AKC parent club approved Seminars and Workshops on the breed as well as Comparison Seminars for all four of the Setter breeds. She has served as a mentor for all four of the Setter breeds, English Cockers Spaniels and Smooth Fox Terriers. Beverly also is a parent club approved mentor and presenter for the Gordon Setter Club of America.

 

Gary Andersen #6176, Advisor

Gary Andersen began showing Gordon Setters in American Kennel Club conformation events in 1974 and has exhibited English Cocker Spaniels, Irish Setters and English Setters. He bred Gordon Setters and English Cocker Spaniels. He currently judges five AKC Groups plus Best in Show and All-Breed Juniors.  He serves as co-chair of the Judges Education Committee for both the Gordon Setter Club of American and Irish Red and White Setter Association of America.

He served for 10 years on the National Board of the Gordon Setter Club of America and was appointed Judge’s Education Coordinator in 2011. During his tenure on the Board he revised the Illustrated Standard.  He has served as the Co-chair of the Judge’s Education Committee for the Irish Red and White Setters since 2014. A member of Scottsdale Dog Fanciers for 35 years, he served as president and additionally as vice-president, treasure and board member over the years. He is currently the All-Breed club’s past-president.  A founding member of the Sporting Dog Association of Arizona, he currently serves as Past-President and Show Chair for the Group Club.

Andersen received his AKC Judging approval in 1993 and was initially approved for Irish, English and Gordon Setters, English Cockers and All-Breed Junior Showmanship.  He is currently approved to judge the Sporting Group, Hound Group, Working Group, Toy Group, Non Sporting Group, 17 Terriers, 2 Herding Breeds, Miscellaneous Breeds and Best in Show.  He has judged in Australia, China, Columbia, Ireland, Mexico, South Korea and Canada. He has also been judging for UKC for 9 years and IABCA for 10 years.