WithIt Announces 2020 Board of Directors
Furniture World News Desk on
1/17/2020
WithIt, the women’s leadership development network serving the home and furnishings industries, has named its 2020 Board of Directors.
Lorri Kelley was announced 2020 President. Lorri is president of Lorri Kelley Advisors, a business consulting firm to the home furnishings industry. In addition, several new vice presidents join the board of directors: Bonnie Wallace, IHFRA; Deena Gardner, Reverie; Jessica Smithson, The Dufresne Group; Rene Johnston, Profitability Consulting Group; Cathy Valent, CeCe Design Group; and Lori Dolnick, Frank Advertising.
The 2020 WithIt Board of Directors includes:
WithIt Chair: Lark Shirley-Stevens, Furniture First
President: Lorri Kelley, Lorri Kelley Advisors
First Vice President/President-Elect: Kayla Wallace, FurnitureDealer.net
Second Vice President: Renee Loper-Boyd, International Market Centers
Treasurer: Jamie White, Fairfield Chair
Secretary: Bonnie Wallace, IHFRA
Vice Presidents and Committee Chairs are:
Membership: Deena Gardner, Reverie
Marketing: Jessica Smithson, The Dufresne Group
Professional Development: Rene Johnston-Gingrich, Profitability Consulting Group
Business Development: Carolyn Crowley, Myriad Software
Scholarship: Emily Severson, A.R.T. Furniture
Events: Cathy Valent, CeCe Design Group
Connections: Tori Evans, endygo
Technology: Lori Dolnick, Frank Advertising
Emerging Leaders: Victoria Valentinas, Bernhardt
Networking: Abby Lane, Redhead Furniture Design
Supplier/Design: Maria Killam, Maria Killam Colour and Design
“2020 marks my 18th year as a member of WithIt. It has been such a significant part of my life, and the benefits I have realized, both professionally and personally, are simply amazing,” says Lorri Kelley. “The network I enjoy now is completely intertwined to the exceptional women and men I have had the pleasure of serving with as a member of this organization.”
“As we look to this New Year, our focus will be on increasing our engagement with each other. We also must remain relevant and current in how we interact and network with each other. To do that successfully, our various social platforms must be interactive, informative, intuitive and simple to use. This requires a commitment to investing both time and money as we Evolve in how we effectively connect with our members, our corporate sponsors and our industry as a whole. It is an awesome time to be a part of WithIt and I am so honored to serve as President!” says Kelley.
WithIt has a full slate of networking and educational events planned for High Point and Las Vegas Markets, including the popular Education Breakfast and a New York Design Tour. The Annual Professional Conference, with the theme “Leading with 2020 Vision”, will be June 24-26 at The Westin in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia and will highlight leadership education and professional development.
WithIt also recognizes that the home furnishings industry is a multi-national professional network with representation from countries outside of the U.S. Today, there are WithIt members and sponsors from Canada who continue to support and attend the annual events. This was the catalyst for the formation of a Canadian chapter whose focus is to build on existing and create new relationships with Canadian professionals and organizations. Guests are welcome to join this group for networking during the Las Vegas Market on Sunday, January 26th at 5pm.
You can find a complete calendar of events at withit.org.
In addition, WithIt will again offer scholarships to both students and women in the industry who are pursuing degrees or advanced degrees. You can find applications and deadlines at withit.org. You may also contact Amy Van Dorp, Executive Director, for more information at director@withit.org.
About WithIt: WithIt was formed in 1997 for women in the home and furnishings industries in order to support their multi-dimensional career paths. The non-profit network is based in North Carolina and supported by leading companies across the industry including their Vision and Platinum sponsors: International Market Centers, Myriad Software and Ekornes. WithIt’s purpose is to encourage and develop leadership, mentoring, education and networking opportunities for professional women in the home and furnishings industries.