WithIt, WMC set educational, mentoring events for Las Vegas Market

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, January 6, 2012

LAS VEGAS — WithIt and the World Market Center will provide an educational seminar and a mentoring session to foster leadership development during the Las Vegas Market, Jan. 30-Feb. 3.

Both events are designed to benefit all home furnishings professionals, including interior designers, and students pursuing careers in design.

"Influential Women in the Home & Design Industry," a panel discussion, will be held Monday, Jan. 30, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Building B, 16th Floor, World Forum. Panelists will include Kelli Ellis, celebrity interior designer and TV host; Kiersten Hathcock, Mod Mom Furniture owner and product designer; Lori Dennis, interior designer and sustainability expert; and WithIt President Julia Rosien, social marketing strategist, SocialNorth.com.

WithIt Regional Vice President Kassie Smith of Kassie Smith Lifestyle Group will moderate the discussion, which will cover topics such as social media marketing, the emergence of sustainability in design and mid-life career changes.

"This is the type of event that every attendee, no matter what his or her role in the home furnishings industry, will walk away with new business insights and implementable strategies," Smith said.

WithIt and the WMC also will host a half-day networking event called Energize starting at 8 a.m. in Building C, suite 344, on Wednesday, Feb. 1. The event will connect successful female professionals and students and will feature showroom tours, topical roundtable discussions led by WithIt board members, and networking opportunities.

"This session is perfect for all women who are interested in excelling within one of the many exciting areas of the home furnishings industry, said Lorri Kelley, WithIt vice president of mentoring and vice president of sales for Palliser. "We are reaching out to all women, including students, to introduce them to a new career, or simply to inspire them to be better at what they do now."

Las Vegas Market showroom tours will follow brief introductions. Roundtable discussions start at 10 a.m.

Both events are free to registered market attendees, but registration is required for the Energize networking event by visiting withit.org.