WithIt Announces Speaker Lineup for ‘Forging Strong Leaders’ Conference 

WithIt has announced the full speaker lineup and program details for its 2026 Professional Conference. The event takes place Aug. 12-14 at the InterContinental Hotel Kansas City with the theme “Forging Strong Leaders” guiding three days of programming built around connection, skill development and effective leadership.

•  Mary Messner, a TEDx presenter, author and strategic advisor, opens the conference with “The Leader Who Thinks Differently: Creativity as a Daily Practice for People, Performance, and Purpose.” Messner is the creator of the Help Me Think Through This™ method and The Highline Framework, tools she developed to help leaders cut through noise and move stalled conversations forward. Her keynote frames creativity as a daily leadership practice rather than a one-time exercise, challenging audiences to recognize inherited thinking patterns and build new ones.
• Clarence H. Smith, executive chairman of Havertys Furniture Companies, Inc., delivers “Reflections on a Career with Purpose.” Smith has spent more than 52 years with Havertys, serving as both president and CEO. He led the company’s transformation into a specialty branded retailer and guided its growth to more than 129 stores across 17 states.
• Lorri Kelley, CEO and founder of Lorri Kelley Advisors, presents “T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N.: Methods for Business Mastery,” a session on execution, daily discipline and building a thriving company culture. Kelley also leads a pre-conference workshop on the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment.
• Velera Wilson, a global speaker, author and founder of Positive Identity, closes the keynote slate with “Braving Change: Resilient Through Disruption.” Wilson draws on more than 20 years of leadership experience, including roles at AT&T and Fiserv, and is the author of the award-winning book “You’re Absolutely Worth It.”

The conference program also includes two panel discussions, “Prevent the Career Plateau” and “The Other Glass Ceiling,” along with a round table on artificial intelligence titled “IRL (In-Real-Life) AI,” addressing leadership, authenticity, boundaries and productivity pressure in the AI era. Breakout sessions include tracks for retailers, marketing professionals and team builders.

“All our programming decisions have been made with our attendees in mind,” said Paris Gholston of the Mattress Recycling Council and conference co-chair. “The committee has put deep thought into selecting topics that will educate, inspire and challenge professionals from the entire industry. We hope everyone leaves feeling refreshed, connected and better equipped to make an impact in their roles.”

Registration is open at withit.org/event/2026-professional-conference.