As the president of WithIt for 2025, Cathy Valent has been instrumental in the association’s new internship programming while also focusing on expanding national reach and corporate engagement across key markets including High Point, Las Vegas and Dallas. “After joining the industry more than 15 years ago, I quickly became engaged with WithIt, the women’s leadership development network for the home and furnishings industries,” Valent said. “Over the years, I’ve held multiple committee and board positions — including events, conference and design tours.” She is also vice president of sales at Springs Digital, a digital printing company that serves the furniture industry. The company offers a model based on the Baxter Mill Archives, a design resource that houses more than a million documents. During the past five years at the helm of the sales team, Valent played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s reach and capabilities. After starting her career in New York’s apparel industry, she moved south to join Burlington Industries in Greensboro, N.C. and later founded Cece Design Group, which worked in color and product development for the home textile industry. In addition to her career, Valent has been a board member for more than 10 years with Earlier.org – Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test, a nonprofit committed to funding research for a biological test for earlier breast cancer detection, which has raised more than $5 million toward its mission.
