Mastermind Membership
Annual membership for HR leaders seeking curated monthly discussions with peers in similar organizations, supporting leadership development, professional connection, and ongoing problem-solving.
Advance your HR career with People Leader Accelerator’s HR Fellowship Program for Professionals, built for people leaders who want stronger strategic judgment, executive presence, and business impact. Learn from seasoned HR operators, executive coaches, and academics through practical frameworks, peer connection, mentoring, and resources designed for real organizational challenges—not theory disconnected from the work.
Flexible development options for HR professionals seeking mentoring, peer learning, retreats, and strategic tools.
Annual membership for HR leaders seeking curated monthly discussions with peers in similar organizations, supporting leadership development, professional connection, and ongoing problem-solving.
A special annual membership for recent PLA graduates, offering continued access to facilitated peer discussions and community support after completing a PLA experience.
A 1:1 advisory relationship for HR leaders moving into broader scope, higher visibility, or top-of-function roles where judgment and presence matter.
An annual leadership development retreat designed for professional growth through values exploration, structured reflection, panel discussions, networking meals, and intention-setting.
A multi-month leadership development engagement built to help leadership teams strengthen alignment, execution, and readiness through ongoing development activities.
A free downloadable package with seven strategic HR resources, including planning templates, stakeholder analysis, prioritization tools, and strategic HR leadership frameworks.
Begin by clarifying your current HR scope, career stage, organizational context, and development goals. This helps align the right PLA experience, whether you need mentoring, peer community, strategic frameworks, or a more immersive leadership development path.
Professionals use People Leader Accelerator to strengthen strategy, confidence, and impact in demanding HR leadership roles.
"I left the PLA program with several key takeaways. First, the value of making time for your own thoughts. This program was great for structured reflection. Second, don't over-engineer things, especially in growth companies. And finally, my biggest 'takeaway' from the PLA was really the new relationships. I've already found..."
"PLA offers a truly unique learning experience through its emphasis on reflection and practical application. Each week dives into a new People topic, with assignments designed to encourage deep reflection on how you've applied key concepts and how you'll implement them going forward. The assignments are incredibly practical and I..."
"Every week I look forward to the PLA meetings and even get excited about the homework because I know the readings will provide valuable information to reflect on. What I have learned in PLA has helped build my confidence. It is not just the knowledge I've gained, but the connections..."
"I left the PLA program with several key takeaways. First, the value of making time for your own thoughts. This program was great for structured reflection. Second, don't over-engineer things, especially in growth companies. And finally, my biggest 'takeaway' from the PLA was really the new relationships. I've already found..."
"PLA offers a truly unique learning experience through its emphasis on reflection and practical application. Each week dives into a new People topic, with assignments designed to encourage deep reflection on how you've applied key concepts and how you'll implement them going forward. The assignments are incredibly practical and I..."
"Every week I look forward to the PLA meetings and even get excited about the homework because I know the readings will provide valuable information to reflect on. What I have learned in PLA has helped build my confidence. It is not just the knowledge I've gained, but the connections..."
"I left the PLA program with several key takeaways. First, the value of making time for your own thoughts. This program was great for structured reflection. Second, don't over-engineer things, especially in growth companies. And finally, my biggest 'takeaway' from the PLA was really the new relationships. I've already found..."
"PLA offers a truly unique learning experience through its emphasis on reflection and practical application. Each week dives into a new People topic, with assignments designed to encourage deep reflection on how you've applied key concepts and how you'll implement them going forward. The assignments are incredibly practical and I..."
"Every week I look forward to the PLA meetings and even get excited about the homework because I know the readings will provide valuable information to reflect on. What I have learned in PLA has helped build my confidence. It is not just the knowledge I've gained, but the connections..."
People Leader Accelerator blends expert instruction, practical resources, and community for serious HR professionals.
Faculty bring 25–30+ years of real-world HR, talent, and leadership experience.
Programs emphasize usable frameworks for high-growth, start-up, and scale-up people challenges.
Participants gain access to peers, alumni, and facilitated groups for ongoing development.
Certified coaches and HR experts support stronger judgment, presence, and decision quality.
Learn from experienced HR operators, coaches, and academics.
Core Faculty – HR & Talent Leadership
Andrew Bartlow is a Core Faculty member at People Leader Accelerator, specializing in HR and Talent Leadership with 25 years of deep practitioner experience. He is co-author of 'Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High Growth Organizations' and holds prestigious certifications including CECP, SPHR, Six Sigma, and Executive Coaching. Andrew brings a unique blend of academic rigor and real-world application to his teaching, having served as a private equity operating partner, venture advisor, and HR mentor. His curriculum equips HR and people leaders with strategic frameworks to drive organizational success in high-growth environments. Andrew is dedicated to bridging the gap between operational HR and strategic business partnership for professionals across the United States.
Core Faculty – People Operations & Executive Coaching
Marie Szuts serves as Core Faculty at People Leader Accelerator, focusing on People Operations and Executive Coaching. She brings firsthand experience leading the people function at high-growth tech organizations, including Figma, where she developed scalable HR strategies during periods of rapid expansion. Marie holds a BA and MA from Yale University and is a certified Executive Coach through the prestigious Hudson Institute. She also advises people leader networks, venture capital firms, and companies navigating growth challenges. Her practical, experience-driven approach helps HR professionals elevate their strategic impact and build resilient people operations within dynamic organizations across the United States.
Core Faculty – Management & Human Resources Academic
Brad Harris, Ph.D. is a Core Faculty member at People Leader Accelerator, bringing academic excellence and real-world management expertise to HR and people leaders. He serves as Associate Dean of MBA Programs and Professor of Management and Human Resources at HEC Paris, and is an affiliated professor at the University of Illinois. Brad is co-author of 'Scaling for Success' and '3D Team Leadership,' with research published in leading academic journals. He holds a Ph.D. in Management from Texas A&M University and an Executive Coaching Diploma from Emory University. Recognized as a top '40 Under 40 Business School Professor' by Poets and Quants, Brad is committed to equipping leaders with evidence-based frameworks for organizational success.
Core Faculty – HR Leadership & Executive Coaching
Carmela Krantz is a Core Faculty member at People Leader Accelerator, specializing in HR Leadership and Executive Coaching with an impressive 30 years of experience building and leading HR functions in rapidly growing businesses. A trailblazer in her field, Carmela has served as the first VP of HR at nine companies, including six start-ups, giving her unparalleled insight into the unique challenges of scaling people operations from the ground up. She is a certified executive coach and the founder of WOVEN. Carmela's practical wisdom and passion for developing HR leaders make her an invaluable resource for professionals seeking to accelerate their strategic impact within high-growth and entrepreneurial organizations across the United States.
The HR Fellowship Program for Professionals is designed to help HR and people leaders operate more strategically. Through expert-led development, practical frameworks, peer learning, and mentoring-oriented support, participants strengthen decision quality, business alignment, executive presence, and their ability to lead people strategy in high-growth or complex organizations.
Connect with People Leader Accelerator to explore the right fit.
Recognized excellence in management education.
Advanced executive compensation expertise.
Senior-level HR professional certification.
Share your goals, current HR scope, and development priorities so the People Leader Accelerator team can recommend the right program, membership, or advisory path.
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