PLA Propel Retreat
An annual leadership retreat focused on professional growth, values exploration, reflection, panel discussion, networking meals, and intention-setting for HR and people leaders.
Advance your HR leadership through an annual retreat experience, expert-led professional development, and a practical peer community built for people leaders. People Leader Accelerator combines strategic frameworks, live facilitation, mentoring, and field-tested tools to help HR professionals strengthen decision-making, expand executive influence, and lead people priorities with greater confidence.
Focused development experiences for HR leaders seeking stronger strategy, judgment, influence, and peer connection.
An annual leadership retreat focused on professional growth, values exploration, reflection, panel discussion, networking meals, and intention-setting for HR and people leaders.
A curated annual peer community offering facilitated monthly discussions for HR leaders in similar organizations, supporting professional development, connection, and continued leadership growth.
Selective 1:1 mentoring for HR leaders stepping into broader scope, increased visibility, or first-time top-of-function roles, with emphasis on judgment and presence.
People Leader Accelerator helps HR professionals move beyond day-to-day execution into strategic leadership. Through its annual retreat, mastermind community, mentoring, and long-form development programs, participants gain frameworks, peer perspective, and expert guidance from faculty with decades of real-world HR, talent, executive coaching, and academic experience.
HR leaders grow through expert guidance, practical frameworks, and a strong professional peer community.
"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 combines expert instruction, practical tools, and peer learning for serious HR leaders.
Faculty bring 25–30+ years of HR, talent, coaching, and leadership experience.
Programs emphasize immediately usable frameworks for strategy, analytics, culture, compensation, and onboarding.
Mastermind groups and alumni connections create meaningful peer learning beyond a single event.
Development focuses on judgment, executive presence, business alignment, and high-stakes decision quality.
Learn from seasoned HR practitioners, 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.
IPMA-HR stands for the International Public Management Association for Human Resources. It is a professional association focused on public sector HR, including workforce policy, talent management, compliance, and professional development. While People Leader Accelerator is not IPMA-HR, both serve HR professionals seeking stronger leadership capability, strategic influence, and practical tools for people leadership.
Connect with People Leader Accelerator for guidance on the right fit.
Recognized academic leadership excellence
Executive compensation expertise on faculty
Senior HR certification held by faculty
Share your goals, team context, or retreat questions, and People Leader Accelerator will help identify the right development path.
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To help us assist you faster, please include the reason for your message so the relevant team can reach out as soon as possible.