Leadership Journey
A selective 24-month leadership development engagement with eight structured activities designed to strengthen leadership teams through continuous, practical development.
Leadership Breakthrough — Executive Coaching & Development helps HR executives, people leaders, and senior teams strengthen judgment, presence, and strategic impact. Through expert coaching, organizational assessment, decision support, and leadership development experiences, People Leader Accelerator equips leaders to navigate complex business consequences, align people priorities with growth goals, and lead with greater clarity and confidence.
Customized coaching, assessment, peer learning, and development experiences for strategic HR and people leaders.
A selective 24-month leadership development engagement with eight structured activities designed to strengthen leadership teams through continuous, practical development.
One-on-one mentoring for HR leaders stepping into broader scope, increased visibility, or first-time top-of-function roles where judgment and presence matter.
A comprehensive assessment using custom 360 surveys, stakeholder interviews, and team effectiveness tools to identify leadership improvement actions.
Targeted advisory support for complex leadership decisions, including readiness, execution risk, and keep, coach, move, or exit scenarios.
An annual leadership development retreat featuring values exploration, reflection, panel discussions, networking, and intention-setting for professional growth.
A curated peer community for HR leaders, offering facilitated monthly discussions that support leadership growth, connection, and practical problem-solving.
The engagement begins by clarifying the leader’s role, organizational context, business pressures, and desired outcomes. This ensures coaching or development work is anchored to real priorities, not abstract leadership theory.
Helping HR and people leaders strengthen strategic influence, decision quality, and organizational impact.
"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..."
A practical, expert-led approach for leaders facing real business consequences.
Faculty bring 25–30+ years of HR, talent, executive coaching, and business leadership experience.
Programs use practical tools leaders can apply immediately to complex organizational situations.
Coaching supports real decisions involving readiness, risk, leadership movement, and business consequences.
Alumni and mastermind communities create ongoing peer learning beyond the initial engagement.
Experienced faculty guiding strategic people leaders forward.
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.
Executive coaching is a confidential development relationship focused on improving leadership effectiveness, judgment, communication, and decision quality. At People Leader Accelerator, coaching is grounded in real business context, not generic advice. Engagements may include stakeholder insight, competency-based feedback, action planning, and practical support for leaders navigating visibility, complexity, or organizational consequences.
Connect with the team to discuss your leadership development needs.
Recognizes deep executive coaching training and expertise.
Hudson Institute executive coach certification credential.
Academic leadership recognition from Poets and Quants.
Share your leadership goals, organizational context, and timeline. The People Leader Accelerator team will help determine the right coaching, assessment, or development path.
To help us assist you faster, please include the reason for your message so the relevant team can reach out as soon as possible.
To help us assist you faster, please include the reason for your message so the relevant team can reach out as soon as possible.