People Planning
A comprehensive 56-page guide with frameworks and templates that help HR leaders align workforce priorities, business goals, and people initiatives with greater structure.
Build a stronger people function before problems become costly. People Leader Accelerator offers Proactive HR Services that help leaders align people strategy with business goals, improve organizational effectiveness, strengthen culture, and make better workforce decisions using practical frameworks, expert guidance, and proven tools built for high-growth environments.
Strategic HR tools, assessments, guides, and advisory support for leaders building stronger people systems.
A comprehensive 56-page guide with frameworks and templates that help HR leaders align workforce priorities, business goals, and people initiatives with greater structure.
A customized 360 and leadership effectiveness assessment using Lominger/Korn Ferry and Table Group methodologies to identify improvement actions for executives and teams.
A practical guide for identifying high-value HR metrics, building useful dashboards, and using workforce data to influence organizational decision-making.
A guide for establishing fair, competitive compensation structures through benchmarking, leveling, market alignment, internal equity, and compensation planning practices.
A full guide and interactive workbook for assessing, designing, and activating organizational culture using practical frameworks and research-backed insights.
A 62-page guide that helps organizations design, structure, customize, scale, and measure onboarding programs for stronger employee integration and retention.
Proactive HR work gives leaders the clarity to make better decisions before growth exposes gaps. People Leader Accelerator combines strategic frameworks, downloadable guides, facilitated assessments, mentoring, and peer learning to help organizations improve culture, measure people impact, build stronger leadership systems, and connect HR priorities directly to business outcomes.
Helping HR leaders turn complex people challenges into clearer strategy, stronger systems, and measurable business impact.
"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, proven frameworks, and practical support for strategic HR leaders.
Faculty bring 25–30+ years of real-world HR, talent, start-up, and executive experience.
Frameworks connect HR priorities directly to business goals, execution risk, and leadership decisions.
Guides, templates, assessments, and facilitated sessions are built for practical, immediate application.
An active alumni community supports peer learning, mentoring, and ongoing professional growth.
Experienced faculty guiding strategic HR and people leadership.
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.
Proactive HR Services help organizations address workforce, leadership, culture, compensation, onboarding, and analytics needs before they become urgent problems. Instead of reacting to turnover, misalignment, or inconsistent processes, leaders use structured frameworks, assessments, and advisory support to create stronger systems that support business goals and reduce organizational risk.
Get practical guidance from experienced people leaders and faculty.
Recognized excellence in business education leadership.
Senior-level professional human resources certification.
Executive compensation expertise and technical credibility.
Share your HR priorities, growth challenges, or leadership questions, and the People Leader Accelerator team will help identify the right next step.
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.