We grow CHROs
An executive development program for HR leaders operating at - or stepping into - the CHRO role, where you learn to make real business decisions that impact performance, risk, and enterprise value.
This is not HR training. It’s how you learn to operate at the highest level.
Participants work on their actual organization each week - not generic case studies or simulations.
What You’ll Actually Learn
PLA is not organized around HR topics.
It’s build around the decisions you’re already responsible for - and how to make them better.
You’ll learn how to:
connect people decisions to business outcomes
prioritize what matters when everything feels urgent
design organizations that actually execute
influence CEOs, founders, and Boards
make tradeoffs under real constraints
The goal is not more knowledge.
It’s better decisions.
What Makes PLA Different
Most programs teach concepts.
PLA is built around application.
You work on your actual business - not case studies
You engage with peers operating at your level
You pressure-test real decisions before consequences are real
This is where the real value comes from.
Who This is For
PLA is designed for HR leaders operating at - or stepping into - the top HR role at their organization.
That typically includes:
Heads of People
VPs and senior Directors
first-time CHROs
Participants already:
own decisions with real business consequences
partner closely with CEOs and executive teams
operate in complex, high-expectation environments
They are already trusted—and now facing higher-stakes decisions.
If you’re not responsible for decisions that materially impact the business, this is not the right program.
This is not for early-career HR professional or functional specialists.
Program Overview
PLA Explainer Videos
Ground yourself in the practical and academic foundations of the work.
Be mentored by multiple experienced high-growth HR leaders who will get to know you personally and professionally.
Learn from peers in similar roles at similar organizations.
And continue engaging long after the program ends through our active alumni community - including peer connections, ongoing workshops, in-person gatherings, and selective advisory support.
Exclusive, small-group virtual gatherings over 16 weeks, plus 1-on-1 executive mentoring.
Essential content includes:
How the business actually works—and where HR creates (or destroys) value
Making high-stakes decisions around org design, talent, and performance
Prioritizing what matters when everything feels urgent
Influencing CEOs, founders, and Boards without formal authority
What Participation Looks Like:
Engage deeply with a small cohort of experienced peers (~5 hours per week)
Apply concepts directly to live organizational challenges
Develop clearer thinking through structured reflection and writing
Build trusted peer relationships that extend beyond the program
Expectations & Guidelines.
Expect to invest ~5 hours per week in deep, applied work on your organization and leadership decisions.
Active participation is key. We have intimate cohorts (15 or fewer) to ensure extensive group interaction and authentic relationship-building. PLA is designed for leaders who want to be challenged by peers at a similar level of responsibility - and who are willing to challenge others in return.
1-on-1 mentoring by faculty is available for no additional fee during the program.
Weekly group discussions are typically 90 minutes in length, with “office hours” held immediately thereafter.
Certification at the conclusion of the program will be contingent upon completing all program elements in a thorough and timely manner.
Everything we discuss as a group is confidential, and please be kind to each other!
The investment to join the Fall 2026 cohort is $10,000 - intentionally priced to reflect senior-level facilitation, small-cohort depth, and lifetime access to the PLA community.
Applications are due no later than July 10, 2026.
Click here for a sample email to request employer financial support
How PLA Compares
PLA is intentionally positioned between traditional executive education and lightweight HR communities - offering depth, application, and peer accountability without institutional overhead.
People Leader Accelerator is the only HR leadership program that combines high rigor, growth-stage focus, immediate application, senior-level peers, cohorts of 12–15, included 1:1 coaching, and lifetime community access — at $10,000. Alternatives like Master's degrees (>$40K) or the Berkeley CHRO Program ($22K) cost more and lack the growth-org focus. Lower-cost options like SHRM, Hacking HR, and Bersin Academy offer broad accessibility but low rigor and no peer accountability.
Most HR development options are either high-cost and generic (Master's degrees, university certificates, Berkeley CHRO) or low-cost and shallow (SHRM, Hacking HR, Bersin Academy, TroopHR). People Leader Accelerator occupies a different position: high quality, reasonable cost — purpose-built for senior HR leaders at growth-stage companies.
The Value Doesn’t End After 16 Weeks
The Accelerator is the starting point.
The real value compounds through continued connection with a trusted network of senior people leaders.
For many participants, this becomes the most valuable part of PLA.
Monthly Virtual Workshops
Members-only workshops with the leading experts in the field. Never a presentation. Always interactive.
In-Person Gatherings
Dinners, happy hours, speaker events, and conference meet-ups. We get together in person in multiple venues throughout the year.
Library of Resources
An ever-growing online library full of templates, frameworks, articles, and research studies.
Private Online Community
An active and curated Slack community, just for PLA alumni - to discuss issues that matter to you.
Exclusive Mentorship
Get access to faculty members for ad-hoc advisory support.
Invite to Private Annual Retreat
Each year we gather in person for 2 days to connect, learn, sharpen our skills, and deepen our relationships.
FAQs
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PLA is designed for experienced HR leaders operating at - or preparing for enterprise-level responsibility. Most participants are Heads of People, VPs, or Directors with significant scope or senior deputies preparing for a top role.
We focus on HR leaders who want to become more successful, more influential executives, aligning their work with the goals of their business.
So, the head of the function at a company with 50-500 employees might be a good fit - as well as the direct report to the head of the HR function at an organization with 500-2000 employees, who is preparing for a top job.
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Participants will spent ~5 hours per week over 16 weeks engaging with the cohort and the curriculum. This includes 1-2 hours of reading, 1-2 hours of homework and reading / responding to peers, a 30-minute dyad or triad meeting, and a 2-hour live group discussion. That said, you get out of PLA what you put into it. The more you engage with the community, the deeper the learning - and the deeper the relationships will be.
After the 16-week program ends, there are numerous ways to continue to participate - from virtual workshops, our active Slack workspace, to in-person gatherings.
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Program Fee: $10,000 USD.
People Leader Accelerator is built for HR leaders operating — or preparing to operate — at enterprise scale.
The investment to participate is $10,000 USD, which includes the 16-week educational program, 1 year of our Mastermind groups, and lifetime access to the PLA community, including our Slack, job board, template library, monthly workshops, vendor discounts, in-person gatherings, and annual retreat. The PLA community is an active, senior peer network that continues well beyond the formal curriculum and becomes a long-term source of perspective, challenge, and support.
PLA is not a theoretical program. It is designed to change how you think, decide, and operate as a people leader — in real time, inside your organization.
Flexible payment options are available, and employer sponsorship is common given the program’s direct relevance to executive leadership and organizational performance. Tax treatment may vary.
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Most of our live group sessions will be on Tuesdays between 12-2:00pm Pacific Time. Depending on demand, we may offer an additional live session between 9-11:00am Pacific.
SHRM Recertification Provider
People Leader Accelerator is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
