You don't need to recruit your next HR executives…
The HR executives your business needs tomorrow are on your team today.
A 12-month, invitation-only program that develops your high-potential HR directors
into the executives your business needs next.
Nominate Your Director
Accepting nominations for November 10, 2026
WATCH THE INTRO
World-class faculty and experienced executive coaches
Monthly Leadership Sprints applied to real work
Leadership Operating System capstone that proves executive readiness

Inaugural 2026 cohort: Directors from

The director everyone notices. The executive nobody sees yet.
You see it.
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The director on your HR team who executes flawlessly. Who solves problems before they reach you and your team. The one who is already on your direct report’s succession plan.
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You can see the executive in them. You've probably told them so.
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But knowing they have the potential and developing them into the executive you need are two different things.
It isn't a skills problem. It's a development gap.
Directors execute
Executives influence.
Directors optimize for the function
Executives optimize for the enterprise.
Directors respond to strategy
Executives shape it.
Directors operate reactively
Executives operate systematically.
Directors lead teams
Executives lead organizations.
And most directors never close that gap on their own. Not because they aren't capable, but because nobody has taught them how. That's the gap the Next-Gen HR Academy was built to close.
Introducing...
The Next-Gen HR Academy
The 12-month, invitation-only program that develops high-potential HR directors into enterprise-ready HR executives that your business needs.
What's inside:
World-class faculty and experienced executive coaches
Monthly Leadership Sprints applied to real work
Two-Day in-person kickoff
Leadership Operating System capstone that proves executive readiness
Real development for real impact. Gain the mindset, skills, and frameworks for greater impact.
Schedule a Nominaton Call
Limited space for the next cohort. Filling now for November 10, 2026
The program has been practical, thought-provoking, and immediately applicable. It's going to give you all the tools, resources, and importantly the people, to really invest in your development over the next 12 months.
Kyle
Director, S&P Global

By the end of the program, your director shows up differently

Different conversations. Different presence. Different impact.
And in your last 1:1, you noticed something different in how they framed their priorities. They were thinking like a business leader, not just an HR leader.

1

You start seeing the difference everywhere:
The SVP they support asked them to lead a cross-functional initiative
A senior executive singles them out by name in a strategy review
Your finance team starts looping them in earlier on workforce decisions
You start seeing them as a real successor to your current direct reports, not just a high-potential in the function
That's the shift the Academy is built to deliver…

2

They start thinking like a CEO
The kind of business acumen most HR leaders never develop:
How organizations create competitive advantage
How CEOs make decisions
How CFOs evaluate workforce and talent investments
How human capital strategies connect to financial outcomes
By the end of the program, they're talking about business value with the same fluency they once reserved for HR programs.

3

They operate at enterprise scale
The shift from a functional mindset to enterprise leadership:
Aligning HR strategies with business imperatives
Making trade-offs that reflect what the enterprise needs
Evaluating decisions through the lens of long-term business impact
Anticipating organizational implications before they show up
The result is an HR director who optimizes for the company, not just for the function.

4

They influence executives, not just support them
Executive presence and strategic communication that change how the C-suite sees them:
Presenting to the C-suite with confidence
Telling stories with data and insight
Influencing decisions in high-stakes settings
Managing stakeholder relationships with intention and purpose
Your director starts walking into executive conversations as a strategic voice in the room.

5

They lead HR for the future of work
The skills to redesign HR for an AI-driven environment:
Reimagining roles and workflows
Leveraging technology to solve real business problems
Building systems that drive efficiency and innovation
Positioning HR as a strategic partner in transformation
Your director comes back ready to design the future of work for your organization.

6

They understand what it means to be a CHRO
Direct exposure to the former CHROs who've lived the role:
Insight into the CEO and board relationships
Understand what it means to report to a CHRO
How to deliver a business-first talent strategy
Managing complexity and ambiguity
They walk in knowing what's expected at that level.

7

They build a Leadership Operating System
A personal framework that guides:
How they allocate time to their highest priorities
How they make and scale decisions
How they influence and communicate
How they operate with discipline and intention
This is a system that keeps them leading effectively long after the Academy ends.
These two days are making an immediate impact in the way I approach my work. This experience has been transformative.
Rosa
Senior Director, Kraft-Heinz
This is what your director brings back to your team and organization.
Schedule a Nominaton Call
Limited space for the next cohort. Filling now for November 10, 2026
This isn't your typical HR development program
Six things that build the executive presence, business acumen, and influence your directors are missing.
World-class faculty and direct CHRO insights
Each month, your director learns from the people who define executive leadership and HR. Every faculty member leads a focused 90-minute session each month, with materials and frameworks built specifically for the challenge to lead at an executive level.
Muriel Wilkins
CEO Advisor and Executive Coach. Host of HBR's Coaching Real Leaders. (Executive Presence)
Wanda Wallace
Managing Partner, Leadership Forum. (Enterprise Leadership)
Vicky Zhou
Founder, Speaking with Frameworks. Ex-Google. (Executive Communication)
Christian Wattig
Director, Wharton FP&A Program. (Partnering with Your CFO)
Derek Lusk
Founder, Persona 28. (Executive Assessment)
Morgan Depenbusch
People Analytics & Storytelling. Ex-Google. (Strategic Communication)
Jonathan Flower
AI Engineer. Co-Founder, Workplace Labs. (Work Redesign in the Age of AI)
JP Elliott
Founder, Future of HR. (Thinking Like a CEO and Stakeholder Management)
Each faculty member doesn't just deliver content. They engage with the cohort directly. Up-close, on the same level, and willing to share what they're actually navigating in their own roles.
Peer coaching led by former CHROs and VPs of Talent
Every month, the cohort meets for 90-minute peer coaching sessions led by executive coaches who have actually sat in the seat.
Dianne Armstrong
4X SVP/VP of Talent at Flex, McKesson, Neiman Marcus, PepsiCo
Judy Zagorski
3X CHRO at UGI Corporation, Church & Dwight, BASF
These sessions challenge the cohort, deepen reflection, and hold every participant accountable for applying what they're learning to the work they're doing right now. The kind of coaching most directors never get inside their own organization.
A two-day in-person kickoff that sets the tone for the year
The program opens with a two-day in-person experience, designed to do two things at once: build deep relationships across the cohort, and establish the mindset and operating standards for the year ahead.
During the kickoff, participants will:
Understand how to "Think Like a CEO"
Learn from experienced CHROs
Begin building their Leadership Operating System
Develop the cross-functional relationships that anchor the cohort all year
The kickoff sets the tone, expectations, and mindset for the full year.
Monthly Leadership Sprints tied to the actual job
Most HR development programs leave participants with frameworks they never apply. The Academy is built so they apply them in real-time, every month.
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Every month, participants complete a Leadership Sprint tied to real responsibilities:During the kickoff, participants will:
Analyze their business unit's P&L
Build stakeholder influence maps
Redesign workflows using AI and modern work principles
Apply decision-making frameworks to actual business challenges
Real work, real application, real results. Your team will see it show up in your director's day-to-day impact.
A peer cohort built for the director-to-executive leap
Eight HR directors from different industries, different companies, and different challenges. All facing the same leap.
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Your director won't just learn from the faculty. They'll learn from a peer set they'd never get access to inside their own organization.
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Cohorts that become long-term networks. The kind of relationships that support an HR leader for the rest of their career.
The Leadership Operating System capstone
The Academy culminates with each participant presenting their Leadership Operating System to a panel of executive coaches, former CHROs, and VPs of Talent who have lived the role.
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The Leadership Operating System capstone defines:
How they lead at scale
How they make decisions
How they manage time and priorities
How they influence stakeholders
How they assess executive talent
The capstone is where your director demonstrates they can think, communicate, and operate at the executive level. It's the proof point you can see, experience, and feel as they lead differently.
This is what your director brings back to your team and organization.
Reserve Your Director's Seat
Three cohorts of 8 | Most fill 3-6 months out.
Anita Graham
CHRO, Labcorp
Here's what we'll cover
across the 12 months
November 10-12, 2026
Two-Day In-Person Kickoff
The cohort meets in person to build relationships, learn how to "Think Like a CEO," and begin developing their Leadership Operating System.
October 2027
Leadership Operating System Capstone
Each participant presents their personal executive framework to their executive coaches and a panel of former CHROs.
Months 1-10 (December 2026 to September 2027)
Monthly Development
Each month builds on the last, combining faculty-led curriculum, peer coaching, and Leadership Sprints applied to real work.
Core curriculum
Thinking Like a CEO
Partnering with Your CFO
Executive Presence and Strategic Communication
Enterprise Leadership and Strategic Thinking
Work Redesign in the Age of AI
Stakeholder Management and Executive Influence
Executive Assessment: How to Assess Talent
What It Means to Be a CHRO (Parts 1 and 2)
The next step is a conversation.
Program dates
November 10-12, 2026 to October 31, 2027
Cohort size
24 participants.Three cohorts of eight.
Format
Two-day in-person kickoff + 10 months virtual + capstone
Eligibility
Invitation-only. Nominations from CHROs and Chief People Officers to ensure participant quality and organizational support.
The nomination process:
1
Reach out with a quick note about the high-potentials you have in mind.
2
Schedule a 30-min call with    JP to discuss readiness, fit, and program details.
3
Confirm your nomination and your director joins the cohort.
The Academy only runs twice a year.
Once the 24 seats are filled, the next opportunity is November 2026.
Start the Nomination Process
No commitment until your 30-min call with JP
ABOUT JP
Built by an HR executive for future HR executives
HR is at an inflection point. The bar for HR leadership has never been higher, but how we develop HR leaders has barely changed. The leap from HR director to HR executive is one of the hardest in our profession. I built the Next-Gen HR Academy to help leaders accelerate that critical transition. From running great programs to leading at the enterprise level. From executing strategy to shaping strategy.
JP

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350,000+ podcast downloads 
in 190 countries
100+ CHRO conversations from the world's top brands
Former Chief Talent Officer and Chief People Officer at Fortune 500 companies
Faculty member, Michigan Ross AHREP
What HR leaders say about working with JP.
JP's programs have developed hundreds of HR leaders across Fortune 500 organizations.
Lisa Buckingham
Chief Human Resources Officer
Clint Nicol
HR Director, Cardinal Health
Jonathan Adams
Manager, HR Business Partner, Cardinal Health
Meagan Martinovich
Director, Talent Management, Maxar Intelligence
Lori Fuller
Associate Director, Learning & Leadership Development, AbbVie
Michelle Vallier
Director, Talent Catalyst, Prudential Financial
Kelly Wilson
VP & Talent Management Cardinal Health
Caroline Becker
Chief Human Resources Officer at Rexel USA
Jordana Kammerud
Chief Human Resources Officer at Corning Incorporated
Stephanie Liliak
Chief People Officer, Modelez International
FAQs
You might be wondering…
What's the investment?
What if our director leaves the company after the program?
How is this different from other HR executive education programs?
What's the time commitment?
Will this work for a director who's already very strategic?
Can we send more than one director?
When does the next cohort start?
You already know who you'd nominate.
You already know the director you're thinking about.
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The one with the potential. The one you've been discussing in Talent Reviews. The one you've been quietly preparing to take on more responsibility.
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Twelve months from now, that same director could be:
Presenting their Leadership Operating System to a panel of former CHROs
Walking into your C-suite with the kind of business acumen that changes the conversation
Showing up the way executives show up
The Academy was built for them. And it was built for the CHROs who are willing to invest in the future of their function and in what comes next.
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The 2026 cohort kicks off on November 10. Twenty-four seats. Three cohorts of eight.
If you have a high-potential director ready to make the leap from director to executive, I'd love to have a conversation.
JP
Schedule Your 30-min Call with JP
Once these cohorts fill, the next opportunity is April 2027.