ALEXANDRIA, Va. — SHRM, the trusted authority on work, workers, and the workplace, today announced the inaugural deans who will lead SHRM HR-X Live!, its four-day credentialing academy taking place June 27–30, 2027, in Chicago. Together, the deans bring deep operating, leadership, and research experience to the academy’s four HR Excellence dimensions and the HR-X Executive Network.
The inaugural deans are:
- Anita Grantham, dean of Talent Optimization and former CHRO of BambooHR. Grantham built her career at Pluralsight, BambooHR, and Infusionsoft (Keap), helping scale organizations from hundreds to thousands of employees. She will lead the dimension focused on building the human and AI workforce.
- Paula Hubbard, dean of Functional Acceleration and senior vice president and chief human resources officer at McLane Company Inc. She will guide participants in turning people, technology, and operating models into measurable business performance.
- Ginnie Carlier, dean of Organizational Impact and chief talent and culture officer at EY. Carlier will lead the dimension centered on demonstrating HR effectiveness in business terms.
- Marlon Sullivan, dean of Market Discernment and chief human resources officer and senior vice president of communications at Marathon Petroleum Corporation. With HR leadership experience spanning Delta Air Lines, Johnson Controls, Abbott Laboratories, and Home Depot, Sullivan will help participants interpret the talent market and anticipate how it should shape HR strategy.
“The inaugural deans of HR-X Live! represent the caliber of leadership and real-world expertise this new experience demands,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, president and CEO of SHRM. “Together, they have led organizations through growth, transformation, crisis, and technological change, giving them a deep understanding of what it takes for HR to drive business performance. Their guidance will help participants build practical capabilities, apply them to their most pressing challenges, and demonstrate the measurable value of HR.”
The learning experience is grounded in SHRM’s HR Excellence Framework, a research-validated model developed through five years of study involving more than 1,250 organizations. The framework focuses on four dimensions that distinguish HR functions that drive business performance from those primarily managing day-to-day operations: Talent Optimization, Organizational Impact, Functional Acceleration, and Market Discernment.
Ahead of the event, attendees will complete a brief questionnaire about their work that places them within one of the four dimensions and one of three levels. They will then participate in four days of applied learning tailored to their placement, culminating in a SHRM HR-X Credential. Presented by BambooHR, SHRM HR-X Live! opens registration on October 5.
Learn more
Journalists and media are invited to attend HR-X Live! Press registration is required. For interview requests and press credentials, please contact, press@shrm.org.
About BambooHR
BambooHR is the leading provider of cloud-based HR software solutions that empower HR professionals to manage, support, and grow what matters most—their people. Its mission is to set people free to do great work by automating, centralizing, and connecting employee data in one place to support better decisions. The platform includes payroll, time tracking, benefits, performance and reporting solutions, backed by customer service. Learn more at bamboohr.com.
About SHRM
SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 174 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Discover more at SHRM.org.
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