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People-Palooza 2026: The San Francisco People Leaders Holiday Party to Close Out 2026
December 3, 2026 6:00 PM
December 3, 2026 8:30 PM
December 3, 2026
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8:30 pm
ET
People-Palooza 2026: The San Francisco People Leaders Holiday Party to Close Out 2026
Exchange details
The holidays in HR land right on top of the hardest stretch of the year. Performance cycles, 2027 planning, headcount, and whatever AI did to your roadmap this quarter.
Join HiBob and Achieve in the Spanish Suite at the Clift for cocktails, a mentalist who will spend the evening doing things you will not be able to explain on the drive home, and an improv experience built to get a room of people who have never met talking like they have. No slides. No pitch. No agenda beyond the people in the room.
One evening, the Bay Area people community, and the last good excuse to be in a room together before the year closes.
What to expect
What the night looks like
- Cocktails from 6:00. Drinks, food, and a room built for actually talking to people.
- A mentalist, working the room. Close-up, table to table, and then a short set for everyone at once. You will spend the rest of the night trying to work out how he did it.
- A short welcome. Two or three minutes from HiBob and Achieve
- An improv experience. Not a show you watch. A guided session built to get the whole room connected quickly and without the usual networking awkwardness.
- Last call at 8:10. Home at a reasonable hour on a Thursday.
Who is in the room
Senior HR, People, Talent and Operations leaders across the Bay Area, plus the HiBob community. As with every Achieve room, we do not admit sales, marketing or business development roles, so you can talk freely about what is actually happening inside your organization.
The venue
The Spanish Suite at the Clift Royal Sonesta, a landmark hotel in Union Square and about as San Francisco as a December evening gets. Walking distance from Union Square, the Theater District and most downtown offices. Powell Street BART and Muni are four blocks away.
495 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Know before you go
- Dress: festive business casual. Wear the thing you have been waiting for an excuse to wear.
- Food and drink: cocktails and food are on us, thanks to our partners at HiBob.
- Getting there: uber vouchers will be provided + comp'd valet/parking - information will be provided upon registration.
Additional Benefits
- Complimentary Transportation: Attend with ease. Uber voucher plus comped valet.
- Team Advantage: We typically hold 2-3 seats per company, so bring the colleague who co-owns this topic and turn the evening's ideas into momentum together.
- Gifts & Raffle: Every attendee leaves with a special gift, plus a chance to win Amazon gift cards.
- Exclusive Leadership Network Access: Join our invitation-only executive community with resources, virtual peer exchanges, and ongoing leadership development, guaranteeing you a seat at future dinners, EXchanges, and in-person programming.
In Partnership With
Event Snapshot
Who should attend
Open to HR, People and Talent leaders across the Bay Area, from CHROs to the Directors and Senior Managers running the work day to day, including fractional and consulting people leaders. A sales-free zone: come to connect, not to pitch. Space is limited, and every request is reviewed by the Achieve team.
what to expect
Not a panel. Not a presentation.
A practitioner-only exchange.
Shoulder-to-shoulder with local peers navigating the same executive pressures, financial scrutiny, growth mandates, and culture realities you are.
01
Curated seating aligned to your role, organization stage, and strategic priorities
02
Guided discussion prompts that unlock honest, executive-level conversation
03
Tactical insights pulled directly from the field, not theory
04
Depending on the program, it includes complimentary breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks, hosted alongside our partners
Real rooms. Real conversations.
From past Leadership Exchanges
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from the room
What past attendees are saying.
Senior Talent, HR, Operations & People leaders on what made the program worth their time.
Community
The sessions are immediately applicable to real work. I was coaching a new leader on exactly the topic we covered that same week. Leaders are just like everyone else. Their jobs are just different, and this community helps you see that clearly.
Madeline Des Jardins
HR Leader
Community
After 20 years in leadership, I've found a community that helps me continue to lead organizational leaders and make appropriate strategic decisions. The depth of experience in the room is powerful.
Eugenia McDaniel
HR Business Partner
Executive
I am so grateful for these conversations. It is absurd to expect leaders to magically just be OK when the rest of the world is not. This community gets that.
Izane Cloete-Hamilton
Business Co-Owner
Community
Thank you so much to this community and the amazing audience for sharing so many insights. The peer-to-peer learning is unmatched.
Dheshnee Naidoo
HR Leader
Community
I feel so energized. This community is amazing. Thank you for the authenticity and the space to learn alongside leaders who are doing the real work.
Kasee Castro
HR Leader
Executive
If all your culture does is fight fires, when there are no real fires, you've bred arsonists. This is the kind of peer dialogue you get here. Sharp, honest, and immediately useful.
Christopher McCormick
Founder & CEO
Community
Terrific work and conversation. There is so much we can do with a little knowledge, ingenuity, and heart. This community fills in blanks and corrects some of the ways we go off the rails.
John Howard
HR Leader
Community
I always considered myself a servant leader, until I saw that I was serving everyone else ahead of myself. Valuable conversations like this are why I keep coming back.
Jennifer Gabbard
HR Leader
Community
Vulnerability normalizes mental health, which is huge in organizations. We work in hierarchical structures, so employees always look above to determine what's appropriate. Be comfortable having uncomfortable conversations. If you can't do that, you can't be an effective leader.
Jeff Waldman
HR Leader
Client
achieve Engagement brought clarity, action, and responsibility to a critical part of our organization's growth. They gave our team both the space and the structure to make meaningful progress on our mission, culture, and values.
Doria Johnson
Executive Director
Urban Tilth
Member
Through this partnership, I gained invaluable tools, resources, and confidence to align my team's vision with actionable goals and navigate change with strength and focus. I highly recommend achieve Engagement to anyone committed to personal growth and driving lasting organizational impact.
Alexis Crean
Director, Office of Professional Well-Being & Engagement
UConn Health
Executive
Attending sessions at achieve Engagement has been transformative. Any organization would benefit immensely from this community's guidance on creating a vibrant and inclusive culture.
Ralph Kellogg
Vice President People & Training
Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska
Member
The achieve Engagement community has a way of distilling complex, often overwhelming concepts into actionable insights. It brings tremendous value to HR leaders at all stages in their talent journey. I'd recommend it to any organization looking to level-up their engagement and culture practices.
Jennifer Bauer
Director, Human Capital
rf IDEAS
Partner
I've been so impressed by the achieve Engagement network. The discussions are both engaging and insightful, centered on the evolving best practices in employee experience and culture strategy. Looking forward to many more collaborations in the future.
Annie Rosencrans
People & Culture Director, Americas
HiBob
Executive
achieve Engagement sessions are packed with innovative strategies and insights that are crucial for any leader looking to stay ahead in today's fast-evolving work environment. Highly recommend for any event focused on building future-ready workplaces.
Sherry Harding
Chief Operations Officer
Community Bridges
Executive
The achieve Engagement community has a unique ability to take a group of HR leaders into deep and meaningful discussion. All present walk away with a new idea, share an idea, and participate at a high level within a limited timeframe.
Andrea Herron
Vice President Human Resources
WebMD
Executive
achieve Engagement excels at guiding leaders to foster thriving workplace environments, driving both engagement and performance. Any organization would gain substantial benefits from this community's guidance in building a vibrant, inclusive, and high-performing culture.
Jamy Conrad
VP of People & HR
TrustRadius
Member
Being part of the achieve Engagement community continues to provide the most valuable return on my investment of time. I am continually impressed by the caliber of EX leaders and the intentional objectives set forth in each experience.
Darla Caughey
Director of Employee Experience
Austin Independent School District
Executive
achieve Engagement brings leadership and community together in meaningful, practical ways. It's not just talk about best practices. It actively connects people, ideas, and strategies to drive real, sustainable high performance within organizations.
Jyl Feliciano
Global Vice President, People, Culture & Belonging
Highspot
Industry Leader
The achieve Engagement Leadership Network has become one of my favorite professional spaces. It's rare to find a community where you can connect with others who are truly in the trenches doing similar work. Speakers consistently share best practices they've actually tested, and I frequently walk away thinking, 'I can adapt this for us.'
Bridgette McCullough
Principal Culture Advisor
Great Place to Work
Community
The sessions are immediately applicable to real work. I was coaching a new leader on exactly the topic we covered that same week. Leaders are just like everyone else. Their jobs are just different, and this community helps you see that clearly.
Madeline Des Jardins
HR Leader
Community
After 20 years in leadership, I've found a community that helps me continue to lead organizational leaders and make appropriate strategic decisions. The depth of experience in the room is powerful.
Eugenia McDaniel
HR Business Partner
Executive
I am so grateful for these conversations. It is absurd to expect leaders to magically just be OK when the rest of the world is not. This community gets that.
Izane Cloete-Hamilton
Business Co-Owner
Community
Thank you so much to this community and the amazing audience for sharing so many insights. The peer-to-peer learning is unmatched.
Dheshnee Naidoo
HR Leader
Community
I feel so energized. This community is amazing. Thank you for the authenticity and the space to learn alongside leaders who are doing the real work.
Kasee Castro
HR Leader
Executive
If all your culture does is fight fires, when there are no real fires, you've bred arsonists. This is the kind of peer dialogue you get here. Sharp, honest, and immediately useful.
Christopher McCormick
Founder & CEO
Community
Terrific work and conversation. There is so much we can do with a little knowledge, ingenuity, and heart. This community fills in blanks and corrects some of the ways we go off the rails.
John Howard
HR Leader
Community
I always considered myself a servant leader, until I saw that I was serving everyone else ahead of myself. Valuable conversations like this are why I keep coming back.
Jennifer Gabbard
HR Leader
Community
Vulnerability normalizes mental health, which is huge in organizations. We work in hierarchical structures, so employees always look above to determine what's appropriate. Be comfortable having uncomfortable conversations. If you can't do that, you can't be an effective leader.
Jeff Waldman
HR Leader
Client
achieve Engagement brought clarity, action, and responsibility to a critical part of our organization's growth. They gave our team both the space and the structure to make meaningful progress on our mission, culture, and values.
Doria Johnson
Executive Director
Urban Tilth
Member
Through this partnership, I gained invaluable tools, resources, and confidence to align my team's vision with actionable goals and navigate change with strength and focus. I highly recommend achieve Engagement to anyone committed to personal growth and driving lasting organizational impact.
Alexis Crean
Director, Office of Professional Well-Being & Engagement
UConn Health
Executive
Attending sessions at achieve Engagement has been transformative. Any organization would benefit immensely from this community's guidance on creating a vibrant and inclusive culture.
Ralph Kellogg
Vice President People & Training
Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska
Member
The achieve Engagement community has a way of distilling complex, often overwhelming concepts into actionable insights. It brings tremendous value to HR leaders at all stages in their talent journey. I'd recommend it to any organization looking to level-up their engagement and culture practices.
Jennifer Bauer
Director, Human Capital
rf IDEAS
Partner
I've been so impressed by the achieve Engagement network. The discussions are both engaging and insightful, centered on the evolving best practices in employee experience and culture strategy. Looking forward to many more collaborations in the future.
Annie Rosencrans
People & Culture Director, Americas
HiBob
Executive
achieve Engagement sessions are packed with innovative strategies and insights that are crucial for any leader looking to stay ahead in today's fast-evolving work environment. Highly recommend for any event focused on building future-ready workplaces.
Sherry Harding
Chief Operations Officer
Community Bridges
Executive
The achieve Engagement community has a unique ability to take a group of HR leaders into deep and meaningful discussion. All present walk away with a new idea, share an idea, and participate at a high level within a limited timeframe.
Andrea Herron
Vice President Human Resources
WebMD
Executive
achieve Engagement excels at guiding leaders to foster thriving workplace environments, driving both engagement and performance. Any organization would gain substantial benefits from this community's guidance in building a vibrant, inclusive, and high-performing culture.
Jamy Conrad
VP of People & HR
TrustRadius
Member
Being part of the achieve Engagement community continues to provide the most valuable return on my investment of time. I am continually impressed by the caliber of EX leaders and the intentional objectives set forth in each experience.
Darla Caughey
Director of Employee Experience
Austin Independent School District
Executive
achieve Engagement brings leadership and community together in meaningful, practical ways. It's not just talk about best practices. It actively connects people, ideas, and strategies to drive real, sustainable high performance within organizations.
Jyl Feliciano
Global Vice President, People, Culture & Belonging
Highspot
Industry Leader
The achieve Engagement Leadership Network has become one of my favorite professional spaces. It's rare to find a community where you can connect with others who are truly in the trenches doing similar work. Speakers consistently share best practices they've actually tested, and I frequently walk away thinking, 'I can adapt this for us.'
Bridgette McCullough
Principal Culture Advisor
Great Place to Work
Agenda
A Program Designed for Breakthroughs.
6:00 PM
Doors Open & Cocktail Reception
Doors open in the Spanish Suite. Grab a drink, find a few familiar faces, and meet a few new ones. Food and cocktails are on us all evening.
6:15 PM
The Mentalist Works the Room
While the reception is in full swing, our mentalist moves through the room, group to group. Expect close-up moments that are hard to explain and even harder to stop talking about. Fair warning: he may know what you’re thinking before you do.
7:00 PM
The Group Mentalist Experience
The whole room comes together for a short live set. It’s interactive, it’s a little unnerving, and you might end up part of the act. The best icebreaker you’ll ever sit through.
7:15 PM
Welcome from Achieve and HiBob
A quick toast to the year and the people who carried it. A few minutes, no slides, no pitch, and then we get out of the way.
7:25 PM
The Improv Networking Experience
This isn’t a show you watch. A professional improv team guides the room through playful, low-pressure exercises designed to get people connecting fast. You’ll leave having actually met people, not just swapped titles.
8:10 PM
Last Call and Closing Toast
One more round, one last toast, and a few minutes to swap numbers with the people you met tonight. We’ll wrap by 8:30, home at a reasonable hour on a Thursday.
Additional Benefits
More than networking. A full learning experience of value.
SHRM & HRCI Recertification Credits
Earn credits while engaging in executive-level, operator-focused discussions.
Complimentary Transportation
Attend with ease: Uber voucher plus on-site comped valet parking.
Team Advantage
We typically hold 2–3 seats per company so you can bring a colleague and accelerate adoption together.
Gifts & Raffle
Every attendee receives a special gift, plus a chance to win Amazon gift cards.
Exclusive Leadership Network Access
Join our invitation-only executive community with resources, virtual peer exchanges, and ongoing leadership development.
Venue
The Spanish Suite, Clift Royal Sonesta
The Spanish Suite, a breathtaking 15th-floor penthouse tucked away at the top of the iconic Clift Royal Sonesta. Originally built in 1915 as the private apartment for the hotel’s founder, this exclusive venue perfectly pairs historic, old-world glamour with striking modern elegance. Once you arrive at the hotel, the route up to the penthouse is straightforward:
1. Enter through the main lobby doors on Geary Street.
2. Proceed past the front desk and head toward the main guest elevator bank located in the central hallway.
3. Take the elevator up to the 15th Floor.
4. Exit the elevator, where you will see directional signage leading you straight into the private entrance of the Spanish Suite
Achieve Leadership Network
Let's Raise the People Function — Together
Membership turns this one-time event into a full year of learning, connection, and growth with peers who are operating at your level.
First access to in-person Leadership ExchangesConfirmed access before public registration opens.- Monthly virtual peer exchangesSmall-group sessions on the challenges you're navigating now.
- Private member directory & introductionsCurated connections to operators across roles, stages, and industries.
- On-demand resource libraryFrameworks, templates, and playbooks from every Exchange and Masterclass.
- Executive Masterclasses & roundtablesDeep-dive learning with sitting CHROs, CFOs, and senior operators.
From the Room
Moments from past Leadership Exchanges.
A glimpse into the rooms where the real conversations happen.
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