Membership
The People Collective
Membership Criteria
TPC is a peer community for senior HR, People, Talent Management, and Talent Acquisition leaders who are actively practicing in the field.
We know that “senior” looks different depending on company size, industry, and structure — so we focus on experience and seniority over title. The goal is simple: a room where every member feels they’re among true peers.
All prospective members are pre-screened and approved before receiving an invitation.
The best path to TPC membership is through a connection with a current member or by being on our radar through the broader HR community. If you’re interested, the best thing you can do is stay engaged. Feel free to reach out to us directly at hello@peoplecollective.co; we’re always open to a conversation.
- Director / VP-level or above, or equivalent in scope and accountability
- 15+ years into their HR/People leadership career
- At or near the top of their organization’s HR decision-making
Member Spotlight
Hear from our members
“As the owner of MLP Leadership Coaching and Consulting, Michael is an executive coach, leadership development advisor, and human capital consultant to leaders and their organizations. He also serves as fractional CHRO and HCM consultant to the PE firm Sheridan Capital Partners….read more”
“I help organizations make better hiring decisions by creating clearer recruiting systems, stronger partnerships, and more thoughtful candidate experiences. Most recently, I led TA for a global law firm’s business services functions, including Business Development, Operations…..read more”
“TPC is a fabulous community to be a part of, I wished I had joined sooner! It has been fun meeting new HR colleagues in Chicago and Madison. I’d recommend people prioritize attending TPC’s in-person events, to learn from experts on a variety of relevant topics. Every session I have attended has been very energizing!”
“The People’s Collective stands out as a best-in-class professional network—well run, highly curated, and continuously evolving. As a founding member, I’ve seen the strength of its leadership and the quality of its membership drive meaningful conversations and real learning. It’s a community I prioritize because it consistently delivers value.”
“The People Collective is a gift that keeps on giving. When I found a senior people leader opportunity, Tim and Amy helped make the right connection, and I got the job. Beyond its outstanding programming, this community of senior HR leaders supports one another, creates meaningful opportunities, and truly lifts each other up.”
Michael Polydoris
Chicago, IL
Owner & Executive Coach
MLP Leadership Coaching and Consulting
ABOUT MICHAEL
As the owner of MLP Leadership Coaching and Consulting, Michael is an executive coach, leadership development advisor, and human capital consultant to leaders and their organizations. He also serves as fractional CHRO and HCM consultant to the PE firm Sheridan Capital Partners.
I started my own coaching firm a number of years ago and ultimately became a solopreneur. It was a side gig that ramped up and became my full-time — and I will (hopefully) never have to get another job-type job again.
WHY TPC?
Solopreneur consulting can be a pretty isolating WFH environment. I was looking forward to becoming connected to the larger Chicagoland HR community. I’ve had the good fortune to make a number of business connections that have helped grow my business — but the personal relationships have been the most valuable. The best part of TPC has been connecting with other members and helping them with their careers and making helpful connections for them.
TPC CONNECTIONS
Courtney Heinrich — best lunch company ever. There are a number of TPC members I now call friends and see outside of events: Rob Boysen, Jim Viola, and Jennie Jamrock. And I just became a contract Executive Coach for Highland Performance Solutions, which came about after a TPC event and connecting with the amazing Patty Carl.
CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON
This type of career has natural ebbs and flows that are quite unpredictable — coaching clients move on, engagements end, projects get completed. I’m focused on growing my practice and am particularly looking to add another large institutional client to engage my full range of offerings.
HOW TPC MEMBERS CAN HELP
I’d love introductions to meet more smart, whole-hearted leaders — to learn what they do and explore how I can help, whether professionally through my business or personally as a connection.
OUTSIDE OF WORK
I’m a total socio-economics-political podcast junkie, I train with my MMA/boxing trainer twice a week, and I’m a voracious audiobook listener. But above all, my wife and I love having people over for dinner parties — I’ll dirty every pot and pan in the house cooking for friends.
CONNECT WITH MICHAEL
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mpolydoris
Chicago, IL
Talent Acquisition Consultant
Room To Think
Bio
I help organizations make better hiring decisions by creating clearer recruiting systems, stronger partnerships, and more thoughtful candidate experiences. Most recently, I led TA for a global law firm’s business services functions, including Business Development, Operations, HR, and Legal Recruiting & Development. Today, I bring that same experience to clients through my own practice, Room To Think.
Why I joined TPC / favorite memory
I joined TPC because I wanted to be part of a community of people professionals who could share ideas honestly, learn from one another, and build real relationships. What I’ve valued most is how generous people are with their knowledge, connections, and perspective. And going to the Cubs game was definitely one of my favorite nights of the summer!
A career milestone I’m proud of
Receiving an offer from Kirkland & Ellis was a milestone in itself. After ten interviews and an extensive background process, I remember wondering whether I was really worthy of the opportunity.
What I’m most proud of, though, is the difference I was able to make once I got there. We were operating without an ATS, so much of the work was manual. Even so, we created greater transparency for executive stakeholders, strengthened how TA partnered with the business, and helped shift how the team thought about their roles, their impact, and their responsibility to one another.
That change in perspective mattered to me as much as any process improvement.
What I’m working on now
I’m growing Room To Think, my talent acquisition, recruiting operations, and executive search practice, while also exploring my next full-time leadership role. My career has largely been in professional services, including advertising, marketing, communications, and most recently legal. I’m particularly interested in finding ways to make hiring work better, creating processes that make sense, give people the information they need, and leave enough room to actually think before making decisions.
Who I’d like to connect with
I’m hoping to connect with people in HR and TA who have a problem they are willing to talk through and experiment with. I love puzzles, especially the kind where the first question is, “What could be better?” followed by, “How do we actually make that happen?” I’m always interested in trading ideas with people who are building, scaling, or rethinking recruiting functions and who enjoy figuring things out together.
Fun facts
I’ve discovered a real love for travel and long-distance hiking. Recent hikes include the Camino, Tour du Mont Blanc, Yellowstone, and Banff. I’d love some ideas of where to go next. I also grew up on the North Side of Chicago and lived on Sheffield, so being a Cubs fan was inevitable. Go Cubs Go!
CONNECT WITH MICHAEL
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katieomeara/
Website: r2think.com