Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations.

Our guest today is Melanie Naranjo, Chief People Officer at Ethena, joining hosts Andrew Bartlow and Jess Yuen for a candid conversation about the real skills, mindset shifts, and strategies needed to accelerate a people leader’s impact at the executive table.

In this episode, we explore Melanie’s career journey from her start in HR to her transition into leading people teams at high-growth startups. Melanie shares honest insights about the challenges of stepping into a Chief People Officer role, including what it takes to earn trust, develop true business acumen, and move beyond the traditional boundaries of HR.

We talk openly about how people leaders can build authentic partnerships with CEOs and other executives, what it means to align work with the priorities that drive organizational success, and how to navigate the discomfort of not knowing all the answers. Melanie also discusses the importance of agency, proactive self-development, and balancing employee advocacy with commercial realities.

We also discuss:

• The backstory of Melanie’s move to Ethena and her leap from VP to CPO

• Why great HR leaders learn to speak the language of business and finance

• How to listen for what your CEO and leadership team truly care about

• Lessons on earning respect and influence as the youngest or only diverse voice at the table

• The power of asking for direct feedback, and building your own learning opportunities

• How to balance empathy for employees with business priorities

• Real talk about “bringing your whole self to work” - and when that doesn’t feel right

• Melanie’s approach to challenging conversations and dissenting opinions, including leading with kindness and curiosity

• Practical advice on finding role models, diversifying your learning sources, and staying open to being wrong

Whether you’re a first-time people leader or a seasoned executive, this episode offers honest reflections and tangible tools for deepening your impact and navigating the real challenges of C-suite HR leadership.

Melanie Naranjo: Ethena and on LinkedIn

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

• Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

• Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com