Photo By Cristina Piosa | Members of the 2025 Civilian Human Resources Agency Emerging Leaders Program cohort...... read more read more
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. —The Civilian Human Resources Agency is strengthening the Army Civilian Corps by developing its next generation of leaders through the Emerging Leaders Program, a focused initiative designed to build a capable, agile and mission-ready workforce.
The 2025 CHRA Emerging Leaders Program, known as CELP, brought together 25 high-performing civilian employees from across the enterprise, representing headquarters, major subordinate organizations and a globally distributed workforce. Designed for GS-11/12 employees and equivalent personnel, the program strengthened leadership competencies, broadened enterprise perspective and prepared participants to assume greater responsibility in support of the Army mission.
Built on four core pillars of self-development, mentorship, team-based problem solving and developmental experiences, CELP combined structured learning with real-world application. Participants engaged in leadership assessments, collaborative projects and developmental opportunities that directly contributed to CHRA’s mission while strengthening their ability to lead teams and drive results.
“Developing our people is fundamental to maintaining a strong and ready Army,” said CHRA Director Ms. Karen W. Pane. “Programs like CELP ensure we are building leaders who are prepared to step forward, lead with confidence and continue delivering results for the force.”
The program began in February 2025 with an in-person orientation at Aberdeen Proving Ground and continued through a year of primarily virtual engagement, enabling participation from across CHRA’s global workforce. Throughout the program, participants demonstrated a strong commitment to professional growth while balancing mission requirements.
CELP culminated in a virtual capstone event April 14–15, 2026, where participants presented team-based solutions and individual reflections to senior leaders, showcasing both their development and their contributions to mission-focused initiatives.
“This program is about building a strong bench of leaders who understand the mission and are ready to lead at the next level,” Pane said. “When we invest in our workforce, we strengthen the Army Civilian Corps and ensure we remain ready to support the force.”
The program was established in response to Army Directive 2017-14 (superseded by AR 350-1) and aligns with broader Army priorities to develop and sustain a highly skilled civilian workforce. Managed internally by CHRA, CELP enables the organization to tailor leader development to its unique mission while directly contributing to readiness across the Army.
Program leaders emphasized that the success of CELP is driven by both participant commitment and strong leadership involvement across the organization. “As we celebrate our fifth cohort of CELP graduates, it’s clear this program plays a critical role in developing future leaders across CHRA,” said Rachel Sugrue, L/MER Training Proponent and CELP coordinator. “Participants not only gain valuable leadership skills, but also the confidence and perspective needed to step into positions of greater responsibility and make meaningful contributions to the Army mission.”
For participants, the program represented more than professional development, it provided an opportunity to grow as leaders and contribute at a higher level. Rebecca Estrella, HR Specialist (Recruitment), Recruitment Branch, Talent Acquisition Division, Civilian Human Resources Agency and a CELP participant, said the experience expanded her perspective and strengthened her confidence as a leader. “CELP challenged me to think beyond my current role and understand how my work connects to the broader Army mission,” Estrella said. “It gave me the confidence to lead, the perspective to see the bigger picture and the responsibility to help develop others as we move forward.”
As CHRA continues to invest in its civilian workforce, leaders emphasize that programs like CELP remain essential to building a strong, capable and mission-focused team prepared to support the Army now and into the future.
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2026 11:29 |
| Story ID: | 567540 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 200 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, CHRA develops future Army Civilian leaders to support mission readiness, by Cristina Piosa, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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