Ascend Learning, a leader in technology-enabled education solutions for healthcare and workforce training, was entering a new stage focused on product innovation and accelerated digital growth. To fuel that transformation, it needed a people leader who could shape its culture for the next phase of growth and scale its talent infrastructure. That’s where NU came in.
The Challenge
Ascend Learning was modernizing its operating model, expanding its digital capabilities, and setting the stage for long-term growth. The leadership team needed a CHRO who could be a strategic partner in this evolution, someone with the experience, agility, and business acumen to shape the company’s talent strategy and help lead the expansion.
The CHRO role had already been in the market, but the right match hadn’t surfaced. NU approached the challenge differently, combining AI precision and regional insight in an insular market.
Your NU Edge
NU approached the search as a true partnership, working in lockstep with Ascend Learning to define what great looked like in the CHRO role. The focus was on identifying a business-minded people leader who could thrive in a fast-evolving, tech-enabled environment.
What set NU apart:
- AI-powered precision. Combined relationships and proprietary data mapping to surface both known and new talent early in the process.
- Regional depth. Strong networks across Boston and the East Coast ensured quick access to top-tier candidates.
- Dual leadership model. The search team brought complementary expertise in HR, tech, education, and private equity-backed companies.
- A one-team approach. Close collaboration with Ascend made the process seamless, transparent, and fast-moving.
The search was led by Mar Hernandez and Ben Dewar, with support from Meredith Rosenberg and Mike Faust, uniting executional rigor, deep sector knowledge, and a nuanced understanding of culture and leadership fit.
The Right CHRO for Ascend Learning
Annie Drapeau emerged as the standout candidate. A Boston-based executive with experience leading people and culture in high-growth, technology-enabled environments, she brought a rare blend of strategic, operational, and human leadership.
Her background spans senior HR roles at organizations like Toast, Moderna, Iron Mountain, and Vistaprint, giving her a 360-degree view of scaling organizations through transformation and change. And with earlier experience at firms like Bain Capital and JPMorgan, Annie approaches talent through a business lens, connecting people strategy directly to performance.
Annie is widely regarded as one of the most respected CHROs in the market, recognized for her:
- Financial fluency
- Depth across both startup and enterprise settings
- Ability to serve as a true business partner to CEOs, boards, and investors
Her appointment positions Ascend Learning with the kind of executive who can help lead through growth, technology acceleration, and organizational evolution.
Ahead of the Curve
Even before kickoff, NU’s AI-driven market mapping had identified Annie Drapeau as a potential match, reflecting both the precision of NU’s technology and the team’s deep understanding of the CHRO landscape. And when NU benchmarked its final slate against a comparable CHRO search run by another firm two years earlier, there wasn’t a single duplicate name. Every name was new. That combination of data intelligence and human judgment keeps NU ahead of the market and ensures clients see new possibilities rather than recycled lists.
Key Market Insights From the Search
Several insights emerged throughout the search that reflect broader market trends:
- Boston’s executive market is uniquely insular. Local talent tends to stay local, making established networks and regional expertise essential to a successful search.
- The CHRO role continues to evolve. Increasingly, companies expect HR leaders to act as business partners fluent in financial performance and value creation, a shift accelerated by private equity influence.
- The bar for CHRO talent keeps rising. Boards and CEOs are looking for leaders who blend strategic, operational, and financial depth. And as expectations expand, truly standout leaders have become increasingly rare.
- AI adoption in HR is still early. Many CHROs are still testing the waters, while the most forward-thinking leaders are already integrating AI into workforce planning and organizational design.
The Impact on Ascend Learning
Since joining Ascend Learning, Annie has brought a fresh perspective and focus to the organization. Her partnership with the CEO and broader leadership team is strengthening alignment across departments and positioning Ascend to accelerate its technology and growth strategy.
Why PE-Backed Companies Choose NU
PE-backed companies turn to NU for searches that require precision, partnership, and speed. NU combines proprietary AI tools, deep sector expertise, and human judgment to deliver exceptional outcomes for investor-backed companies.
NU Advisory Partners is an AI-native executive search and advisory firm specializing in senior executive, operating, and board roles, with deep expertise in private capital-backed environments. If you’re interested in learning more, get in touch here.
