Leadership Update: A New Chapter

Dearest Instructor Community,

I wanted to let you know that I have made the decision to leave Udemy at the end of November to pursue an outside opportunity. This was not an easy decision for me, but one that made sense for me personally.

I could never have anticipated the joy that I would get from working with the Udemy Instructor Community. I often joke that at times it felt like I had 90,000+ team members, as I have always felt a personal sense of accountability to you all.

With the continuing dominance of AI, there has never been a more critical time for the work you do. People are craving that authentic human connection, the cohorts, the sense of community learning, it's real, it's needed, and it’s what you all bring.

Your stories have been a genuine source of inspiration for me, and I am thankful for the connections I have made. My last day at Udemy will be November 26th but I hope the connections continue beyond that.

I have complete confidence in Zane Vella and the Udemy team to keep instructors at the heart of the conversation. There’s so much more to come in the Udemy story as the team continues to build the roadmap for the future.

Thank you for the opportunity to be part of your journey. Thank you for holding me accountable and always giving your feedback. Keep creating, keep inspiring, and keep transforming lives through learning. I'll be cheering you on always!

Genefa

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Comments

ValentinDespa

Thank you, Genefa, for all the incredible work you’ve done over the years. You’ve been a true breath of fresh air for Udemy and the entire instructor community.

You’ve championed instructors in such a genuine way, and it’s clear how much you’ve believed in our mission to change lives through learning.

While I will miss your presence at Udemy, I am also excited for whatever comes next for you.

Wishing you all the best on your next adventure, and thank you again for everything!

TonyAlicea

@GenefaMurph976, you've been an absolute light in the dark here. Happy for you for your opportunity, and sad for us. You have left a great example of how to keep instructors feeling heard and valued.

Best wishes to Zane and the team to continue the work. You will be missed.

Rahul Iyer

@GenefaMurph976 - we are truly going to miss you! World is a small place though. We will definitely stay connected and hopefully cross paths in future 😊🤞 Wish you all the best!

LawrenceMMiller

@GenefaMurph976 I am very sorry to hear this. You have been terrific and we all appreciate the efforts you have made to listen and respond to instructor concerns. You have been the ONE executive who has been responsive to instructors.

Udemy needs to achieve some stability in its management/executive ranks. There is little or no corporate memory, which means there is a deficit in learning. If Zane is your replacement in terms of instructor communications I hope he will start appearing on this forum. Who will now head marketing?

Genefa, you are loved!

Faisal

@GenefaMurph976 I wish you all the best always in whatever you do. You are the best :)
Instructor community will definitely miss you.

Boris035

@GenefaMurph976 - one of us! Wish you all the best… and hopefully see you around (online)!

JosephPhillips

Sad news. I felt that @GenefaMurph976 was the only person who listened to the instructors and engaged regularly with us. She handled difficult conversations with grace.

Paulo

@GenefaMurph976 Thank you for all you've done for us, Udemy instructors, over the years. We truly appreciate you! You'll be missed. Cheers to your next adventures!

Gustavo

oh @GenefaMurph976!!! I’m happy for you, but I have to admit… I’m also a sad to hear this!

Thank you so much for everything you’ve done at Udemy. It was truly a pleasure meeting you and getting the chance to work with you. You’re not only a great professional, but also incredibly kind, supportive, and fun to work with.

Whoever’s taking over has a tough act to follow, and wherever you’re headed next, they’re lucky to have you. Hope we can stay in touch, and wishing you nothing but the best in this next chapter!

You will be missed at Udemy

JohnSmilga

It’s honestly a joke — predictable, but still a total joke. During one of the meetings, while trying to reassure instructors, she said that she was “in the same boat,” implying that her own job was also at risk if the switch from the marketplace to the subscription model didn’t work out.

Well, it clearly didn’t — at least not for instructors. Many lost a significant portion of their revenue, while Udemy maintained theirs. And once she got a better offer, she simply left. I’m sure she’ll present her time at Udemy as a big success, while in reality, it was quite the opposite.

It’s the same story as Greg Brown, who kept insisting that instructors were the most important part of the platform and that their revenue wouldn’t decline — yet under his “leadership,” it dropped far beyond the mandatory percentage cuts.

I’m honestly glad I decided to step away from Udemy and return to the industry full time when all of this started — it was the right call. At this point, it’s simply a waste of an instructor’s time. The worst part, though, is the constant lying — Udemy keeps saying instructors matter, but their actions tell a completely different story.

ScottDuffy

@johnsmilga I love it when people "step away" from a place but continue to go there frequently.