By Jane Zhang
Publication Date: 2025-11-24 10:15:00
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jenny Wood, a 45-year-old former Google executive who lives in Boulder, Colorado. She left Google in August 2024 and is now a keynote speaker, coach, and author. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
It seemed preposterous for me to ever think about leaving Google.
I started there in November 2006, when there were only around 10,000 employees, and became an executive — the director of American media relations — in 2022.
Google’s amazing; I bleed Google colors. I loved the impact I was having, the future of opportunities I saw for myself, and the feedback I was getting as a leader. I’m also the breadwinner for my family.
I’d always thought I’d be at Google for another 15 years and would retire there.
