Chegg Taps Former Professor as First Academic Chief

Chegg has hired Dr. Nina Huntemann as the edtech company’s first-ever Chief Academic Officer. Chegg hired Huntemann at the end off 2021 but only made the announcement on Monday.

Huntemann, who falls under President of Chegg Learning Services Nathan Schultz in the company’s org chart, works to deepen relationships with educators and shape the company’s learning strategy.

Her team includes learning experience designers, researchers and instructor engagement experts who work alongside Chegg’s tech team to shape new and improved content, tools and products.

Huntemann brings over two decades of higher education expertise, first as an educator and then as an edtech executive. Prior to joining Chegg, Huntemann was the VP of Learning at global online learning platform edX. Before that, she was a tenured professor at Suffolk University, where she taught and published research in digital media studies.

“We are thrilled that Nina has joined Chegg at this transformational moment in education,” Schultz said in the company’s official announcement. “She has extensive experience bridging the worlds of academia and technology, and we are confident that her experience and forward-looking insights will help us deliver on our promise to provide students with the tools and services they need to succeed.”

Huntemann’s unique position as a former professor and a tech executive will be crucial to helping Chegg engage with faculties and school administrators, who are increasingly irritated with the company’s product. For instance, educators in North Carolina have expressed frustration that the company’s website has been used by students to cheat on homework and tests during the shift to online learning.

A March 2021 investigation by Forbes labeled Chegg as a cheating “superspreader” as the vast majority of the surveyed students said they’ve used the platform to cheat.

The switch to online learning has fueled a surge in Chegg’s revenue, and in 2021 the company generated total net revenues of $776 million, up 20% compared to 2020.

Note: The original article has been amended to remove language linking Chegg's revenue growth to a rise in cheating.