Media and publishing
10 YouTube product leaders
These ten current and former YouTube product leaders have held product roles at YouTube, across areas such as the core YouTube app, Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, commerce and ads. A reader can learn how product leaders work at YouTube from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
01—10Courtney Lessard
LinkedInExperience: Director of Product Management · YouTube
Director of Product Management at YouTube since November 2025, a role the profile lists as covering Sports, NFL Sunday Ticket, Primetime Channels, YouTube TV. The profile also lists Group Product Manager (2022–2025), Senior Product Manager (2022) and Product Manager (2015–2022) at YouTube, plus LabVIEW Product Manager at NI (National Instruments) (2014–2015).
Gregor Dodson
LinkedInExperience: Director of Product Management · YouTube
Director of Product Management at YouTube since November 2022, a role the profile headline gives as Director of Product Management, YouTube Music Search & Discovery and describes as Music Discovery product lead. The profile also lists Product Manager at Google since 2012 and Director of Product at IODA (2007–2012).
Isha Bhatt
LinkedInExperience: Director of Product Management, YouTube Commerce · YouTube
Director of Product Management, YouTube Commerce at YouTube since July 2021; the profile headline names DTC Subscriptions, E-commerce, User Experience & Consumer Growth. The profile also lists Chief Data Officer (2020–2021), Vice President & General Manager - Volvo Cars Technology Center, California (2019–2020) and Head of Product - Digital (2019) at Volvo Cars.
James Beser
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Product Management · YouTube
Senior Director of Product Management at YouTube since April 2016, a role the profile tags at director level in Product. The profile also lists Group Product Manager, Ads at Google (2010–2016), VP Product Management and Operations at 5to1.com (Acquired by Yahoo!) (2010) and Senior Director of Product Management at Exponential (2007–2009).
Jennifer Flannery O'Connor
LinkedInExperience: Vice President - Product Management · YouTube
Vice President - Product Management at YouTube since November 2021, and former Director Product Management, YouTube at YouTube (2018–2021). The profile also lists Director of Product Operations at YouTube (2016–2018), Chief of Staff, Display & Video Ads at Google Inc. (2014–2016) and Finance at Google (2007–2013).
Jonathan Katzman
LinkedInExperience: Former Director of Product Management · YouTube
Former Director of Product Management at YouTube (2021–2026), a role the profile describes as leading product strategy and execution across YouTube's AI and Learning product areas, directing matrixed engineering, design, and data science organizations. The profile also lists Chief Product Officer at Minerva Project (2012–2021) and Sr. Director Product Management at Yahoo (2009–2012).
Nicky (Crane) Rettke
LinkedInExperience: VP, Product Management · YouTube
VP, Product Management at YouTube since November 2022, a role the profile headline gives as VP, Product Management - YouTube Ads. The profile also lists Sr Director of Product Management, Performance Advertising & Video Advertising Tools (2016–2022) and Product Manager, YouTube Ad Formats (2011–2016) at YouTube, plus Product Manager at Telenav (2006–2008).
Paul Krakow
LinkedInExperience: Director of Product for Shorts Discovery · YouTube
Director of Product for Shorts Discovery at YouTube since April 2023; the profile says Paul leads the team of Product Managers who are responsible for helping YouTube users Discover Shorts. The profile also lists Head of Product for Machine Learning and Personalization at Amazon (2016–2022), and Product Director, Gemini Ads (2015–2016) and Product Director, Personalization (2012–2015) at Yahoo.
Will Aldrich
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Product Management, YouTube · YouTube
Senior Director of Product Management, YouTube at YouTube since December 2017; the profile says Will leads the PM teams building YouTube Premium and YouTube's Commerce and Growth Platforms. The profile also lists Chief Product Officer at Smule, Inc. (2017) and SVP Product at SurveyMonkey (2011–2016).
Woojin Kim
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Product Management · YouTube
Vice President of Product Management at YouTube since February 2017, a role the profile describes as leading core consumer products, including the YouTube app, YouTube Kids app, Search & Recommendations and Responsibility. The profile also lists Director of Product Management at Google (2008–2017), New Products Manager at Amazon (2007) and Senior Applications Engineer at Oracle (2003–2006).
Choose the right perspective
Match the person to the product area behind your question, since Shorts discovery, subscriptions, sports and ads products serve different users and business goals. Check whether the relevant role is current or past before asking how things work at YouTube today.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How do product teams at a large video platform balance viewer experience with creator and advertiser needs?
- 02What does it take to grow a paid subscription product on top of a free platform?
- 03How do you organize product teams around discovery and recommendations for a new video format?
Reaching YouTube product leaders
How can I contact one of these YouTube product leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: YouTube, based on profile data retrieved on October 13, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach YouTube product leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these YouTube product leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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