Duolingo has hired Michelle Scully as its new global communications head, succeeding Sam Dalsimer. Formerly Twitch’s comms chief, Scully brings extensive experience from Amazon and Edelman. Her appointment comes as Duolingo reports strong Q3 revenue and subscriber growth while continuing its bold, culture-shaping marketing approach.
Duolingo has made a decisive move in reshaping its global brand voice by appointing Michelle Scully as its new global communications head, marking a significant leadership shift at a time when the language-learning platform continues to dominate tech culture while navigating an increasingly competitive digital landscape. Scully, who started her role on Monday as VP of communications, will report directly to CMO Manu Orssaud, stepping into a position that has remained officially vacant since Sam Dalsimer exited the company on July 31 to take what he described as a career break. In the months following his departure, PR director Monica Earle took on the responsibility of steering all communication efforts, ensuring continuity as Duolingo searched for the right successor. Now, the company believes it has found the ideal voice for its next phase of growth.
Scully’s appointment comes with an air of anticipation, not only because of her strong credentials but also because of the energy and interest surrounding Duolingo’s bold approach to brand-building. In an emailed statement, Scully said the company’s mission and its “fearless approach to brand and creativity” were key reasons she chose to join. She described Duolingo as one of the most distinctive and exciting voices in tech, adding that she was eager to help write the next chapter in the company’s fast-evolving story. Coming from a career defined by communication roles within some of the world’s most influential digital brands, her entry into Duolingo could amplify the company’s irreverent, internet-savvy persona that has become a cultural phenomenon in itself.
Before arriving at Duolingo, Scully served as Twitch’s global head of communications, a role she held for a year and a half before stepping down last month. Her departure from Twitch came quietly, with Scully saying via email that she couldn’t speak to the company’s plans to replace her role. A spokesperson for Twitch was not immediately available to comment, leaving questions about how the Amazon-owned streaming platform intends to manage its communications strategy going forward. Scully had joined Twitch in March 2024 and led its global communications through a period marked by shifting creator dynamics, policy controversies and the platform’s efforts to re-establish competitive footing.
Her tenure at Twitch followed a series of senior roles across Amazon’s sprawling entertainment and devices ecosystem. Since April 2023, she had been the brand communications lead for Amazon Studios, shaping messaging around Prime Video programming, strategic initiatives and public-facing brand identity. Prior to that, she spent more than two years as Amazon’s head of consumer communications for Amazon Devices and Alexa, overseeing narratives around one of the tech giant’s most recognisable product families. Even earlier, she built a long foundation in the communications industry with almost 11 years at Edelman, one of the world’s leading public relations firms, where she rose to the level of SVP and contributed to multiple high-impact campaigns and brand transformations. That blend of corporate discipline, digital fluency and experiential storytelling is likely to be central to her new role at Duolingo, which has become known for its unconventional and risk-embracing marketing style.
Duolingo has not shied away from pushing boundaries, leaning into humour, theatrics and internet culture to reinforce its brand. The most recent example was the playful, internet-shaking stunt in February, when its widely recognised mascot, Duo the Owl, “died” and then dramatically returned to life. The episode generated enormous buzz online, drawing reactions, memes, conspiracy theories and confusion as the company orchestrated a narrative arc that played out like a season finale of a streaming show. It was the kind of audacious marketing move that only a brand deeply fluent in social culture and digital behaviour would attempt, and its viral impact affirmed Duolingo’s reputation as a master of cultural conversation.
Scully now steps into the communications command centre of a company that blends the seriousness of education with the levity of entertainment, a tightrope walk that demands agility, clarity and creative risk-taking. Communications at Duolingo are not merely about press releases or product updates but about orchestrating cultural moments, shaping narratives that resonate globally and maintaining the blend of charm, mischief and purpose that defines the company’s public persona. With her experience spanning consumer tech, digital entertainment and brand storytelling, Scully appears poised to guide Duolingo’s voice through its next wave of expansion and experimentation.
Her appointment also arrives at a crucial moment for Duolingo financially. The company has been experiencing rapid, sustained revenue growth, reporting a 41 percent surge in Q3 that pushed earnings to $272 million, exceeding the $260 million estimate from analysts polled by LSEG. Even more striking was its net income, which grew to $292.2 million, a dramatic leap from the $23.4 million reported in the same quarter last year. These numbers reflect not only the platform’s commanding position in the edtech landscape but also the increasing monetisation of its global user base.
Paid subscribers reached 11.5 million during the quarter, a testament to the company’s ability to convert casual learners into committed customers at a scale many in the subscription industry would envy. Yet, the picture is not entirely without challenges. According to CNBC, daily active users stood at 50.5 million and monthly active users at 135.3 million—numbers that, while enormous, came in below expectations. This represents a complex balancing act for the company: revenue and paid engagement are rising, but overall activity levels require renewed attention and perhaps strategic recalibration in product engagement or user retention.
Communications will play a central role in addressing these shifting dynamics. As global competition intensifies in language learning and AI-powered tutoring, maintaining a strong narrative around value, effectiveness and cultural relevance becomes essential. Users today expect more than gamified exercises; they want a personalised learning journey, meaningful progress and a brand that speaks to them in ways that feel authentic and fun. Duolingo’s distinctive voice is one of its strongest assets, and Scully’s job will involve strengthening that identity while also communicating the company’s evolving ambitions in education, AI and global growth.
As Duolingo expands into new languages, new learning formats and even new subject areas beyond language itself, Scully’s leadership could help unify how the company frames its innovations to both users and the broader public. With her experience in entertainment, interactive platforms and consumer technology, she brings an understanding of how to tell stories that command attention in a crowded digital environment. She also knows how to navigate crises, controversies and the unpredictable tides of public opinion—skills essential for any brand with a mascot as mischievous and meme-worthy as Duo.
For Duolingo, the appointment signals confidence, stability and ambition. For Scully, it represents a chance to influence one of tech’s most recognisable and culturally vibrant companies at a moment of both opportunity and scrutiny. And for the millions of learners worldwide who log in to build vocabulary, maintain streaks or simply be playfully intimidated by a green owl, it may herald new stories, new campaigns and new chapters in the ongoing saga of one of the internet’s most unexpectedly beloved brands.
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