The world of corporate leadership can be a serious place, but sometimes, even top executives find themselves in the spotlight for unexpected reasons. Just ask Kristin Cabot, who recently stepped down from her high-ranking role at the tech company Astronomer. Her departure follows a very public moment that captured more than just a passing glance.
A spokesperson for Astronomer confirmed to Us Weekly on Thursday, July 24, that “Kristin Cabot no longer works at Astronomer. She has resigned.” This announcement came after a seemingly innocent concert outing took a surprising turn, turning a private evening into a viral sensation.
The event that changed everything for Cabot happened on July 16. She was enjoying a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, alongside Andy Byron, who was then Astronomer’s CEO. During the show, Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, paused to highlight the venue’s classic “kiss cam.” The giant screen above the stage suddenly showed Cabot and Byron embracing. When they realized they were on camera, they quickly tried to hide, looking a bit flustered.
Chris Martin, ever the entertainer, played along with the moment. “Wow, look at these two. Come on. They’re good,” he said as the pair tried to duck away from the lens. “They’re either having an affair or they’re just very shy. I’m not really sure what to do.” After the camera moved on to other concertgoers, Martin added, “I hope we haven’t done anything wrong.”
His playful comments, however, became eerily prophetic. Within hours, clips of the concert moment spread quickly across social media. Online sleuths began digging, and soon it was widely reported that Andy Byron was seemingly married to a woman identified by various news outlets as Megan Kerrigan Byron, not Kristin Cabot.
The fallout was swift. Megan Byron reportedly removed “Byron” from her Facebook page and then deleted her entire account, according to Newsweek. Andy Byron himself resigned as CEO of Astronomer on July 19, just days after the concert. The company’s co-founder, Pete DeJoy, has since taken over as interim CEO. Us Weekly had tried to get comments from Astronomer and both executives earlier in the week.
Cabot had been Astronomer’s Chief People Officer since November 2024. The company’s website explains that Astronomer aims to help data teams create essential software, data analysis, and artificial intelligence. When Cabot first joined, she spoke about her vision for the role. “I prefer to think of my role as people strategy instead of traditional human resources,” Cabot stated in a press release at the time. She added that she was excited by her talks with Andy and the leadership team about the company’s opportunities.
Andy Byron had also praised Cabot’s addition to the team. He said her “exceptional leadership and extensive experience in talent management, employee engagement, and growing people strategies will be key as we continue our fast expansion.” He described her as a proven leader passionate about creating diverse and teamwork-focused workplaces, making her ideal for Astronomer. Little did anyone know how publicly their professional paths would soon diverge.