A surprise moment at a Coldplay concert catapulted Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s Chief People Officer, into the global spotlight overnight. Here’s what we know about the woman at the center of the viral kiss cam controversy.
Professional Life
Kristin Cabot joined Astronomer as Chief People Officer in November 2024, just months before the scandal broke. She brought more than 20 years of experience in HR leadership, having built award-winning company cultures at companies like Neo4j and ObserveIT.
Astronomer’s CEO Andy Byron publicly praised her as a “perfect fit,” highlighting her “exceptional leadership and deep expertise” in people strategy during the company’s high-growth phase. Before joining Astronomer, she also held leadership roles at DigitasLBi and other major tech companies.
Kristin holds a B.A. in Political Science from Gettysburg College and has a reputation for building trust at all levels of an organization — a quote that has resurfaced on social media in the wake of the Coldplay incident.
Personal Life
Originally from Boston, Kristin Cabot was previously married to Kenneth C. Thornby, with whom she has one child. The couple separated in 2018 and finalized their divorce in 2022. Online, she is sometimes listed as Kristin Cabot Thornby on LinkedIn.
The Coldplay Kiss Cam Incident
On July 16, 2025, Kristin was seen sitting with CEO Andy Byron at a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium. When the band’s iconic kiss cam segment hit their section, the camera caught Kristin and Byron together. Their reaction — Kristin turning away and Byron ducking to hide — triggered instant buzz.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin’s joke — “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy” — only amplified speculation. A fan’s TikTok clip of the moment exploded with over 45 million views in 24 hours, and social media sleuths quickly identified Kristin via her professional profiles and Astronomer’s press page.
Why It Matters
The kiss cam moment has become a PR and HR firestorm for Astronomer:
- Corporate governance: As Chief People Officer, Kristin’s role is to uphold workplace policies — making any appearance of a romantic link with the CEO a serious conflict of interest.
- Public relations nightmare: The company disabled comments on LinkedIn and social platforms as memes and jokes flooded Twitter and TikTok.
- Personal impact: Andy Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, reportedly dropped his name from her Facebook profile right after the video went viral. Kristin’s own private life has also been dragged into the headlines.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Current Role | Chief People Officer, Astronomer (since Nov 2024) |
| Experience | 20+ years in HR leadership, Neo4j, ObserveIT |
| Education | B.A. in Political Science, Gettysburg College |
| Personal | Divorced from Kenneth C. Thornby; 1 child |
| Incident | Coldplay kiss cam with CEO Andy Byron sparked affair rumors |
What’s Next?
Astronomer has not released an official statement from Kristin Cabot. For now, her social profiles remain online but comments are disabled as speculation continues.
Whether this incident leads to real fallout for Kristin’s role — or just lives on as an internet meme — remains to be seen.
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