Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot react after being caught on Coldplay’s kiss cam at Gillette Stadium, sparking viral speculation of an alleged workplace affair. (Credit: Grace Springer via Storyful)
According to TMZ, Kristin Cabot has resigned from her role as Chief People Officer at Astronomer, days after she and former CEO Andy Byron were caught embracing on a stadium jumbotron during a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts.
A spokesperson for Astronomer confirmed Cabot’s departure in a statement to Us Weekly, saying, "Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer. She has resigned."
The scandal unfolded on July 16 at Gillette Stadium when Coldplay frontman Chris Martin introduced the concert’s kiss cam. The screen cut to Cabot and Byron, who were seen hugging and quickly trying to duck away from the camera. Martin quipped from the stage: "Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy."
What led to the resignations?
The backstory:
As video of the Coldplay moment went viral online, internet users identified the couple onscreen as senior executives at Astronomer, a Cincinnati-based tech company specializing in data and AI operations. Multiple outlets, including TMZ, reported that Byron is married—to a woman identified as Megan Kerrigan Byron—and not to Cabot.
In the days that followed, TMZ and Us Weekly reported that Megan Byron appeared to scrub her married name from her Facebook page before deleting her account entirely. On July 19, Astronomer confirmed Byron had stepped down as CEO amid the fallout.
What we know:
Cabot has now resigned as Chief People Officer, according to TMZ and confirmed by a spokesperson to Us Weekly.
Byron’s resignation came ahead of Cabot’s and followed a brief leave of absence and a board-launched internal investigation into the incident.
Pete DeJoy, one of Astronomer’s cofounders, has stepped in as interim CEO.
What we don't know:
It’s unclear whether Astronomer’s internal investigation has concluded or if further action is being taken.
Neither Cabot nor Byron has issued a public statement since the video surfaced.
Details about the timeline of their relationship or the company’s handling of executive conduct policies remain private.
What they're saying:
Pete DeJoy, now serving as interim CEO, addressed the situation in a lengthy statement on LinkedIn earlier this week:
"The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies—let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world—ever encounter. The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team and, while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name."
He added that the company remains focused on its mission, saying: "Astronomer is built by people who live to solve hard problems… and care deeply about doing things the right way. The mission is bigger than any one moment."
Astronomer previously issued a public statement on LinkedIn, writing:
"Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met."
What's next:
With two top executives gone, Astronomer’s leadership will likely face questions about how the company moves forward culturally and structurally. DeJoy emphasized that the company remains committed to its customers and the open-source Apache Airflow community it supports.
The Source: This report is based on information from TMZ and Us Weekly, which first reported Kristin Cabot’s resignation following a viral incident at a Coldplay concert. The Associated Press contributed additional details about Andy Byron’s departure, and all executive quotes come from official LinkedIn statements made by Astronomer and interim CEO Pete DeJoy. This story was reported from Los Angeles.