The aftermath of a viral Kiss Cam moment at a Coldplay concert has embroiled Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot in a cheating scandal, leading to Byron’s resignation and revealing surprising details about Cabot’s personal life. This digest covers the unfolding drama, from Byron’s initial viral comment to the company’s response and the reactions of their families.
1. The Viral Kiss Cam Incident and CEO Andy Byron’s Prior Comments
A seemingly innocent moment at Coldplay’s Boston concert unexpectedly propelled Astronomer CEO Andy Byron into the public eye, sparking widespread speculation about an office affair and prompting scrutiny of his past professional conduct. The concert’s “Kiss Cam” segment captured Byron and Kristin Cabot together. When the camera panned to them, Byron ducked to hide, and Cabot turned her face away. Byron was identified as the CEO of data orchestration company Astronomer, and Cabot as the company’s Chief People Officer, seen in his embrace. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin humorously remarked, “Uh-oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
As the footage rapidly went viral, internet sleuths began investigating the duo, bringing renewed attention to Byron’s 2023 press release regarding Cabot’s executive appointment. In that statement, Byron had praised Cabot’s “exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management,” stating she would be “critical as we continue our rapid trajectory” and that her “passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer.”
2. HR Rep Kristin Cabot’s Resurfaced Messages to Her Boss
Upon her hiring as Chief People Officer at Astronomer, Kristin Cabot had publicly expressed her enthusiasm for the new role on LinkedIn. Although her LinkedIn accounts are now inaccessible, she had previously “gushed” about her excitement, stating she was “Incredibly excited to announce I have joined the Astronomer team as Chief People Officer! 🚀” and was “energized in my conversations with Andy Byron and the Astronomer leadership team.” A now-deleted follow-up post further stated, “Since joining as Chief People Officer a couple of months ago, I’ve been blown away by the team and the incredible work we’re doing!”
Before Astronomer, Cabot was the Vice President of People at Neo4j. In a 2021 interview, she shared insights into her people-first leadership approach, emphasizing her ability to “find interesting pieces in everybody I meet” and make “connections… by finding that common ground.” On her now-deleted LinkedIn profile, she also wrote, “I lead by example and win trust with employees of all levels, from CEOs to managers to assistants,” a reflection of her empathetic leadership style that earned her praise from former colleagues in HR and talent strategy.
3. Kristin Cabot’s Marital and Family Life Revealed
New information has emerged about Kristin Cabot’s personal life amid the ongoing Kiss Cam scandal involving her and Andy Byron. It was previously known that Andy Byron is married to Megan Carrigan Byron, and Kristin was a recent divorcee. Massachusetts court documents reveal Kristin was married to Kenneth Thornby; they shared at least one child and finalized their divorce in 2022 after filing in 2018.
Following the viral footage, it was initially unclear if Kristin had remarried. However, The Daily Mail has since reported that she is, in fact, married to another CEO, Andrew Cabot, who is also the COO of Privateer Rum, a distillery that has been in his family for six generations. Andrew’s company profile describes him as “Responsible for the vision and strategy,” working with his team “to produce one of the finest rums in the world,” driven by the question, “how can we do this better?” His LinkedIn profile confirms a seasoned career in technology, public education, and academia, with degrees from Northeastern University, UCLA, and Harvard. He held several high-ranking positions before taking over the family business in 2009. The timeline of his marriage to Kristin is unclear, but property documents from January show Kristin (maiden name Stanek) was married when she sold a Watertown, Massachusetts property for $1.8 million this year. Records also show that she and Andrew have shared an address in Rye, New Hampshire, since 2023, eventually purchasing the $2.2 million estate in February. Prior to Kristin, Andrew was married twice before (in 1993 and 2014) and has two children from his first marriage to Maud Cabot. Kristin was present at Andrew’s daughter’s 25th birthday party in May of last year, as seen in photos shared by Maud on Facebook. Andrew’s Facebook account has been inactive since 2020, while Kristin has deactivated all her social media accounts.
4. Astronomer’s Response to the Cheating Scandal
Astronomer quickly addressed the controversy surrounding CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot. In a statement to Fox News, the tech firm announced, “Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave. We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days.” The company also released an additional statement on X, emphasizing its commitment to its values and culture: “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability. The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.”
Earlier speculation that another Astronomer employee, Alyssa Stoddard, was the visibly embarrassed woman in the viral video was also addressed by the company, which clarified, “Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video. Andy Byron has not put out any statement, reports saying otherwise are all incorrect.” Online reactions to the company’s response have been strong. One person called the story “a MESS,” while another commented, “This is so messy oh my god… they should have just played it cool.”
5. Andy Byron’s Resignation and Public Reactions
Following the “Kiss Cam” debacle, Astronomer published a new statement on X and LinkedIn, reiterating its commitment to company values. The message stated, “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.” It continued, “Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.” The statement provided no further information regarding Kristin Cabot’s current position within the organization.
The announcement of Byron’s resignation circulated widely, drawing varied public opinions. One Redditor noted, “Maybe unpopular opinion, but this statement is too serious, it’s funny. If the company policy forbids romantic relationships between employees, then fine (especially since she was head of HR), but for not obtaining certain standards, please…” They suggested the company likely knew of the relationship and was only reacting because “the cheaters are meme material now.” Similar sentiments were expressed on X, with users questioning the severity of the consequence: “Ok I’m sorry but that’s so unecessary like ik cheating is def bad but… losing your job? What?” another asked. “Wait, was he cancelled for cheating?? That is insane,” concurred another.
6. Andy Byron’s Wife’s Reaction to the Online Frenzy
As suspicions mounted about Andy Byron’s alleged affair, public attention turned to his wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron. She initially removed “Byron” from her Facebook profile before deactivating her account entirely, and her Instagram profile has also been taken down. Megan reportedly acted swiftly after her social media accounts were inundated with comments referencing the viral video of her husband and Kristin Cabot at the concert. Netizens largely expressed support for Megan.
Online commentary regarding the rumored affair has ranged from humorous to incredulous. One user joked, “This cheating scandal is the gift that keeps on giving… for the lawyers, that is! Their spouses should be thanking the tabloids right about now 😂😂😂.” Many social media users echoed Chris Martin’s suggestive comment. “HES having an affair…,” one person wrote, and another added, “They’re definitely hiding something, that’s for sure.” One user even claimed to immediately recognize the pair: “Oh my God that looks like Astronomer CEO Andy Byron AND Astronomer Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot??? Oh that’s gonna be one awkward board meeting, if not a couple of divorces too.” After Andy was confirmed to be married, another user questioned, “I wonder where he told his wife he was going to be?” The viral Kiss Cam moment has sparked widespread online discussion, with social media users dissecting the interaction and even alleged family responses drawing attention, continuing to ripple beyond the initial concert.