Attracting attention for shyly laughing at the scene where the CEO and HR director of Astronomer were caught cheating at a Coldplay concert, the female audience member was rumored to be the couple’s subordinate but was not.

The surprising identity of the woman standing next to Astronomer CEO and his lover

Coldplay concert ‘kiss cam’ captures passionate embrace between Astronomer CEO and company’s HR director despite having a family. Video: NY Post

After the video of Astronomer’s CEO and HR director hugging at Gillette Stadium on the evening of July 16 went viral, it wasn’t just the two main characters who became the center of attention.

According to the Economic Times, it was the “laugh-out-loud” reaction of the woman standing next to them that made many people talk. Some people called her “the confused woman” when witnessing the awkward situation.

Soon after, an X user claimed that the woman was Alyssa Stoddard, Astronomer’s VP of HR. “The woman next to them is Alyssa Stoddard, VP of HR at Astronomer.

Imagine your entire HR department getting busted at a Coldplay concert,” the user wrote. “Look at the look on Alyssa Stoddard’s face. There’s definitely going to be at least one divorce plus a few layoffs,” another user agreed, predicting.

However, a representative for the media company hired by Astronomer confirmed: “Alyssa is not there. This is a rumor circulating on X.” The spokesperson continued: “There may be some similarities in the person’s appearance, but it is not. It is completely false information.”

Alyssa Stoddard joined Astronomer in January, having previously worked at Neo4j, Proofpoint, and ObserveI. Last week, Kristin Cabot reportedly promoted Alyssa Stoddard to VP of HR. Cabot is reportedly being let go following the controversy. It is unclear whether Stoddard will replace her.

The confused woman stands next to Bryon and Cabot. Screenshot

The confused woman stands next to Bryon and Cabot. Screenshot

Over the past two days, the public has been closely following the developments of the affair scandal dubbed the hottest of 2025.

The story has gone beyond the scope of love affairs, raising questions about the internal affairs of this technology company and the possible reactions that may follow.

It is currently unclear how Astronomer will deal with the people involved and the company’s leadership team after the scandal.

The tech tycoon exposed for apparently having an affair with a co-worker on a “kiss cam” at a Coldplay concert raved about the staffer when she was hired just months before they were caught canoodling.

Andy Byron, CEO of the AI-centric New York firm Astronomer, called his human resources officer, Kristin Cabot — with whom he was broadcast locked in an embrace Wednesday — “a proven leader” when she joined the company in November 2024.

“Kristin’s exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory,” Byron gushed.

Couple shown on a large screen at a Coldplay concert.

Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot at the Coldplay concert.Grace Springer via Storyful

Kristin Cabot, Chief People Officer.

Cabot in a professional shot.Astronomer

Group photo of Astronomer employees, including Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot.

Andy Byron (third from left) and Kristin Cabot (right) in an undated photograph.Bain Capital Ventures

“She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer.”

Photo of Megan Kerrigan Byron with a child at a baseball game.

Megan Kerrigan Byron is seen with an unidentified boy in an undated Facebook photo.Facebook/Meg Kerrigan

Photo of Megan Kerrigan Byron with her husband and other people.

Megan Kerrigan Byron is seen with unknown teens and her husband in an undated Facebook photo.Megan Kerrigan/Facebook

Cabot “has a proven track record of preserving and enriching company culture at organizations experiencing rapid growth,” according to the press release, which notes she previously worked at the data analytics firm Neo4j.

In the same release, Cabot was quoted saying that she was “energized in my conversations with Andy and the Astronomer leadership team about the opportunities that exist here.”

Andy Byron, Astronomer CEO, on NYSE TV.

Andy Byron speaks on NYSE TV Live on June 25, 2025.New York Stock Exchange/Youtube

Headshot of Andy Byron, CEO of Astronomer.

Andy Byron, CEO of Astronomer.Astronomer

On Wednesday, Byron and Cabot scrambled to hide their faces when an image of them cuddling passionately appeared on a jumbotron at the show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

“Oh, what?” the band’s frontman, Chris Martin, can be heard asking on stage. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”