As a kiss cam moment at a Coldplay concert went viral this week for allegedly exposing an affair between Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, another person in the clip has unexpectedly captured public attention: Alyssa Stoddard, whose stunned expression during the moment has quickly become a meme.
The Viral Video
The footage, taken during Coldplay’s show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, shows Byron wrapping his arms around Cabot from behind as the kiss cam pans across the audience. The two then react with visible alarm—Byron ducking behind a barrier, Cabot covering her face—while lead singer Chris Martin joked to the crowd, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”
But seated right beside them was Alyssa Stoddard, now dubbed by social media as the “embarrassed woman” who witnessed the moment up close.
Who Is Alyssa Stoddard?
Stoddard is the Senior Director of People at Astronomer, having joined the company in January 2025. According to her LinkedIn profile, she previously held roles at Neo4j, Proofpoint, and ObserveI, and served as a board member at Little Sparks Project.
When she announced her move to Astronomer earlier this year, she wrote:
“I couldn’t be more excited to announce that I’ve started my next adventure! I’ve joined Kristin Cabot (Thornby) and the amazing People team at Astronomer, leading People Operations and Strategy!”
Her post praised the company’s mission and expressed gratitude to former colleagues, especially at Neo4j, for their support.
Notably, Kristin Cabot had reportedly promoted Stoddard to Vice President of People just last week—a promotion confirmed in a resurfaced LinkedIn post by Cabot herself.
Social Media Reactions
As the video of Byron and Cabot circulated, so did clips and screenshots of Stoddard’s reaction, with users commenting on her apparent discomfort and the awkwardness of the moment.
One user on X wrote:
“The woman next to them is Alyssa Stoddard, Sr. Director of People at Astronomer. Imagine your whole HR chain imploding at a Coldplay concert.”
Another added:
“That’s Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, and in disbelief, Astronomer’s Sr. Director of People Alyssa Stoddard. Divorce and firings incoming.”
Fallout Still Unfolding
Neither Byron, Cabot, nor Stoddard have publicly responded to the incident, which has fueled a storm of speculation about internal workplace dynamics at Astronomer. With the company’s top leadership team now under intense public scrutiny, many are watching to see how Astronomer will respond—both internally and publicly.
