Women leaders at Mapbox: Shaping teams and growth

Strong leadership often shows up in moments of change, pressure, and uncertainty. At Mapbox, women across the company are guiding teams through those moments with clarity, empathy, and a strong sense of purpose.

This story brings together three leaders, Kelsey Livingston, Fiona O’Donnell, and Aditi Unadkat, each working in very different parts of the business. Their paths are not identical, but they share a common thread: a willingness to learn, adapt, and lead with intention.

From program execution to people strategy to financial leadership, their stories show how different experiences can shape thoughtful, effective leadership in tech.

Leading through complexity and connection: Kelsey Livingston

Kelsey Livingston operates where things are often most challenging: large projects, shifting priorities, and teams that span many disciplines. At Mapbox, she has built a reputation for helping teams move forward when progress feels blocked.

Her background is not what people might expect from someone leading technical programs. Before Mapbox, she worked in museums, designing and delivering exhibits across the country. Later, she led production for Google’s Experience Centers. These roles required creativity, coordination, and attention to detail, skills that translated well into her work in technology.

At Mapbox, Kelsey first joined the Technical Program Management team. She led major automotive engagements, including the BMW IDC23 head unit. Today, she works as a Technical Advisor to the SVP of Location Services, focusing on improving execution and communication across the company.

Kelsey’s career reflects a belief that skills can carry across industries. While she was once advised to narrow her focus, she chose a different path, one that allowed her to explore different fields while building a strong foundation in leadership and delivery.

That foundation is built on relationships.

When the going gets tough, I lean on these relationships to find the hidden blockers and get the work moving. When I see a problem, I don’t wait to be asked to solve it – I use my network to find a solution. And most importantly, I receive and provide clear feedback when things don’t work out, and celebrate the team when they do.

Her approach highlights a simple but powerful idea: progress depends on people understanding each other and working toward a shared goal.

Building culture with intention: Fiona O’Donnell

As Chief People Officer, Fiona O’Donnell focuses on something that touches every part of the company: culture and people strategy. Her work is grounded in a belief that how a company supports its people should be as thoughtful and data-driven as how it builds its products.

Fiona brings more than 20 years of experience across different stages of company growth. She spent 17 years at Google, followed by leadership roles at Stripe and Databricks. These experiences gave her a wide view of how organizations evolve, and what it takes to build strong teams along the way.

But her leadership approach did not come fully formed. Early in her career, she believed that strong work alone would naturally lead to growth. That changed over time.

I realized I needed to be in the driver’s seat. While my manager played an important role, I ultimately owned my career. Taking that seat meant ensuring I was articulating my goals and working alongside leadership to achieve them.

This shift helped her see career growth as something active, not passive. It also shaped how she supports others in their own paths.

Instead of rushing toward the next role, Fiona chose to focus on learning from each stage of her career. She describes this as “collecting experiences” — building a broad perspective that would later support her as a leader.

Staying present allowed me to build a toolkit that a faster path wouldn't have provided. Each of those chapters was a necessary building block for the role I hold today.

This mindset reflects a different view of success, one that values depth over speed.

Now at Mapbox, Fiona is applying that experience in a new environment. As a recent addition to the leadership team, she is focused on understanding the company’s culture and how it can grow in a way that supports both employees and business goals.

Her work centers on aligning people strategy with company priorities. This includes using data to guide decisions, supporting leadership development, and creating an environment where employees can do their best work.

Driving financial clarity and growth: Aditi Unadkat

As Vice President of Finance, Aditi plays a central role in guiding Mapbox’s financial strategy and operations. Her career spans a wide range of environments, from Wall Street to public companies to private equity and venture-backed firms.

This breadth of experience has shaped a practical and adaptable approach to leadership.

At previous companies, Aditi built strong skills in financial management and operational efficiency. She focused on creating clear reporting structures and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) that help leaders make informed decisions.

When stepping into a new role, she dedicates time to understanding how the company spends and where improvements can be made. This allows her to identify ways to manage costs while supporting growth.

Her move to Mapbox was driven by a desire to expand her skill set even further, especially in areas tied to revenue and business growth.

At Mapbox, Aditi took on the additional challenge of leading the RevOps team on an interim basis. This gave her deeper insight into how the Sales organization operates and how different parts of the business connect.

Through this experience, she gained a stronger understanding of pricing strategies, product collaboration, and commercial models. These insights now inform her broader work in finance.

Her career reflects a clear philosophy: growth comes from stepping outside familiar roles.

Growth comes from taking on new and even unnerving experiences. Stay adaptable to changing business needs, and don’t be afraid to step into the unknown because that’s where the most significant professional expansion happens. Each challenge is an opportunity to widen your experience, to build resilience, and to find clarity in the midst of instability. Growth isn’t about following a rigid path; it’s about having the courage to lean into change.

Aditi is also open about the personal side of leadership. One of the most demanding periods in her career came when she balanced new motherhood with leading financial efforts during a major M&A transaction.

Experiences like this shaped how she thinks about leadership today. She is thoughtful about how work is distributed across teams and mindful of the pressures that come with high responsibility.

She also places strong importance on who she works with. Aligning with managers who understand her strengths and support flexibility has been a key part of maintaining balance.

This perspective influences how she builds her own teams, aiming to create an environment where people can succeed without facing unnecessary strain.

Common threads across different paths

The stories of Kelsey, Fiona, and Aditi show that there is no single way to lead in tech. Each brings a different background and perspective, yet all share a commitment to growth, clear communication, and thoughtful decision-making. 

Their journeys reflect a broader truth: strong leadership is shaped over time, through experience, reflection, and a willingness to adapt.

Ready to be part of that mission? Join the team today.