10 GitHub leaders in new roles in 2026
Each of these ten GitHub leaders in new roles in 2026 started their current role this year, from a vice president of engineering and senior engineering directors to vice presidents of sales and solutions engineering and a finance director. A reader can learn how GitHub leaders approach a role they started in 2026 from people who hold one now.
Professionals to explore
Aaron Cathcart
LinkedInExperience: VP of Engineering · GitHub
Aaron Cathcart has been VP of Engineering at GitHub since September 2026, based in Woodinville, Washington, with a headline naming GitHub Advanced Security. At GitHub, Aaron Cathcart was also Senior Director of Engineering from 2023 to 2026 and Director of Engineering from 2020 to 2023.
Ajith Babu
LinkedInExperience: Director, Finance — Commercial Cloud (GitHub and Azure AI Foundry) · Microsoft
Ajith Babu has been Director, Finance — Commercial Cloud (GitHub and Azure AI Foundry) at Microsoft since February 2026, based in the Greater Seattle Area. At Microsoft, Ajith Babu was also Director / Group Finance Manager — Commercial Cloud (Office) from 2020 to 2026 and Senior Finance Manager — Commercial Cloud (Azure) from 2018 to 2020.
Daniel R Stein
LinkedInExperience: Corporate Vice President and CRO, GitHub · GitHub
Daniel R Stein has been Corporate Vice President and CRO, GitHub at GitHub since May 2026, based in San Anselmo, California, and describes leading GitHub's global revenue line overseeing sales, customer success, partnerships, and revenue operations. Daniel R Stein was also Vice President, Software and Digital Platforms (SDP) at Microsoft from 2024 to 2026.
David Apirian
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Software Engineering · GitHub
David Apirian has been Senior Director of Software Engineering at GitHub since January 2026, based in San Francisco, California. David Apirian was also Founder at Trunk from 2021 to 2025 and Head of Autonomy Systems and Simulation Platform at Uber from 2017 to 2021.
Lizzie Chernia
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Enterprise Sales, Americas · GitHub
Lizzie Chernia has been Vice President of Enterprise Sales, Americas at GitHub since July 2026, based in San Francisco, California. Lizzie Chernia also lists Vice President of Sales, Regulated Industries at GitHub from 2023 and Vice President of Sales, West at GitHub from 2022.
Michael Filosa
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Global Solutions Engineering Enterprise & Corporate · GitHub
Michael Filosa has been Vice President, Global Solutions Engineering Enterprise & Corporate at GitHub since July 2026, based in Burlington, Massachusetts. At GitHub, Michael Filosa was also Vice President of Field Services Americas & Corporate from 2021 to 2026 and Senior Director of Solution Engineering America from 2019 to 2021.
Nacuya Rucker
LinkedInExperience: Executive Communications Director · GitHub
Nacuya Rucker has been Executive Communications Director at GitHub since March 2026, based in the Greater Tampa Bay Area. Nacuya Rucker also lists Senior Executive Communications Business Partner to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at GitHub from 2023, and was Senior Executive Communications Business Partner to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) at GitHub from 2022 to 2024.
Nicholas Liffen
LinkedInExperience: VP, GTM Strategy · GitHub
Nicholas Liffen has been VP, GTM Strategy at GitHub since September 2026, based in Reading, England. Nicholas Liffen also lists Senior Director, GTM & Product Strategy at GitHub from 2024, and was Director, GitHub Advanced Security at GitHub from 2022 to 2024.
Reema Sardana
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Engineering · GitHub
Reema Sardana has been Senior Director of Engineering at GitHub since September 2026, based in Saratoga, California. Reema Sardana was also Director of Engineering at GitHub from 2022 to 2026 and Senior Director of Engineering at Rally Health from 2021 to 2022.
Samarth Mital
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director, Global Revenue Strategy & Planning · GitHub
Samarth Mital has been Senior Director, Global Revenue Strategy & Planning at GitHub since February 2026, based in Palo Alto, California. Samarth Mital was also Senior Director - Global Revenue Planning, AI & Operations Transformation at Rubrik from 2025 to 2026 and Director, Sales Strategy/Operations and GTM at Rubrik from 2020 to 2022.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's function to your question, since an engineering director and a sales, finance or strategy leader see different parts of the company. People whose role started earliest in the year have had the most time in it.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on in your first months in your current role?
- 02Which parts of your past roles have been most useful in the role you hold now?
- 03How do you decide which priorities to take on first when you step into a new leadership role?
Reaching GitHub leaders in new roles in 2026
How can I contact one of these GitHub leaders in new roles in 2026?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 2 companies: GitHub and Microsoft, based on profile data retrieved on October 25, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach GitHub leaders in new roles in 2026?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these GitHub leaders in new roles in 2026 a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.