How Ava Thompson is shaping Executive Support at MongoDB

At Viva, we know everything there is to know about executive assistants. After all, we’ve matched over hundreds of startup executives from all over the United States with the strongest performing EAs in Latin America. But executive assistants don’t operate alone, and there is one role we were particularly curious about: the executive support leader.

That’s why we sat down with Ava Thompson – former Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO and currently the Director of Executive Support at MongoDB, a publicly traded tech company headquartered in NYC– to talk about what it means to be an executive support leader: how she teams up with EAs and provides support for an entire organization. Ava is one of the smartest, most articulate individuals we’ve had the pleasure to interview, and her experience in the field makes her a trusted voice you simply must listen to.

One of our Co-CEOs, Adnan Khan, led the conversation, exploring how Ava has structured her function and processes, manages relationships with the executive team, and the advice she has for others building this function from scratch.

Table of contents:

1. How would you describe the executive support function?
2. What is the structure of your executive support function?
3. What are the main responsibilities of an executive support leader?
4. How do you determine which executives are eligible for EA support?
5. How can an executive support leader educate executives on what to delegate?
6. What do you do if executives overutilize or underutilize their EAs?
7. How can an executive support leader build trust with executives and EAs? 
8. What is the impact of the executive support function on the broader organization?

1. How would you describe the executive support function?

I think executive support is really about catching what falls through the cracks and being a true partner to the people you support. That looks different for different leaders.

A good EA is adaptable: sometimes it’s about process optimization, other times it’s helping build team culture, or even stepping in during a personal crisis. Of course, it also includes traditional tasks like calendar and travel management, but the relationship ideally runs much deeper.

At MongoDB, executive support is quite elevated compared to my previous experiences. Earlier in my career, EA work was reactive: like, “This came up, take care of it.” At MongoDB, being a public company, we operate with more structure and foresight. EAs here have a high standard and a clear sense of what we’re doing now and what we aspire to become. There’s a strong sense of partnership between EAs and executives, and the goals can differ significantly depending on who each EA supports.

2. What’s the structure of the executive support function?

We organize primarily by function and region. So we have EA managers who support teams aligned to Sales, R&D, or G&A. Within that, we try to assign EAs by region—so ideally, a London-based EA supports a London-based leader. But when some regions scale faster than others, we end up with EAs supporting across functions, which requires strong cross-functional awareness.

3. What are the main responsibilities of an executive support leader?

At the time that I joined, EAs reported to the executives they supported, which came with challenges. Things like PTO approvals or writing performance reviews weren’t always best suited to be handled by executives. So I helped centralize the function. Now, all EA managers report to me, and we have a unified vision, consistent processes, and standardized expectations for EAs. It brought clarity to what had previously been a fragmented experience across the company.

4. How do you determine which executives are eligible for EA support?

Eligibility is based on the employee reaching a certain level of seniority and was defined before the executive support function existed. We’ve explored exception policies because sometimes leaders below a specific level carry complex workloads, but it’s tricky. Metrics like org size or travel needs don’t always reflect the executive’s need for an EA. So we’ve kept a hard line. At MongoDB, receiving EA support is for executives at a specific level and is seen as an investment in their expanding leadership once you reach a certain level.

5. How can an executive support leader educate executives on what to delegate?

We rolled out a structured onboarding program for executives last year, including an on-demand course that outlines roles and responsibilities. It clarifies what kind of EA support they have, whether it’s an EA, Senior EA, a shared resource, or someone in a manager role. We also draw boundaries: no personal tasks, no inbox management, and no team-wide support. It’s all about supporting the executive, not their broader org. We check in 30 days after onboarding to address any questions or gray areas.

6. What to do if execs overutilize or underutilize their EAs?

Some leaders tend to dive right in and use their EA to the fullest, sometimes even too much, whereas others are more reserved or unsure of how to leverage the support. The onboarding program helps both extremes: It energizes those who aren’t sure where to start and helps set healthy boundaries for those who are already enthusiastic.

7. How can an executive support leader build trust with executives and EAs? 

As a former EA, I’m naturally more behind-the-scenes. But in order to build trust with the ELT, I’ve learned to schedule intentional time with executives – 15 or 30-minute check-ins to create space for honest feedback. I also try to be open and non-defensive when executives share concerns about their EA. Sometimes they’re hesitant to give feedback because they value the relationship so much, and I try to bridge that gap and validate their insights.

As for my EA team, I learned that transparency was key, especially at the start. I made it clear that the structure we implemented wasn’t about hierarchy; it was about addressing real process gaps to benefit everyone. Some EAs were skeptical at first, especially if they had great relationships with their execs and felt like this added a layer of separation. But over time, they saw that the structure enables EAs more. I’m also big on admitting mistakes, asking for help, and celebrating wins together. For example, every promotion in the organization, I remind the entire team that “this is a continued investment in our organization because of your work.”

8. What’s the impact of the executive support function on the broader organization?

I think we’re the culture carriers. EAs at MongoDB have stepped in and solved problems before they became major issues, whether it was a tech glitch, a miscommunication, or a cultural misstep. We’re often the first to know when something’s off. EAs are deeply embedded in the fabric of the business and play a quiet but powerful role in keeping it strong.

As Ava’s story shows, building a strong executive support function requires more than just hiring great assistants. It takes vision, structure, consistency, and heart. At MongoDB, the EA team isn’t just reacting to requests. They’re proactively shaping culture, improving systems, and scaling support across a growing organization.

Ava’s insights are a powerful guide if you’re building this function in your own company. Start with clarity, build for consistency, and always remember the human element, because the real magic happens when support becomes partnership.

TL;DR: 

• Executive support is about partnership, not just admin. EAs at their best are proactive, adaptable, and deeply embedded in leadership.
• Structure matters. Centralizing the EA function brings clarity, consistency, and fairness across the org.
• Onboarding is essential. Educating executives on what to delegate and what not to, sets everyone up for success.
• Trust takes time. Building relationships with executives and EAs alike requires transparency, vulnerability, and feedback loops.
• Impact goes beyond logistics. EAs are cultural stewards who help prevent problems before they surface and keep the business humming behind the scenes.

Thinking about creating or scaling your executive support function? At Viva, we specialize in helping startup leaders get the support they need to grow. Book a call today and provide your leaders with the support they need.

Fadua Caicedo Díaz del Castillo

Fadua is a bilingual advertiser and holds a master’s degree in creative writing. With over ten years of experience, she has written countless advertising and social media campaigns, blogs, interviews, and everything in between. She writes about startups, the impact of executive assistants, and the stories behind their work. When she’s not writing, she is spending quality time with her husband and son, hiking, reading, or discovering new cafés.