Caitlin Huerter: Behind the scenes with the EA to the CRO at Vanta

Caitlin Huerter, EA to the CRO at Vanta, took an unconventional path that has shaped her success. Starting in fitness management—working with NBA players at a luxury gym—and then managing restaurants and events at the Ritz-Carlton, she built strong operational skills and learned to anticipate needs through keen observation and personal touches. “For me, it’s always about the human experience,” she says.

Right before joining Vanta, a Series C tech startup headquartered in San Francisco, Caitlin wore many hats at a small startup, from office manager to project lead. She was ready for the challenge when she joined Vanta, supporting two executives and managing the San Francisco office. “Two weeks in, it was total chaos, but in the best way. They handed me their lives and said, ‘Here, figure it out.’ So, I did.” Her story shows how diverse experiences create exceptional executive assistants who blend emotional intelligence with practical expertise.

Table of contents:

1. What led you into executive support and operations?
2. How would you describe the role of an EA?
3. What are some common misconceptions about the EA role?
4. How can an EA build a strong relationship with their exec?
5. How would an EA know if their executive really trusts them?
6. What kind of impact can an executive expect when they’re supported by a strong EA?
7. What are some visible signs you notice in an executive who is well-supported versus one who isn’t?
8. Why should tech companies invest in hiring executive assistants?
9. What advice would you give someone looking into the EA role?

1. What led you into executive support and operations?

It actually started during the pandemic. I was working in hotels, and suddenly, everything shut down. I was out of work for over a year, the longest I’ve gone without a job since I was 15. I ended up living on the road for a while, out of my car, just being a free spirit.

Eventually, I came back to California and decided I wanted to break into tech. From the outside, tech can feel really unattainable, especially when your past experience doesn’t translate neatly on a resume. I got a job at a small startup as an office manager, and kept taking on projects and roles that needed support to learn and grow. As is the nature with small startups, I played multiple roles, and I did my best to lean into every opportunity to build my skills.

2. How would you describe the role of an EA?

At its core, being an executive assistant is about convenience: making sure an executive understands and navigates their day smoothly. That means managing their calendar, their inbox, and their travel. But more than that, it’s about prioritizing and simplifying.

On a deeper level, you become a confidant and sounding board. Sometimes you’re also like an older sibling to their direct reports. People often come to you first to talk things out before going to the exec. You wear a lot of hats, but ultimately, your job is to handle the details so your executive can focus on the big picture that drives the business forward.

In many ways, EAs are the emotional intelligence side of the room. In a meeting with 40 people, while the exec is focused on content and delivering, the EA is reading the room: Who’s engaged, who’s checked out, who’s rolling their eyes in the back. That observational insight is powerful, and a trusted exec will come to rely on it.

3. What are some common misconceptions about the EA role?

That all we do is manage calendars and book flights. There’s so much more to it, especially because we’re deeply involved in our executives’ workflows.

Another misconception is that EAs don’t know what’s going on in the business. But the best EAs have a strong grasp of what’s happening across the company, because it helps us support our executives better.

We’re the people behind the curtain. People often underestimate that, but really, we’re the glue that holds everything together.

4. How can an EA build a strong long-term relationship with their exec?

Honestly, I got very lucky. Stevie and I just clicked. We have all these overlaps, like she grew up in Kansas City and my dad was from there, so I spent summers in Kansas even though I’m from Maui. We eat and drink similar things. But more than that, she values people and genuinely cares about human connection. She doesn’t care about titles, she wants honest opinions.

It was all in the small things: I showed I was committed to her success, which meant I was invested in the success of our go-to-market work. I also made it clear I was there to lighten her load. I’d often say, “You’ve got bigger fish to fry, let me handle this.”

One pivotal moment early on was our first sales kickoff. I was maybe a month or two into the job when she asked if I could take over logistics to save on agency costs. I had no idea what a sales kickoff was, but I jumped in. The event was in Austin, and when we arrived, the city started freezing over: restaurants were closing, supplies were uncertain.

Each night I was in a room with the agency, reworking the next day’s plan. Stevie would text, “What can I do?” and I’d say, “Make sure the messaging lands on stage, I’ve got the rest.” After the event, we sat down and realized: No one knew how much we had scrambled behind the scenes. That was a key turning point: she saw I could handle chaos, and I saw what this job really involved.

Bottom line, I would say my growth was my own, but it was accelerated by having an executive like Stevie who told me directly: “Run with this,” or “Nope, not your focus.” That clarity helped me grow.

And it went both ways. I felt comfortable being honest with her, too. There was no fear, no ego, just direct, open communication. That’s essential. You can’t be afraid to speak up, and your exec shouldn’t be afraid either. It’s a true partnership.

5. How would an EA know if their executive really trusts them?

When they start asking for your insights or opinions. Some execs only want core admin support: calendars, emails, logistics. But others want a true partner, someone who can act as a sounding board, or who they trust to keep things moving while they’re away.

As we got more comfortable, she started asking things like, “What was your read on that meeting?” or “What did you think about that conversation?” That opened the door for deeper collaboration and trust. I began offering observations, flagging when someone might be getting overlooked or identifying broken processes, and offering solutions.

6. What kind of impact can an executive expect when they’re supported by a strong EA?

They’ll finally get to do all the little things they’ve planned to tackle but never had time for. Executives are always thinking big picture, but they still have creative ideas they wish they could pursue. A strong EA can take those small passion projects and either run with them or delegate effectively to get them done.

Also, having a strong EA is like having someone inside your head. When I plan travel for Stevie, I’m not just booking flights, I’m planning around how she’ll feel. If she’s in back-to-backs, I’ll block 20 minutes midday to make sure she gets coffee. I think ahead so she doesn’t have to. That level of foresight creates not just efficiency, but ease.

7. What are some signs you notice in an executive who is well-supported versus one who isn’t?

When an executive doesn’t really know every detail of their trip, I actually see that as a sign they’re well-supported. If they have a great EA, they’ll get on the plane and use that time to brief themselves because they trust their EA has everything fully covered from start to finish. They don’t have to worry about the logistics; they just show up. It’s the same for events, offsites, or meetings. The executive is not worried about going to an event or popping into a team’s offsite unprepared because their EA has prepared a briefing document ahead of time. That trust in the EA to handle all the details is what really stands out.

8. Why should tech companies invest in hiring executive assistants?

For convenience, absolutely. EAs are like silent ninjas behind the scenes. You hear all the little things going on. EAs have boots on the ground and unique insights into company dynamics that executives might miss. Plus, having your whole day laid out with prep done means you can reclaim time, whether that’s sleeping in or hitting the treadmill, because someone else is managing the details for you.

9.   What advice would you give someone looking into the EA role?

Be open to learning everything. Don’t box yourself in as “just a calendar person” or “just a travel planner.” Sit in on meetings, even if they’re over your head. I often listen to Zoom recordings multiple times and use tools like ChatGPT to simplify complex topics so I can better understand the business, because that’s how I serve my executive better. Also, find the organizational system that works for you; no two EAs organize their workload the same way. What matters is that it works for you and gets the job done. Personally, I like to lean into AI tools: they’re a game-changer for managing busy EA workloads.

TL;DR

• Caitlin’s path to becoming an EA was unconventional: Starting in fitness and hospitality, she built sharp operational instincts and people-first thinking before entering tech.
• Her approach to executive support is grounded in emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and proactive problem-solving—not just calendar and travel management.
• Trust is key: Her strong partnership with the CRO at Vanta is built on mutual respect, honest communication, and a shared sense of ownership over the executive’s success.
• A great EA’s impact is felt in the details, from anticipating emotional and logistical needs to owning projects and corralling chaos.
• Misconceptions persist about the EA role, but Caitlin shows that EAs are embedded leaders, not behind-the-scenes admins—they’re force multipliers for their executives.

Inspired by Caitlin’s story? If you’re ready to experience the impact of a proactive, emotionally intelligent executive assistant, Viva can help. We match startup executives with exceptional EAs who do more than manage calendars, they become strategic partners. Book a call today to find your match.

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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.