Kavita Thakkar Patel

Kavita Thakkar Patel currently serves as the Head of People and Talent at Neuralink since November 2024. Previously, Kavita held various roles at Upstart from September 2021 to November 2024, including Vice President of Talent Acquisition, HR Technology, and Operations, as well as Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Director of Recruiting Operations. Before Upstart, Kavita worked at Google from August 2014 to September 2021, leading strategy and operations for YouTube and consumer staffing, overseeing cross-functional initiatives, and ensuring efficient recruiting processes. Kavita's early career included research roles at the University of Texas at Austin, where work involved studying neuroscience and addiction. Kavita earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and pursued a Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (ABD) at the same institution.