Payne holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, two educational specialists degrees in educational and instructional technology with a certification in diversity and inclusion, and a masters of education in educational technology. She has previously worked as a librarian at Clarke County Schools, and was a fifth grade teacher in Gwinnett County Schools. Payne was most recently a middle school science and English and language arts teacher in the Clarke County School District. In Clarke County, Payne also served as the STEAM coordinator, media specialist, and Girls Who Code facilitator, among many other positions.

Payne is an avid fan of Raspberry Pi and is a certified educator in their programming, as well as a Level 1 and Level 2 Google certified educator. She has previous experience as a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Summer Institute Ambassador and as a Pathways to Possibilities After-School Program Curriculum Developer.

Payne will primarily support teachers at North Atlanta High School and Drew Charter School.