At the 43rd Annual Payroll Congress, Mindy Mayo, CPP, shared powerful insights from her journey and her role as Senior Managing Director for Global Mobility at multinational professional services network KPMG.

Mayo began her academic path as a philosophy major but ultimately found her calling in accounting. Her career took root as a payroll tax auditor for the State of California, later transitioning into a CPA firm, where she spent nine years before joining KPMG.

Now leading a team of 28 professionals, Mayo has guided companies through the complexities of payroll tax compliance, especially amid post-pandemic challenges. With employees relocating across states and countries, her team has helped minimize disruptions in tax obligations and workforce management.

She emphasized that payroll professionals can thrive in hybrid and remote environments, unlocking new career opportunities. But with this flexibility comes responsibility. “Complacency is dangerous,” Mayo warned, urging attendees to continuously grow their skills and those of their teams.

She also reminded the audience that payroll is a small world where reputations matter. “Avoid being the topic of negative conversations,” she said. True success, Mayo concluded, comes from operating at full capacity and ensuring you're remembered for the right reasons—by staying ahead and striving for excellence.

Attendee Andy Garboden, CPP, said, “I love that she credited different influential people in her life, and passing that knowledge on to others—which is something I’m also passionate about—is really impactful.”

“I loved hearing her backstory, working for a big firm like KPMG and juggling her other responsibilities as a mom," said Sheila Widener, CPP. "Her remarks about volunteering and giving back and sharing knowledge and being a mentor to others—that’s what it’s all about.”

Mayo

 Holly Kapherr is a freelance writer based in Orlando, Florida.