PayrollOrg honored 10 exceptional members for their outstanding leadership and service to the organization. The awards were presented during the 2025 Virtual Congress & Expo that took place July 9-10. The details of each recipient’s service to PayrollOrg, both locally and nationally, are listed accordingly.

Michele Baker is a Payroll and Tax Manager Consultant based in Benson, N.C., and has been a PayrollOrg member since 2009. Her volunteer services include the Ask an Expert Committee, Government Relations Task Force (GRTF) Child Support, Federal Issues, and Garnishments, and Retirement Accounts Subcommittees, and the Strategic Payroll Leadership Task Force (SPLTF) Best Practices Subcommittee.

Locally, she is an active member of the Greater Atlanta Payroll Association, where she has served multiple terms as a Chapter Officer.

Cari Breitinger, CPP, is the Director, HRIS and Payroll, North America at BELFOR Property Restoration in Birmingham, Mich. She has been a PayrollOrg member since 2011 and earned her Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) credential in 2022.

She is a Co-Chair of the SPLTF Best Practices and Emerging Technologies Subcommittees and a member of the Board of Contributing Writers, Education Advisory Committee, GRTF Child Support and Garnishments Subcommittees, Education Grant Committee, and the SPLTF Global Payroll and Shared Services Subcommittees. She was a guest on PayTalk Podcast®.

Michael Brown is the Senior Business Analyst for Dayforce US, Inc., in Minneapolis, Minn., and has been a PayrollOrg member since 2017. His committee service includes the GRTF Child Support, Garnishments, Retirement Accounts, and State and Local Topics Subcommittees and the Early Wage Access/On-Demand Pay Workgroup.

Sapna Goswami, CPP, is the Payroll Director at UT Southwestern in Dallas. She earned her CPP in 2009 and became a PayrollOrg member in 2010. Her volunteer service includes the Ask an Expert Committee, GRTF Federal Issues and State and Local Topics Subcommittees and Unemployment Insurance Workgroup, Education Grant Committee, SPLTF Best Practices, Educational Institutions, Emerging Technologies, Government/Public Sector Best Practices, Health Care, and Hospitality Industry Subcommittees.

Shannon Kelly, CPP, is the Payroll Manager for Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He earned his CPP in 2007 and became a PayrollOrg member in 2009. His volunteer service includes being Co-Chair of the SPLTF Educational Institutions Subcommittee and a member of the SPLTF Best Practices Subcommittee. He is currently President of the Utah Valley Chapter.

Steven Kessler, CPP, GHPR, is the Payroll Supervisor for Experian in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Kessler earned his CPP in 2010 and became a PayrollOrg member in 2018. His volunteer services include the GRTF Child Support and State and Local Topics Subcommittees and the SPLTF Best Practices Subcommittee. He is an active member of the Orange County Chapter where he has served as the Membership Director and currently serves as the Government Liaison Officer.

Susan Noyes, CPP, is the Payroll Manager at J. Jill in Tilton, N.H. She joined PayrollOrg in 2006 and earned her CPP in 2010. Her volunteer service includes the Ask an Expert Committee, Board of Advisors, CHAMPS Committee, Chapter Recognition Committee, Social Networking Committee, and SPLTF Best Practices and Retail Best Practices Subcommittees.

She is a member of the Northern New England Chapter, where she has served multiple terms as Webmaster as well as Statewide Coordinator for the New England Payroll Conference.

Sharon Tayfield, MCIPP, is the Client Services Director at BDO UK LLP, in Buckingham, England, and has been a PayrollOrg member since 2018. She was the Global Titan Award recipient in 2020 and PayrollOrg’s Global Vision Award recipient in 2021.

Tayfield has more than 25 years in outsourcing and services and is an award-winning payroll industry expert with technical expertise in global compliance and legislation. Her volunteer service includes the Global Payroll Editorial Advisory Board and the SPLTF Global Payroll Subcommittee. She was a guest on PayTalk Podcast®.

Christopher Wood, CPP, is the Lead Editor for Thomson Reuters in Hoboken, N.J. He earned his CPP in 2016 and became a PayrollOrg member in 2020.

His volunteer service includes the Board of Contributing Writers, GRTF Federal Issues Subcommittee and Unemployment Insurance Workgroup, and SPLTF Global Payroll Subcommittee. He is an active member of the New York Metropolitan Chapter and serves as the Government Liaison Officer.

Ryan Yannetta, CPP, PHR, SHRM-CP, is the Vice President, Implementation for ExtensisHR in Woodbridge N.J. He earned his CPP in 2016 and joined PayrollOrg the same year.

His volunteer service includes the Ask an Expert Committee, Certification Item Development Task Force, Nominating and Elections Committee, Social Networking Committee, and the SPLTF Best Practices Subcommittee. He was a guest on PayTalk Podcast®. He is an active member of the Central Jersey Chapter, where he currently serves as the Chapter President.

 

Bryan Kirk is the Senior Writer and Editor of Membership Publications for PayrollOrg.