PMWOTY3This year’s Payroll Woman of the Year and Payroll Man of the Year serve because of their love of payroll and the APA. They aren’t in it for the accolades, but the APA brought Kristine Willson, CPP, and Jeffrey Hill, Ph.D., CPP, PMP, into the spotlight Tuesday during the Opening General Session of the 37th Annual Congress.

Willson is the Senior Manager of Payroll and Accounts Payable at NanoString Technologies, Inc. She joined the APA in 1996 and earned her Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation in 1998.

Her volunteer service includes:

  • CHAMPS mentor
  • Electronic Payments Committee
  • Hotline Referral Service
  • National Speakers Bureau
  • Emerging Technologies Subcommittee of the Strategic Payroll Leadership Task Force (SPLTF)

“Wow, this is not something I expected,” said Willson, appearing genuinely stunned. “I want to thank all the people who helped me along the way, encouraged me to volunteer, and who I encourage to volunteer. It’s very rewarding. You learn a lot and you meet wonderful people.”

Willson has served on the Federal Tax Forms and Publications, IRS Issues, SSA Wage Reporting Redesign, and State and Local Topics Subcommittees of the Government Relations Task Force (GRTF) as well as the Global Issues Subcommittee of the SPLTF.

She received the APA’s Meritorious Service award in 2007 and the Special Recognition Award in 2010.

Locally, she has served the Rainier Chapter as President and in several other capacities.

Hill is Workday Payroll Principal at Mercer Digital.

He joined the APA in 2006 and became a CPP the next year.

He has served the APA on the following:

  • Hotline Referral Service
  • Social Networking Committee
  • Co-Chairman of the Educational Institutions Subcommittee of the SPLTF
  • Global Issues Subcommittee of the SPLTF

Hill was similarly at a loss for words.

“For those of you who are my former clients and former colleagues here, most of you know I really can’t keep my mouth shut," he said. "Well, mark it down, for the first time, I am speechless.”

He added that he was was glad he never followed the old Navy warning to “never volunteer.”

“This is an organization I have been very proud to be a member of," he said. "I hope to be a member for many more years to come."

Hill received the APA’s Meritorious Service Award in 2012 and the Special Recognition Award in 2015.

Locally, he has served the Columbus Area Chapter as Vice President.

Additional reporting by Greg Mellen