During her 37-year career in education, Payne has been a teacher, principal and district level director in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Georgia and in an overseas school in Iran. She received her education at Virginia State University, Howard University and Loyola College in Baltimore.

A recognized leader in secondary school reform throughout the nation, Payne has served as a member of the prestigious Faculty of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development in its work with schools focused on standards-based reform challenges in some of America's largest districts. In this role, she has assisted dozens of schools as they work on their own locally developed improvement agendas, providing coaching and technical assistance that reflects best practices.

She is a past president of National Middle School Association and has been honored with various educator awards, the highest being selected as a Fulbright-Hays scholar for exchange visits to Israel and Jordan.

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