Dr. Payne holds a B.A. degree from Purdue University, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from McDaniel College, and a Doctor of Ministry and Missions degree from the University of Family Bible, Institute, College, and Seminary in Maryland. Dr. Payne is a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor and a Professional Clinical Member of the National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA) in Sarasota, Florida. Dr. Payne developed and implemented a domestic violence ministry at a multicultural church in Maryland. The ministry, which is a part of the Church’s Care Ministry, provides resource information, emotional, and spiritual support for individuals experiencing domestic/intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. She was a member of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, and each year attended informational meetings and dialogue series given by The Interfaith Domestic Violence Coalition of Maryland through the Governor’s Community Initiatives office.

Dr. Payne also participated in Faith and Workshop Response to Domestic Violence Community Collaboration dialogue series of The Howard County Coalition to End Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church. She participated in the Speaker’s Bureau training called “Telling This Truth” through HopeWorks, a domestic violence agency in Maryland. In May of 2011, she presented a paper on the topic of domestic violence to victim/survivors, researchers, theologians, therapists, pastors, social activists, community advocates, shelter workers, and faith community members at the Peace and Safety in the Christian Home conference in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Dr. Payne believes she has been blessed by God to obtain the education, training, skills, and experience as a domestic violence survivor to awaken churches to the importance of their involvement in the issues faced by individuals every day. Her goal is to continue to work with victims, survivors, and churches that have the desire to provide resource information, emotional, and spiritual support. Clergy, leaders, and laity can be trained on the various aspects of domestic/intimate partner violence and also decide on their level of involvement.

Dr. Payne also has an incredible testimony of the dynamic and saving grace of Jesus Christ. She believes regardless of past failures, disappointments, sickness (cancer survivor), emotional/physical abuse (domestic violence survivor) that she has experienced, there is peace and healing for anyone that chooses to have a relationship with God and trust Him. God’s grace and mercy are for all who seek Him and trust in His Word and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.