Payton has conducted and presented research on the digital divide, minority professionals in the field of information systems/technology, and mentoring minority doctoral students. She is active with the IS (information systems) doctoral student association of the PhD Project, a national organization that fosters the participation of minority doctoral students in business. Also this year, the IS association inducted Payton into its Circle of Compadres in recognition of her commitment to the organization.

Concurrently, she maintained her research agenda in the field of health care information systems and data management, publishing in journals such as Health Care Management Review, Communications of the ACM, and Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce.

The Academy of Women recognizes the achievements of outstanding local women in the community who have demonstrated a commitment to the YWCA mission to empower women and eliminate racism. Payton joins other NC State women in the Academy including Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, women's basketball Coach Kay Yow, and Nora Lynn Finch, senior associate director of athletics.

In recognizing Payton's work, the Academy noted, “Under her tutelage, a new generation of minority professionals will find success in the constantly changing world of technology.”