We are excited to welcome Sue Payne to the Dysphonia International Board of Directors! Sue has engaged with the organization, especially with Walk for Talk. We asked Sue to share a little more about her experience and journey with spasmodic dysphonia.
Work Experience
After graduating from college, I worked at a not-for-profit Drug Prevention Agency called Project Oz, Inc. In this role I taught drug and alcohol prevention to youth as well as high school age students. I was also involved in co-authoring a Drug and Alcohol Prevention curriculum to be implemented within the school setting. After a school would purchase the curriculum, I would co-facilitate training workshops to help the teachers learn how to implement the curriculum into the classroom setting.
As a City of Bloomington Wellness Coordinator my primary responsibilities were to reduce employee healthcare costs and have a positive return on the investment. This would be accomplished by implementing various wellness activities to the City’s employees and spouses. I worked with all levels of employees, city council, and department heads to create an inclusive environment. At the time there were seven different unions which required me to help foster positive relationships and buy in to the various programs. I quickly built trusting relationships by meeting with employees as well as leadership to gain their trust and understanding of my position.
Just prior to losing my voice in 2017 I worked at State Farm Insurance. I held various positions at State Farm for thirteen years. As an Auto Claim Adjuster, I helped customers move through the claim process and understand the insurance policy. I also had the opportunity to leverage my past knowledge and experience by joining the Learning and Development department. In this role I became a certified Coach and coached new leaders within the company to better manage their teams and improve overall production. I also consulted with specific department heads in order to help create and achieve business results. Many times I was involved in helping plan and implement various action items for the department. I utilized my Yellow Belt Lean Six Sigma certification to help drive the results identified for my assigned departments. I then moved into a leadership position within State Farm. As a Team Manager, I supervised a team of employees to handle claims and assist the policy holders with questions. If a policy holder had advanced questions or complaints, it was my responsibility to handle the complaint until resolution.
After being diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia in 2017 I had an opportunity to volunteer at a horse rescue in Georgia. I was able to work with many different animals who had been neglected and/or abused. It was a very rewarding opportunity that helped me cope with the loss of my voice.
Dysphonia International Involvement
Before 2020, I was not actively involved with Dysphonia International. In 2020, I became involved in the first Annual Walk for Talk. Since then, I have been on the planning committees for all of the Annual Walk for Talk campaigns and have personally raised thousands of dollars for the organization. I was also involved with the Atlanta Area Support Group for SD and was an Area Contact Leader for Georgia. In 2023, my wife and I relocated to Fort Myers, FL, where I am now the Area Contact Leader for Fort Myers and Cape Coral. I am currently a member of the Development Committee. This important committee is helping increase the organization’s donations through endowments left to Dysphonia International and helping individuals create their own Will or Trust. At the 2024 Dysphonia International Leadership Workshop, I was asked to speak about my involvement with Walk for Talk and provide information on our work within the Development Committee.
Dysphonia International has been a lifeline for me since I was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia. Being involved in Walk for Talk since 2020 has given me the opportunity to work with many across the country with SD. The most common attribute of these people is their genuine caring nature and support that they give to every person. It is an honor to serve them and beside them on the various committees. By being on the board of Dysphonia International I can utilize my skills to help the organization grow its financial strength as well as continue to grow the membership of the organization.
Education / Certifications
Bachelor of Education degree from Illinois State University in Physical Education K-12 teaching
Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University in Community Health – Drug Intervention and Fitness emphasis
Lean Six Sigma – Yellow belt
Certified in Myers-Briggs MBTI Personality Assessment
Certified Coach
More about Sue:
- Walk for Talk Videos: Sue is featured in all of them since 2020
- Area Contact Leader Spotlight on Sue Payne from 2022