He previously served as senior vice president and general manager for the national security and cyber infrastructure division at Telcordia Technologies and led Bechtel‘s federal telecommunications sector as president.
Payne has also held leadership roles at Qwest Communications and Sprint, where he was responsible for federal programs.
He is also a member of the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association’s board of directors, the University of Maryland University College’s cyber advisory committee and the Gallaudet University’s board of trustees.