Payton is a geographer passionate about using his conservation and natural resource protection skills to improve ecology and communities. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a connection to the outdoors at a young age through camping and river trips with friends and family.  This was strengthened during his political science undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. With the school’s proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee National Forest, and Pisgah National Forest, his love for the outdoors and the need to spend time outside was solidified.

Before joining GOCO in 2024, Payton worked at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a financial administrator for three years. During that time, he earned a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Denver University where he learned cartography and how to use geospatial software. He has lived in Denver since 2020, when he started a full-time position at Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe; he continues to work there part-time.

Payton has also worked on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru for two years. He grew his Spanish-speaking skills and tries to take a trip to Latin America once a year. Outside of work, you can find him recreating on and photographing public lands, and either reading or cooking at home. His idea of fun also includes biking, fly-fishing, and camping, and he’s considering trying his hand at backcountry skiing.