Kyle Payne, PhD

Kyle is a professional speaker, coach, and association leader. At the American Welding Society, he manages technical content, which includes leading a strategic application of artificial intelligence. He takes pride in advancing the science, technology, and application of welding and related processes. In his consulting practice, Kyle provides keynote speeches, coaching, and instructor-led training. He also conducts research in behavioral ethics and is best known for his groundbreaking research on ethical followership, which offers strategies for resisting an unethical request from a leader.

Kyle has a PhD in human capital management and master’s degrees in philosophy, education, and business. He’s very curious about how people think, how we learn, and how we do business. He lives in Chicago with his partner Sid and their two cats Queso and Fundido. Outside of work, you’re most likely to find him visiting the city's outstanding parks and museums, riding the "L" to see a show in the Loop, or cheering on the Chicago Sky and other women's basketball teams at UIC and DePaul.

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Below is a commencement speech delivered by Kyle at Bellevue University (2023) and a TED Talk at Lewis University (2025).​​​​​

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