Kyle Payne, PhD

Kyle serves as the director of assessment at the American Welding Society (AWS), overseeing the full cycle of certification exam development, maintenance, and evaluation. Having started his career in welding and welding inspection, he takes pride in advancing the mission at AWS. In addition to his work in assessment, Kyle provides keynote speeches, coaching, and instructor-led training; and he conducts research in professional ethics, including groundbreaking research on ethical followership.

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 cheering on Chicago, UIC, and DePaul women’s basketball teams, visiting the city’s outstanding parks and museums, or otherwise exploring the rich history and culture of Chicago.

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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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