Her Story
About Carlyn
Carlyn Davis, CPP, is the Director of Payroll for CBRE Government Services and has 26 years of experience in the payroll profession. She leads a team responsible for payroll operations supporting approximately 3,000 employees across the United States and international locations. Her work encompasses multi-state payroll, union and non-union populations, collective bargaining agreements, government contracting requirements, payroll compliance, reconciliations, tax administration, employee deductions, and health and welfare and pension contributions.
Throughout her career, Carlyn has developed a reputation for combining strong technical payroll knowledge with practical, strategic leadership. She works across departments to strengthen controls, identify risk, improve processes, resolve complex payroll issues, and protect the employee experience. She believes payroll is far more than a transactional function. It is a critical business operation that supports employees, protects organizations, and contributes to sound financial and operational decision-making.
Carlyn is deeply committed to advancing the payroll profession. She serves as President of the Alamo Chapter of Payroll Professionals, where she supports payroll education, certification, professional development, networking, volunteerism, and community involvement. She teaches payroll certification study groups, mentors other professionals, speaks at industry events, and contributes to PAYTECH. Her professional contributions have been recognized through several honors, including being named the 2024 Texas Payroll Professional of the Year and receiving PayrollOrg’s 2026 Payroll Education Grant.
Carlyn is passionate about continuous learning and helping others recognize what is possible within a payroll career. Her own professional journey—from spending years focused primarily on doing the work to becoming an active and visible leader in the profession—shapes the way she teaches and mentors others. She encourages payroll professionals to invest in their education, pursue certification, build meaningful professional relationships, accept new opportunities, and lead from wherever they are.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carlyn
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to working hard and continuing to grow. I was 19 years into my payroll career before I learned about PayrollOrg and professional certification. Once I discovered the larger payroll community, I became intentional about investing in myself. I earned my CPP, became involved with my local chapter, built relationships, and accepted opportunities that pushed me outside my comfort zone. Nothing changed magically, I did the work. Now, I'm committed to helping others grow and discover these opportunities sooner than I did.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is that you can't wait for someone else to recognize your potential. You have to invest in yourself. Speak up about what you contribute and be willing to pursue opportunities before you feel completely ready. I've learned that confidence doesn't always come first. Sometimes you have to take the action while you're still afraid.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to learn everything you can and never think of payroll as simply processing checks. Payroll plays an important role throughout the entire organization. Become involved in the payroll community and pursue opportunities that help you grow. Most importantly, don't wait for a management title to begin leading. Leadership starts with how you show up, support others, and approach your work every day
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of our greatest challenges is keeping pace with increasingly complex regulations while adapting to changes in technology. However, those changes are also creating tremendous opportunities. Payroll has become a strategic business function. We are no longer simply processing transactions. We're helping organizations manage risk and make informed decisions while shaping the employee experience. Payroll professionals who understand both the technical side of payroll and the broader needs of the business will have significant opportunities to lead.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, accountability, service, and continuous growth are the values that guide me. Payroll requires people to trust us with something deeply personal, their livelihood. So integrity and accountability are essential. Service matters because leadership is not only about what we accomplish. It's also about how we support and develop others. Last, continuous growth reminds me that regardless of my title or experience, there is always more to learn.
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