Her Story
About Mona
Mona B. Peterson is a seasoned payroll and human resources professional with more than four decades of experience in payroll administration, benefits, compliance, and employee services. She most recently served as Payroll Benefits Manager at Sonas Home Health Care, where she managed payroll and benefits administration for approximately 3,500 hourly healthcare employees, including RNs, LPNs, HHAs, and CNAs. Throughout her career, she has held payroll positions with organizations including Johns Manville, RealNetworks, Kelly Services, and Sonas Home Health Care, building expertise in payroll processing, system implementation, process improvement, HR, benefits administration, and employee support.
Peterson is recognized for her strong attention to detail, commitment to compliance, and ability to train and mentor others. She has extensive experience managing complex payroll functions, including employee data changes, garnishments, benefits, audits, payroll balancing, and regulatory requirements. She earned her GED and FPC certification from Bellevue Community College in 2001 and was selected to deliver the graduation speech. She also holds SHRM certification and has been a member of the American Payroll Association, now PayrollOrg, since approximately 1999 or 2000. In addition, she is a Florida State Notary and an ordained minister.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Peterson is passionate about service, personal growth, and helping others. She has volunteered with Pet Project in Florida, caring for neonatal kittens, and enjoys gardening and painting stone statues. As she looks toward her next professional chapter, she is interested in new opportunities within payroll, developing her own consulting venture, and exploring spiritual healing. Her career is grounded in integrity, accuracy, compassion, continuous learning, and a commitment to sharing knowledge and empowering others.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mona
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to nearly five decades of dedication to payroll, continuous learning, resilience, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed. I began my payroll career at the age of 21, and what started as a job became a lifelong profession built on accuracy, responsibility, perseverance, and service. Throughout my career with organizations including Johns Manville, RealNetworks, and Sonas Home Health Care, where I spent six and a half years, I developed extensive experience in payroll processing, human resources, benefits, system cleanups, and process improvement. One of my greatest strengths has been training and mentoring others, and I have always believed that knowledge should be shared. I take pride in helping colleagues understand not only how to perform their responsibilities correctly, but also why their work matters and how it impacts the people they serve. My journey has also taught me the importance of resilience; after an unexpected career setback in 2001, I chose to turn the experience into an opportunity for growth, ultimately earning my GED and continuing to build my career. That experience reinforced my belief that setbacks do not define us—they can become the foundation for a new chapter. Today, I am excited to apply the knowledge and experience I have gained toward launching my own consulting business while also exploring spiritual healing and opportunities to guide, encourage, and support others through the wisdom and perspective I have developed throughout my life and career.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the payroll industry is to earn your Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification as early as possible and make continuous learning a priority. Payroll laws, regulations, and compliance requirements are constantly evolving, so staying current is essential to building credibility and becoming a trusted professional. Develop a strong understanding of the rules, pay attention to detail, and have the confidence to uphold compliance standards, even when it may be challenging. Most importantly, take pride in your expertise, continue growing professionally, and never underestimate the value you bring to your organization.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in payroll today are the constant changes in state and federal wage laws, employee rights, and compliance requirements. Payroll professionals must stay informed and ensure that organizations consistently follow applicable regulations, particularly when decisions can directly affect employees’ financial well-being. Another challenge is navigating situations where employers or executives may be reluctant to comply with legal requirements, as well as addressing employee concerns when payroll errors are perceived as intentional rather than the result of an honest mistake. These challenges also create opportunities for payroll professionals to serve as knowledgeable advocates for accuracy, compliance, transparency, and fairness in the workplace.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are integrity, compassion, accountability, continuous learning, and service to others. Even after nearly 50 years in payroll, I do not consider myself finished; I remain eager to learn, pursue new opportunities, and share the knowledge I have gained throughout my career. I take pride in the people I have trained and hope they continue to uphold the high standards of accuracy, compliance, and professionalism that I have instilled in them. Outside of work, I find fulfillment through spiritual healing, gardening, painting statues, and caring for animals, including my previous involvement with Pet Project in Florida, where I helped care for neonatal kittens. To me, all of these interests are connected by one fundamental value: care. Whether I am helping an employee understand their paycheck, teaching a colleague, nurturing a garden, creating art, or caring for a vulnerable animal, I believe in giving my time, attention, and compassion wholeheartedly.
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