In this episode, Commander Payton sheds light on faith, creating a healthy work-life balance and incorporating lifelong learning into a nursing career.


Tanya Cherii Payton is a Master’s prepared Registered Nurse with over 30 years of experience in the health care industry and 19 years of experience in the United States Navy (USN) Nurse Corps. She received her undergraduate degree in nursing from William Carey College and her Master’s degree from Loyola University. She is a Commander in the USN. She has held several positions in both careers.
Tanya C. Payton career highlights include Dialysis, Medical-Surgical (Charge Nurse), Operating Room Level 1 Trauma (Charge Nurse), Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit (Charge Nurse), Post-Anesthetic Care Unit (Charge Nurse), and Utilization Review Nurse. USN: Clinic Division Officer, Nurse Corps Liaison, Officer-in-Charge Intensive Care Unit Northern Lights Global Medic, Healthcare Clinical Governance Unit Coordinator in Afghanistan, and Senior Nurse Leader.
Achievements: In 2011, she received a Navy Achievement Medal for her tour in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2019, recognized in the state of Louisiana as Great 100 nurse out of 6,000 nurses. Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Graduate of Leadership Development Institute, and the Improvement Advisor Academy from Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
Currently, Nurse Payton is practicing as an RN Lean Healthcare Facilitator in Systems Redesign and is the Improvement Advisor for her facility. In addition, she serves on the nursing guild at her church and volunteers for health fairs in her community. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Association of the United States Navy, and the Navy Nurse Corps Association.