MEet Buffy Payne | Servant Leader, Speaker, Author, and Community Impact

We had the good fortune of connecting with Buffy Payne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Buffy, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
C-Suite for Christ Atlanta aims to create faith-centric cultures in the workplace by unapologetically declaring their commitment to Christ.

Values:
-Faith: Decision-making guided by Christ’s values and biblical teachings.
-Courage: Bold action in the face of challenges.
-Community: Building strong relationships and making a positive impact on society.
-Respect: Treating everyone with kindness and dignity.
-Generosity: Sharing time, talents, and resources.
-Diversity: Embracing differences and fostering inclusivity.
-Integrity: Honesty, transparency, and accountability.
Impact:
-Business executives gather monthly to share stories of integrating faith into their work environments.
-By supporting one another, they encourage courageous living as witnesses to Christ.
Our mission is to rejuvenate the working soul through fellowship and praise of God.

And

Outer Circle Foundation, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization, plays a crucial role in supporting Military Veterans and First Responders. Through a comprehensive range of initiatives, we address key areas vital to the well-being of these heroes who’ve dedicated their lives to serving our nation.

Here are some impactful ways we at Outer Circle Foundation influences the community:

Rebuilding Resilience: The foundation focuses on heroes grappling with the silent battles of PTSD. Through empathetic counseling and tailored therapeutic interventions, they embark on a journey to rebuild resilience and illuminate a path to healing. By empowering our heroes, they offer support on their courageous journey toward renewed strength and well-being.
Nurturing Hope, Saving Lives: Alarming rates of suicide among Veterans and First Responders are addressed proactively. The foundation raises the beacon of mental health awareness, ensuring it shines brightly across the community. Through targeted advocacy and prompt lifelines, they craft a safety net, offering hope and support to those in the depths of distress1.
Empowering Futures: For brave heroes transitioning from service to civilian life, the foundation provides powerful tools such as career coaching and resume development. They envision a landscape where aspirations take flight, and barriers to success crumble. With personalized guidance, they pave the way for enriched employment prospects, ensuring potential knows no bounds.
Healing Partnerships: Through collaboration with Paws for Life USA, the foundation champions a profound partnership that transcends words. Recognizing the unwavering loyalty of service animals, they honor their invaluable role in aiding Veterans and First Responders. Together, they fortify the bond between heroes and their devoted companions, ensuring unwavering support and companionship in navigating life’s challenges.
Assisting Exit Efforts in Afghanistan: The foundation has been diligently working to help get people out of Afghanistan. Donations have supported efforts to move Afghan allies to safety and provide basic essentials to refugees. By impacting lives and making a difference, they appreciate all donors and the network of people who joined together to make this possible.
In summary, the Outer Circle Foundation actively contributes to the well-being, resilience, and prospects of our heroes, fostering a community brimming with hope and renewed strength

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My career has been amazing, a 25+ year Security & Risk Mitigation Leader impacting Global Organizations, traveling the world, and keeping people and businesses safe. Throughout this time I have built amazing networks of colleagues and friends and we work together to impact and influence the security industry, help others, and shape security programs globally. Taking all these skills and transitioning into Keynote Speaking, Authoring a book, Managing our Nonprofit, Outer Circle Foundation, and President of C-Suite for Christ Atlanta. The business practices and skills transition to these next phases of my career. These roles now, are truly passion roles- I absolutely love being able to make decision, lead others, and impact the community and people through these organizations.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, this is fun! When a friend arrives in Dallas, GA- we welcome them at our home, we have 30 acres and love to host and entertain at our home, grilling steak, shrimp, and veggies. Making an incredible salad and even enjoying a delightful wine while sitting on our deck and watching the wildlife, the flowers, and trees and talking about life. As the trip continued on the past day, we would take our guests for sushi (ATAMI or Volcano), we love our community in Dallas, GA, and a trip to downtown Dallas would be a must: Dallas Markets, Good Stuff Coffee shop, and strolling through town and popping into the assorted stores: cute clothes, unique items for the home, and just fun! A trip into Atlanta – would bring about the fun of ATLANTA traffic, but hey, she would fully understand why I moved outside of Atlanta. In Atlanta- I would take her to the Buckhead Club for the views and to say hello, and show her where she can find me working 1-2 days a week. I would take her to Buckhead Village District to walk around, pop in shops, and just enjoy. I love walking about and visiting stores, stopping in for a coffee or a glass of wine at restaurants and just people-watching. If timing allows, a show at the FOX THEATER would be awesome. Picking a random location for dinner is always fun, try something new and different. A day at the Battery, for a lovely lunch at the Garden and Gun Club, their burger is delicious, amazing deviled eggs, and so much more. Walking around the Battery, visiting the shops, perhaps a glass of wine at CRU. Do you see a theme: walking, shopping, talking, enjoying the community, engaging people, and sharing who we are and where we are.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband, Matt Payne for being supportive and willing to challenge me to do more, go further, be authentic to myself and let nothing stand in my way.

Our church- Hope Church Dallas and our Pastor, Dr. Mark Jordan for being my spiritual leader and calibration, for walking alongside me in this journey of life, and for being a great leader, friend, and compassionate community giver.

Website: https://atlanta.csuiteforchrist.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chickndudestuff/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/buffypayne/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100074753528632