Thomas Payton serves as the proud principal of Roanoke Avenue Elementary School, a K-4 Title 1 school within the Riverhead Central School District. He has a rich history of leadership and advocacy in the education sector. Previously, Tom was a dedicated member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), where he represented elementary principals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. During his tenure, Tom also acted as the NY State Representative to NAESP while serving on the School Administrators' Association of New York State (SAANYS) Board of Directors from 2013 to 2019.

Currently, Tom is an integral member of NAESP's Race and Equity Task Force, collaborating with 11 other principals nationwide. Through this work, he has shared his expertise locally and nationally on topics such as DEI, Racial Injustice, and Building Belonging. Tom resides in Riverhead, NY, with his remarkable wife Holly, who teaches 3rd grade within the Riverhead Central School District, and their three children, Benjamin, Kaya, and Sean Michael.