Payton Burkhammer is an award-winning indie film director based in Akron, Ohio. In 2023 she was selected for the Cleveland Indie Film Incubator, a six-month program for writer/directors with innovative script ideas to participate in workshops, receive production assistance, and fully realize their short films. She is also a founding member of Girl Set Cleveland, a group that provides free workshops to women, trans, and non-binary individuals to gain hands-on training in film production roles. She is known for her grounded, character-driven stories focusing on relationship dynamics.