One of Kristen Hook's greatest skills is her attention to detail.

"I really enjoy working with numbers and spreadsheets, as well as compiling reports and analyzing data," said Hook.

It's a skill that serves her well in her job as payroll manager at Godfrey & Kahn. Her work is largely behind the scenes, but her impact on the firm and the financial health of its employees is far reaching.

Every year, Hook is tasked with the annual pension benefits calculation, a complicated process that requires double- and triple-checking to ensure eligible employees receive the proper annual contribution each March. She has taken ownership of the process and coordinates annually with all necessary parties.

"Kristen faced an unusual project this year when she needed to implement payroll for a new subsidiary entity," said Yelena Goloborodko, accounting manager at Godfrey & Kahn. "Thanks to her years of experience, Kristen was able to transition the existing payroll from Quickbooks Online to a third-party payroll provider.

"She handled the setup for the new entity entirely on her own. It is a sign of an expert payroll manager when the affected employees don't notice a single disruption to their paycheck during a major system overhaul."

One of the biggest challenges in her work is staying up to date with the constantly changing laws and regulations related to payroll, taxes and retirement plans.

"Additionally, managing tight timelines and deadlines can be demanding, especially during peak periods," Hook said. "Balancing the need for accuracy with the pressure to meet these deadlines requires careful planning and organization. But these are all challenges that I really enjoy taking on."

Outside of work, Hook is a single mother to two boys, which keeps her busy.

"I love spending quality time with my boys, whether we're playing sports, exploring the outdoors, building Legos, playing video games or just hanging out at home with our four cats," she said.