Meet The Team

Client Focused. Locally Owned. Payroll Re-Defined.

Payroll Vault is a nationally leading brand that is re-defining the payroll industry with cloud-based technologies, the highest quality payroll service, and unparalleled client support. Handling complex, compliance-driven payroll tasks, Payroll Vault Santa Barbara is a boutique-style full-service payroll provider that is designed for small business.

Now that's Payroll Re-Defined!

What We Offer:

Compliance assurance
Processes payroll from start to finish
Pays required taxes & deductions
Cloud-based report access
No annual contract

What You Gain:

Dedicated expert payroll processor
Unlimited access to reports 24/7
Employee self-service portal access
Access to workforce management tools

Our Core Values:

Integrity, Community, Collaboration, Generosity, Service

Our Team

Owner & CEO

Karen Mora founded Payroll Vault Santa Barbara in 2018, and sister company Accountability Plus, Inc., in 1999, still going strong. She continues to inspire her teams with an energetic spirit, a steady self-confidence, and a talent for building solid relationships. Karen’s bookkeeping and payroll experience spans over 20 years, originating with services supporting commercial real estate and CPA firm clients.

Karen enjoys scuba diving, reading, gardening, and traveling to Costa Rica with her husband OV in her free time.
Owner

Ovidio Mora, fondly known as “OV”, immigrated to the US from Costa Rica in 1988, and worked in food services in FL, OR, and Santa Barbara, where he met and married Karen. Together, they have built Accountability Plus, Inc., and now Payroll Vault Santa Barbara.

OV enjoys scuba diving, cycling, and socializing in his free time.
Payroll Director

Cindy Hanna comes to us with almost 30 years of experience in administration and administrative support and truly values building relationships with team members and clients to ensure that our clients get the best service. Raised in Santa Barbara/Goleta, she is proud to represent her community in providing excellent customer service and strong attention to detail.

Cindy has a positive attitude and genuine respect for the people she interacts with. She enjoys music, dancing, concerts, outdoor activities, plants, traveling, and spending time with her daughters and her two Golden Retrievers.
Payroll Sales

Frank Palmieri brings a unique blend of skills, training and experience to the Payroll Vault team. He served as a financial consultant at major brokerage firms where he helped high-net-worth clients with investment and retirement planning. He also worked as a field agent for a retirement division of AIG, covering the California Central Coast. More recently, Frank interned as a tax preparer for a CPA firm, and is nearing completion of his Associate Degree in Accounting. He also sits on the advisory board for a local non-profit, Arts for Humanity.

A NYC transplant who loves food, wine and all things gastronomic, Frank and his wife have called Santa Barbara home since 1990.
Payroll Support Manager

Kaylie Lyness comes to us from iSolved, where she has six years of payroll experience and over 10 years’ experience in its customer service department. She has served on the leadership team while directly supporting clients.

Kaylie resides in Oregon. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her son, her golden retriever, and playing softball.
Administration & HR

Chery Cerise, MBA, SHRM-CP, has a broad range of career expertise in the fields of business management, HR, payroll, full-charge bookkeeping, and technology, honed in the private and nonprofit sectors. She holds an MBA in Management & Strategy and a BS in HR Management. She is a certified HR Professional [SHRM] and a long-time member of SHRM.

In her free time, Chery enjoys spending time with family and friends, adventuring on her road bike, and exploring and embracing the world and its cultural diversity.