Payal graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast and Electronic Communicaton, Public Relations and Spanish Literature. As a student at Marquette, Payal was actively involved in the campus television station, MUTV, where she served as a sports director, anchor and reporter.

While in Milwaukee, she also worked at WISN-TV Channel 12 and WTMJ Sports Radio, providing coverage of local sports teams, such as the Brewers, Bucks, Packers and Admirals. Payal has also served as a beat reporter for the Marquette Men's and Women's Basketball programs on behalf of MUTV, the Marquette Journal and a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-affiliated website, Sportsbubbler.com.

In January 2011, Payal developed and launched her own website, Sportsandthecity.net, which provides coverage of the six major Chicago sports teams: Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox and Fire. She produces all of the content for the site and reports on games, events and news pertaining to the teams.

Payal is also the founder and president of Future All-Stars, a youth-based non-profit organization launched in 2008. The organization was developed to help connect youth to professional and collegiate athletes through an athletic and academic mentorship program in an effort to lead kids out of adversity, and help bridge the gap between them and their dreams.

In her spare time, Payal enjoys reading, practicing yoga and pilates and spending time with her family and friends. She is also an avid coffee consumer and a big fan of the Brazil national football (soccer) team.