Our Spotlight series provides an opportunity to meet the remarkable individuals at HRchitect. Each month, we highlight a member of our team, so you can learn more about their unique contributions and get to know them on a personal level.
This month, we are excited to feature Michael Corry-Pinho, Implementation Manager in our Dayforce practice, and the steady, client-first approach he brings to payroll-focused Dayforce implementations.
Michael didn’t grow up dreaming of payroll rules and overtime calculations, but he absolutely found his lane. In Dayforce implementations, he’s the person who can take a messy, “this is how we’ve always done it” process and translate it into a configuration that actually works. Think earnings, premiums, overtime logic, union nuances, and the little details that determine whether payroll runs smoothly or becomes a monthly fire drill. What makes him stand out is his perspective. He’s not just building a configuration. He’s building confidence. Clients walk away understanding what’s happening, why it matters, and how to move forward without guessing.
Michael brings more than three decades of HCM and payroll experience to HRchitect, and it shows in the way he talks about the work. He has a clear comfort with structure, rules, and the “how does this really work in real life” details that matter most when pay is on the line. He’s also Dayforce-certified, with experience across Payroll, Core HR, Workforce Management, Benefits, and Organizational Structure, which gives him the range to connect the dots across modules when a single decision impacts multiple areas.
On a personal level, Michael is a longtime thrifter, a music lover with stories from the Seattle scene, quilter and someone who knows exactly what he likes in a getaway: warmth, calm, and an easy reset, like a long weekend in Palm Springs with his husband. In other words, if you give Michael a set of rules, a great band tee, a real-world outcome that matters, a not so serious pickleball match and a team that wants to feel confident along the way, he’s in his element.
ometown: I’m from Utah, and I live in the Salt Lake City area. I lived in Seattle in the ’90s, and I still love the Pacific Northwest. If I could pack up and move back to Portland or Seattle, I probably would.
Favorite way to stay active right now: I recently picked up pickleball through an LGBTQ social league. The fun is in the movement and the community, not the intensity.
My go-to vacation spot: When he is off the clock, he and his husband travel to Palm Springs a couple of times a year.
A concert memory I will never forget: Seattle in that era was something else. I saw so many incredible artists in small venues. My first concert by myself was Thompson Twins, and OMD and Pet Shop Boys opened. That ticket was $14.25 and I had to save up for it.
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time? Quilting. I have quilted for years and recently set a personal goal to master my long-arm quilting machine and to accept that perfection is not the point, even when I really want it to be.
Michael’s personal goal for 2026 is to master his long-arm quilting machine, a setup on a 12-foot frame that allows him to do the final quilting himself. He’s also a proud perfectionist, and he joked that he couldn’t accept being off by half an inch on a king‑size quilt, even though the quilt shop staff kept assuring him he was doing just fine.
Michael’s quilting also supports causes he cares about. He often uses thrifted materials like old bedsheets and clothing, then donates finished quilts to shelters and community organizations. The Trans Youth Center in Salt Lake City raffled one of the quilts he donated, raising roughly $500–$600.
What is something you really appreciate about working remotely? Michael has worked fully remote since 2010, and his favorite work-from-home perk is wonderfully practical: he loves being able to run laundry during the day so his weekends stay protected.
What is your title, and what do you do for HRchitect? I’m an Implementation Manager in HRchitect’s Dayforce practice. I support full-cycle implementations and help clients translate their business requirements into configuration that is practical, scalable, and built for long-term value.
What does that mean in Dayforce terms? It means getting clarity during discovery, making smart design decisions early, configuring with intention, and protecting go-live with strong testing and validation. When payroll and time rules come into play, one decision can ripple through earnings, overtime calculations, taxability, and reporting outcomes.
What makes working at HRchitect so great? Trust. The culture focuses on hiring people with expertise and treating them like experts who know how to do their jobs. Leadership offers support when you need it, but they don’t micromanage. That changes everything.
A professional goal for 2026? I’d love to keep expanding my exposure to global payroll. I’ve worked across the U.S. and Canada, and recently supported connected work tied to Latin America. Learning how different countries handle things is fascinating.
Michael brings a steady energy to the Dayforce work we do, and he’s at his best when the details matter and teams need clarity, structure, and support they can count on.