Welcome to GZEA Sustainable Impact Consulting
Driving sustainable, high impact development through expert guidance and accountable program delivery
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Mr. Thomas Solomon is an economist and Senior Public Financial Management (PFM) Advisor with extensive experience supporting PFM reforms, domestic resource mobilization, transparency, and governance initiatives across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He served with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from 2011 to 2025, advising headquarters and field missions on PFM policy and providing technical guidance on program design and monitoring and evaluation to strengthen partner-country systems and public accountability.
Earlier, he served with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) and then with the Government of the District of Columbia as Manager of the Electronic Banking and Cash Forecasting Unit. He also brings over 16 years of private-sector corporate finance experience, including as Director of Treasury Operations at Washington Gas Light Company. He holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Economics from the University of Oslo and served on the PEFA Advisory Board and the OECD-MAPS Steering Committee.
Shally Prasad is an international development executive with over 33 years of experience leading major foreign assistance programs across the Global South. During a 22-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), she directed complex democracy, human rights, governance, and gender equality portfolios in high-stakes environments across Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, as well as from Washington, D.C.
Most recently, Ms. Prasad served as Director of the Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Office and Acting Deputy Mission Director at USAID/Pakistan, leading cross-sectoral teams of up to 120 staff through complex political, humanitarian, and economic crises. Applying her rights-based expertise, she integrated democratic governance strategies across technical sectors, promoting equitable service delivery, particularly for disadvantaged populations. She directed major flood recovery efforts in Pakistan, earthquake recovery in Haiti, and refugee assistance in Jordan, fostering an inclusive approach to climate governance and humanitarian assistance. A trusted advisor to senior U.S. officials, she managed portfolios ranging from $120 million to $1 billion, leveraging partnerships with donors, local organizations, and the private sector to expand impact.
Ms. Prasad began her career with U.S. consulting firms, international organizations, and law firms in India, specializing in human rights, democratic governance, and gender-based violence. She has published research on state responses to violence against women in India in both the U.S. and India.
An alumna of the University of Michigan, she holds a Bachelor of Arts. and a Master of Public Policy and serves as an alumni advisor to Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, while advising philanthropic and nonprofit initiatives in India focused on girls’ education.
At GZEA, she focuses on the design and delivery of inclusive programs that advance gender equity, strengthen representation of underserved populations, and promote democratic governance.
Mr. Yohannes Araya, CPA, is a former U.S. Government Senior Foreign Service Officer with over 23 years of experience in federal financial management, development, and humanitarian assistance. He began his federal career as a performance auditor with the USAID Office of Inspector General, strengthening accountability and oversight across diverse programs. He later served as a USAID Financial Controller and in senior leadership roles guiding financial management, program oversight, and organizational effectiveness worldwide. Before entering federal service, Mr. Araya spent more than eight years with Big Six and regional accounting firms as an Audit Manager, overseeing audits of nonprofit organizations, small and medium-sized entities, state and local governments, and trade associations. He is a licensed CPA in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia and holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Northeastern Illinois University and an MBA in MIS and Accounting from the University of California, Davis.
GZEA operates as a trusted partner, implementing complex development, climate, governance, health, and humanitarian programs in stable, fragile, and crisis-affected settings. We work alongside governments, agencies, NGOs, and local communities, translating policy, strategy, and financing into tangible, on-the-ground impact. Unlike purely advisory services, our implementation work involves hands-on management, operational execution, and direct support, ensuring strategies are effectively transformed into results. Our implementation expertise spans:
Across all sectors, GZEA operates as a collaborative partner, applying environmentally responsible practices, cultural sensitivity, and strong local engagement. Through rigorous management, continuous learning, and close collaboration with partners and communities, we deliver programs that achieve lasting, equitable impact at local, national, and regional levels.
GZEA provides advisory and implementation services that support governments, development agencies, NGOs, and humanitarian actors in designing and managing programs across sustainability, economic development, climate resilience, humanitarian assistance, governance, health, and social inclusion. Our services include:
Through these services, GZEA ensures programs are inclusive, sustainable, and results-driven, leaving lasting skills, structures, and capabilities in the communities we serve.
