Thomas Solomon
Boynton Beach,USA
Summary
Accomplished humanitarian assistance and emergency response professional with proven leadership and management skills. Extensive experience in representational, coordination, and advisory roles. Highly skilled in designing, planning, implementing, and reporting on emergency programs related to transnational migration and internal displacement.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Technical Advisor - Migration and Local Governance
DAI Global, LLC
Danli, Honduras
04.2024 - 03.2025
- Developed long-term, medium-term, and operational plans to address the transnational migration crisis affecting the city of Danli, Honduras
- Advised the Mayor and City Council on the timely provision of essential humanitarian services to both migrant and host communities
- Created work plans, conducted rapid needs assessments, performed stakeholder mapping exercises, estimated budgets, and identified priorities for local capacity development
- Facilitated dynamic intersectoral coordination between the municipality, the national government, United Nations (U.N.) agencies, and non-governmental organizations
Senior Humanitarian Advisor/Surge Response
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs (BHA)
Global
03.2018 - 03.2024
- Provided effective programmatic, representational, and technical leadership during sudden-onset disasters and long-term humanitarian crises on an on-call basis
- Conducted thorough needs assessments, established strategic programming and funding priorities, and developed and executed comprehensive response plans
- Served as BHA's representative across U.S Government inter-agency coordination initiatives, and effectively engaged with key external stakeholders, including host governments and the U.N
- Held the following pivotal roles within the Incident Command System (ICS) framework, significantly enhancing disaster response efforts globally:
- Deputy Team Lead, Yemen Humanitarian Assistance Office, 2023
- Office Director, Sudan Humanitarian Assistance Office, 2022 - 2023
- Team Lead, Somalia Drought Response, 2022
- Program Coordinator, Nigeria Humanitarian Assistance Response Technical Office, 2019-2021
- Program Coordinator, Bangladesh Rohingya Response, 2019
- Deputy Team Leader, Venezuelan Regional Disaster Assistance Response Team, 2018
Executive Director
Ceiba Solutions, LLC
Boynton Beach, FL
03.2014 - 03.2018
- Provided tailored technical assistance to NGOs, focusing on strategic planning, program design, proposal development, and emergency program management support
- Conducted mixed-method studies to evaluate the impact of natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods, on rural communities in Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua
- Oversaw the design and writing of development and humanitarian assistance grant proposals for Lutheran World Relief, World Vision, Save the Children, and Global Communities
- Conducted landscape analysis to identify new business opportunities for various NGOs in Central America
Team Lead for Central America
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
San Salvador, El Salvador
06.2017 - 09.2017
- Established the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) emergency humanitarian program to address the Central American Migration Crisis
- Launched the IRC's Central America Office in San Salvador by hiring and onboarding a team of international experts and local staff
- Directed the collection and analysis of data to identify the needs of displaced populations fleeing violence in the Northern Triangle of Central America
- Used the findings to guide the development and implementation of emergency response strategies and plans at sub-regional and country levels
National Director
World Vision Guatemala
Guatemala City, Guatemala
01.2011 - 02.2014
- Provided strategic and operational leadership to a prominent humanitarian and development organization in Central America, managing a team of over 500 staff members and 1,500 volunteers
- Designed and implemented a community-based program model that integrated health, education, livelihoods, and resilience interventions, benefiting more than 195,000 individuals
- Led the implementation of a regional micro-enterprise development project aimed at reducing extreme poverty in Central America
- Directed multiple emergency programs in response to natural disasters in coordination with Government of Guatemala officials.
Deputy National Director
World Vision Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya
04.2009 - 12.2010
- Directed field operations across Kenya, leading to over $65 million in annual investments to improve rural health and nutrition, water and sanitation, food security, education, and disaster risk reduction for more than 145,000 people
- Coordinated multiple emergency response programs funded by USAID/OFDA, USDA, and other donor countries
Regional Director for Grant Acquisition and Management - Latin America and the Caribbean
World Vision, Inc.
Washington, DC, Honduras
08.2005 - 03.2009
- Led a team responsible for securing resources from public donors.
- Oversaw the implementation of publicly funded projects across seven countries
Regional Food Security Advisor
World Vision, Inc.
Washington, DC, Honduras
07.2002 - 08.2005
Programs Director - NorthWest Honduras
World Vision Honduras
Washington, DC, Honduras
01.1999 - 07.2002
Volunteer
United States Peace Corps
Santa Elena, Honduras
03.1989 - 09.1992
Education
MPS Coursework - International Agriculture and Rural Development
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York01.1998
B.A. - History
Catholic University
Washington, D.C.01.1988
Skills
- Incident Command Systems Management
- Emergency Program Design
- Strategic and Operational Planning
- Intra and Inter-institutional Coordination
- Analysis, Assessments and Applied Research
- Effective Written and Verbal Communication
Emergency Management Skills
- Proven leadership and coaching abilities, with a focus on developing capacity in incident command management.
- Experience in designing and implementing emergency response programs.
- Strong skills in strategic and operational planning.
- High-level experience in representational, coordination, and advisory roles.
- Proficiency in applied research, assessment, and analytical processes.
- Advanced written and verbal communication skills.
- Technical expertise in areas such as humanitarian assistance, food security, shelter, protection, livelihoods, and resilience programming.
Languages
English
First Language
Spanish
Advanced (C1)
C1
Certification
Global Displacement and Migration. Georgetown University, Washington D.C., March 2024
Security in Humanitarian Operations. USAID/USFS, Washington, D.C., March 2019
Introduction to the Incident Command System. USAID/USFS, Washington, D.C., April 2018
Affiliations
- President. Southern Palms Condominium Association. February 2025 - present
Timeline
Senior Technical Advisor - Migration and Local Governance
DAI Global, LLC
04.2024 - 03.2025
Senior Humanitarian Advisor/Surge Response
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs (BHA)
03.2018 - 03.2024
Team Lead for Central America
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
06.2017 - 09.2017
Executive Director
Ceiba Solutions, LLC
03.2014 - 03.2018
National Director
World Vision Guatemala
01.2011 - 02.2014
Deputy National Director
World Vision Kenya
04.2009 - 12.2010
Regional Director for Grant Acquisition and Management - Latin America and the Caribbean
World Vision, Inc.
08.2005 - 03.2009
Regional Food Security Advisor
World Vision, Inc.
07.2002 - 08.2005
Programs Director - NorthWest Honduras
World Vision Honduras
01.1999 - 07.2002
Volunteer
United States Peace Corps
03.1989 - 09.1992
MPS Coursework - International Agriculture and Rural Development
Cornell University
B.A. - History
Catholic University
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