As the senior financial analyst for PHII, Lavada Zahir oversees all financial aspects of PHII’s projects, including budgets, proposals, forecasts, reporting and various financial analyses. She has over ten years of experience in accounting and financial award management of federal, state, industry sponsored and foundation awards. Lavada most recently worked at Emory University’s School of Medicine as a post-award administrator.

Prior to working at Emory University, Lavada was the accounting manager for accounts payable at the Georgia Department of Community Health where she was recognized for extraordinary customer service and leadership during the COVID-19 health crisis. Before being recruited to the accounts payable manager role, Lavada served as a grant accounting supervisor and budget analyst at the Georgia Department of Human Services. In these roles, she was responsible for the financial management for awards such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Social Services Block Grant Program (SSBG), Foster Care: Independent Living, Title III: Grants for State and Community Programs on Aging and the Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance Program.

Lavada received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Kennesaw State University.