Our Team
Ariel Lybarger, MaACT, PMP
Founder & Principal Advisor
Ariel Lybarger is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Lybarger Strategic Advisory LLC, where she provides strategic advisory, program management, compliance oversight, audit readiness, and operational support services for organizations managing complex programs and federally funded initiatives.
With more than 15 years of experience leading large-scale programs and multidisciplinary initiatives, Ariel has supported public sector entities, federal programs, nonprofits, and private organizations across program delivery, compliance, financial oversight, operational strategy, and risk management. Her experience includes supporting federally funded infrastructure and broadband initiatives, subrecipient monitoring frameworks, audit readiness efforts, internal controls assessments, reimbursement validation, and operational improvement initiatives.
Ariel combines executive-level strategic insight with hands-on implementation experience, helping organizations navigate regulatory complexity while maintaining practical, execution-focused operations. Her approach emphasizes accountability, responsiveness, collaboration, and sustainable program delivery tailored to each client’s operational environment and organizational goals.
Ariel holds a Master of Accountancy degree and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). In addition to her consulting work, she has taught accounting and project management at the collegiate level since 2018.
Zulma Perez
Senior Consultant
Zulma Perez is an audit, compliance, and grants management professional with more than 10 years of experience supporting internal audit, accounting, compliance monitoring, risk management, and federally funded program administration. She brings a unique combination of experience across public accounting, corporate internal audit, consulting, and government-funded program oversight, allowing her to provide both technical expertise and practical, implementation-focused solutions.
Throughout her career, Zulma has supported organizations including Witt O'Brien's, Moss Adams, RSM US LLP, Calpine, and ABM Industries, where she led and supported a wide range of audit, accounting, compliance, and operational improvement initiatives. Her experience includes internal audit execution, risk assessments, compliance reviews, SOX-related controls and documentation, financial analysis, process evaluations, and monitoring activities across complex organizations.
In addition to her audit and compliance background, Zulma has extensive experience supporting federally and state-funded programs, including initiatives funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Capital Projects Fund (CPF), Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, and other infrastructure and community development programs. Her work has included subrecipient monitoring, reimbursement reviews, compliance assessments, policy and procedure development, audit readiness support, closeout activities, and implementation support for government agencies, local jurisdictions, nonprofits, and private-sector organizations.
Zulma has supported broadband-related initiatives involving program development, application evaluation, compliance administration, monitoring activities, reimbursement oversight, and implementation support. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and is recognized for her ability to analyze complex financial and operational information, identify practical solutions, and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
A proud Army National Guard veteran, Zulma is known for her strong work ethic, attention to detail, and commitment to helping organizations strengthen accountability, improve compliance, and successfully administer public funds.
TJ Hansell, MPA
Senior Consultant
TJ Hansell is a nonprofit executive, grants management professional, and public sector leader with extensive experience supporting Tribal governments, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies. With a career spanning federal, state, local, Tribal, and nonprofit sectors, TJ brings deep expertise in grant administration, compliance, strategic planning, funding development, and organizational leadership.
Throughout his career, TJ has supported and led complex federally funded programs involving housing, infrastructure, energy, healthcare, education, economic development, and community services. His experience includes administration of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, including the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) Program, as well as U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiatives, public health preparedness programs, and federally funded education programs. He has worked directly with Tribal Nations, local governments, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations to strengthen compliance, improve operational effectiveness, and maximize the impact of public funding.
TJ has served in executive leadership roles for multiple nonprofit organizations and has extensive experience supporting grant compliance, monitoring, fiscal oversight, program implementation, and technical assistance activities. He has also managed large and diverse grant portfolios, supported funding strategy and grant development efforts, and provided training and capacity-building services to organizations across the country.
As President of Hansell Group, TJ provides grant research, grant writing, compliance, accounting, and strategic advisory services to nonprofits, Tribal governments, and public sector organizations. Since 2018, his organization has helped clients secure more than $40 million in grant funding. He is also a Grant Professionals Association Certified Trainer and has trained hundreds of professionals in grant development and grants management best practices.
TJ is recognized for his ability to navigate complex funding environments, build collaborative partnerships, and help organizations develop sustainable solutions that strengthen programs and improve outcomes for the communities they serve.
Nicole Abrevaya, CGMS
Senior Consultant
Nicole is a Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS) with more than 12 years of experience managing federal, state, and local grant programs across government, nonprofit, and consulting sectors. She currently oversees contract monitoring and provider network accountability for the WA Cares Fund, the nation’s first publicly funded long-term services and supports insurance program.
Nicole brings extensive experience supporting complex grant programs and recipients with varying levels of organizational and grants management capacity, ranging from small community-based organizations to state agencies. Her expertise spans the full grant lifecycle, with specialized experience in subrecipient monitoring, compliance oversight, risk assessment, and implementation of Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) requirements.
Her experience includes pre-award application evaluation support for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, as well as post-award monitoring and oversight activities for ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), HUD Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG), Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG), Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG), and the Medicaid Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration Program.
Nicole has supported the development of monitoring frameworks, compliance tools, and technical assistance strategies designed to strengthen subrecipient oversight, improve compliance practices, and support effective administration of public funds across large and diverse recipient networks.
In addition to her experience, Nicole is currently seeking her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute.