“I am Assistant Manager of the JOLTS Data Collection Center at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has allowed me to be on the frontlines of data collection and discover new ways to expand different modes and tools related to collecting high quality data. In the future, I hope to work more on improving survey processes and finding ways to reduce respondent burden. 

In the midst of a global pandemic, it is even more pertinent to connect with others and discuss ways to adapt to unpredictable conditions. I hope to expand my network by attending NABE conferences and meeting members that are experiencing similar challenges in the field as well as discuss ways to overcome roadblocks we all may be encountering."

Safia Abdirizak, Bureau of Labor Statistics

“All three of my siblings trained to be physicians. Despite expectations that I follow the same path, I graduated from Yale University with two Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Global Affairs. After graduating, I spent two years at NERA Economic Consulting conducting economic analysis for securities class action and international arbitration litigations. Recently, I moved to the Postal Regulatory Commission as a data analyst. My hope in transitioning to the public sector is to apply my econometric training to improve the lives of people through public policy.

Attending NABE conferences and connecting with NABE members will directly help me achieve my goals. First-generation economists like myself do not have connections in the governing economic institutions of this country, and so attending these events allows me to meet policy economists at federal, state, and nonprofit organizations that I am interested in joining and/or working with.”

Philip Abraham, Postal Regulatory Commission

"I came to the U.S. five years ago due to the impeachment process in Brazil at the time. I was very frustrated with everything that was happening down there at the time and wanted to get a new perspective and understand in reality how economics works. After a few years learning English working as in the restaurant industry, I finally got accepted into my master’s program in Economics, working full-time and studying at the same time.

Looking at the future, I want to work and understand more about ML/behavioral methods to apply them to political economy and help to increase accountability in the public sector. NABE could help me to connect with people already working in the industry such as experienced economists, data scientists, and researchers.”

 "I received my bachelor’s degree in economics and political science in Egypt, after which, I spent seven years working for foreign governments (Embassy of Serbia in Cairo and the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi). I moved to the U.S. in 2019 to pursue my master’s degree in applied economics at the University of Maryland.

I’m very passionate about being an economist, and I believe that attending NABE conferences and meeting NABE members will deepen my knowledge and enhance my future career. After completing my master’s, I hope to continue my studies in a PhD program and eventually work for an organization focused on economic and monetary policy development in the U.S. and globally.”

Hidee El-Rai, University of Maryland

“It is no longer news that sustainable human developments are threatened by a myriad of natural and man-made risks. Amongst them, war, health, climate, biological, technological, and other economic risks are becoming increasingly harmful. For millions of people across the world, these risks mean more intense economic hardship and vulnerability.

While working with the United Nations World Food Programme, KPMG, Wood Mackenzie, and AFREXIM for over a decade and a half now, I have come to the realisation that the world needs research-based policies to address these hardships and vulnerabilities. Being able to contribute to those policies is my personal goal and aspiration. Being a member of NABE - a platform that provides access to valuable learning and networking opportunities for early-career minority economists, will afford me that opportunity to realise my goal and contribute to global peace and harmony."

Mutiu Olawunmi Fakorede, University of San Francisco

 
 
"After I was born in Texas, I lived between both the U.S. and China, spending most of my elementary school years in China and middle school in the Bay Area, after which I returned to China to finish high school. For the past five years, I have attended the University of Connecticut, completing my bachelor's degree in Economics, and currently pursuing a master's degree in Quantitative Economics.

As I progress through my master’s degree, I have come to realize how important networking is, as well as the importance of constant learning. I hope attending NABE conferences will help me network with real industry professionals as well as obtain new skills in preparation for the CBE exam. My career goal for the next five years would be to find a job in the financial industry, either working as a financial analyst or an economist/consultant, and to complete the CBE exam. 

Alex Gu, University of Connecticut

"For the past six years, I have been pursuing my Ph.D. in economics at the New School for Social Research. My academic research focuses on urban racial and economic inequality, gentrification, and family homelessness. Concurrently, I have worked in local government and non-profit organizations on commercial revitalization initiatives, including managing a federally funded grant program to support small businesses in low-income neighborhoods and assessing small business and resident needs.

Attending NABE’s conferences and connecting to NABE members would allow me to learn from premier economists and strengthen my ability to glean important data and policy insights and allow me to network with industry leaders and my professional peers, whose experiences can help inform my career plans and future job opportunities."

Danielle Kavanagh-Smith, The New School for Social Research

“I am a Bangladeshi-American, first-generation immigrant who has witnessed from an early age the crippling effects of poverty and inequality. Motivated by the struggles of my upbringing, I pursued economics as my field of study as an undergraduate at Boston University and subsequently as a Master’s student at the George Washington University. Currently, as an applied economics PhD student, I am researching the effects of U.S. policies governing high-skilled immigration on labor market and firm-financial outcomes. In addition, I am also working on a study evaluating the impact of private-sector summer employment on youth academic outcomes. 

Among all the conferences I have had the opportunity to attend, I can say sincerely that the NABE events I attended over the years are the most impressive along all dimensions. They are intellectually stimulating, they provide me ample opportunity for valuable networking with industry leaders, and they help hone my technical skills.” 

“After completing my undergraduate degree in Economics from the Pennsylvania State University, I worked in finance at the Vanguard Group. I have now been working as an economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics for almost two years. In the next five years, I plan on finishing my Master's Degree in Economics at University of Missouri and hopefully advancing to a senior economist position in the government, after which I will work to have my research published by the BLS. Attending NABE conferences and connecting with members will help me reach my goals because I will have the opportunity to learn and meet other economists who have advanced in the field."

Marcus Polite, Bureau of Labor Statistics

“I completed my Bachelors in Economics from India, and I am currently pursuing my Masters in Applied Economics from The George Washington University. In the future, upon graduating next year in May, I would want to enter the Economic Consulting field and work on dynamic projects that merge economic research and data analytics, primarily in the area of antitrust and competition practices in the economic field.

The NABE community is very diverse and provides its members with a network of experts in the field of business economics and economics in general. I hope to learn from their experience, their teachings and thought process, and internalize it throughout my academic and professional life.”

Suhaas Ramani, The George Washington University