Irina Shaorshadze is currently a Director and FICC Strategist in Global Commodities Research at Bank of America in New York. Previously, she covered the US Housing and Mortgage market in Bank of America's Mortgage Research team. During COVID, she was seconded to the Special Enterprise Economic Task Force at BofA.

Prior to joining BofA, Irina worked at the World Bank in Washington DC and in Sana’a Yemen as an Economic Consultant on energy and fiscal policy issues in MENA and Eastern Europe. She has also worked as an Economics Fellow at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and a researcher at the Energy Policy Research Group at the University of Cambridge.

Irina holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a microeconomist and her research focuses on labor economics, household finance and public policy. She holds MSc in Economics from London School of Economics and Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University. Her research appears in peer-reviewed publications and edited volumes. She speaks 6 languages and enjoys rock and alpine climbing and horseback riding.

Tani Fukui is Economist and Director at MetLife Investment Management. She conducts macroeconomic research and provides U.S. forecasts for Metlife Insurance Investments and the clients of MetLife Investment Management. She has been with MetLife since 2015.

Prior to this, she worked at the U.S. International Trade Commission, analyzing the economic effects of trade policy.

Tani holds a B.Sc. in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, an M.A. in International Affairs from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in International and Macroeconomics from UCLA.

Yelena Shulyatyeva is a senior U.S. Economist with twenty years of experience including BNP Paribas and Bloomberg L.P. where she provided clients with forecasts and analysis of macroeconomic and financial developments.

She regularly appears on business television & radio, and is frequently quoted in media. Yelena holds a CFA designation as well as Masters Degrees in Finance & Investments and Economics.

Shan Ahmed is an Associate at MetLife Investment Management. He conducts macro and market research with a focus on the U.S. Economy.

Prior to joining MetLife Investment Management, Shan worked at Moody’s Analytics researching the U.S. commercial real estate landscape.

Shan holds a BA in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Columbia University.

Carol Zytnik has been a board member of the New York Association for Business Economics since 2006. With advanced studies in Latin American Development Economics, Carol holds her BBA in Economics with cum laude distinctions from Baruch College, City University of New York and is a former fellow of The Center for the Study of the Presidency.

Most currently, she is the Finances and Grants Coordinator at Central American Legal Assistance.