Team

Josefina V. Tranfa-Abboud Ph.D., CFE, MAFF is the Senior Economist / Testifying Expert, Founder and President of Analytical Economics Associates LLC.

Dr. Tranfa-Abboud holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Economics from Florida State University (Tallahassee, Florida) with concentrations in Labor Economics and in Industrial Organization & Regulation. Dr. Tranfa-Abboud also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Universidad Central de Venezuela (Caracas, Venezuela). Dr. Tranfa-Abboud’s professional credentials include a Certified Forensic Examiner (CFE) license awarded by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), and a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF) license awarded by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA). Dr. Tranfa-Abboud’s professional credentials also include a computer programming certificate issued by Instituto Superior de Programacion y Analysis de Sistemas (PSI) (Caracas, Venezuela), and a certificate from the Economics Institute (Boulder, Colorado).

Dr. Tranfa-Abboud has more than 24 years of extensive experience in the design and implementation of economic analyses in labor and employment disputes and business disputes. Dr. Tranfa-Abboud has testified in State and Federal courts in New York and New Jersey in matters involving employment, personal injury, and wrongful death, retained by Plaintiffs and Defendants.

Dr. Tranfa-Abboud provides research, statistical analysis, damages analysis, and expert witness services for both plaintiffs and defendants in labor and employment, personal injury & wrongful death, business lost profits, wrongful advertising, professional malpractice, and intellectual property disputes, among other areas. Dr. Tranfa-Abboud has also served as a consulting expert in transfer pricing and executive compensation analyses.

Before forming Analytical Economics Associates LLC, Dr. Tranfa-Abboud was a Principal (non-CPA partner) in the Financial Advisory Services group of a mid-size public accounting firm in New York City. Prior to that position, she worked as a Senior Economist at an economic consulting firm in New York City. Before moving to the New York / New Jersey area, Dr. Tranfa-Abboud was a Research Economist at an economic consulting firm in Tallahassee, FL and Washington D.C.

Prior to her arrival to the United States (1992), Dr. Tranfa-Abboud was an advisor to the Chief of the Central Budget Office of Venezuela, and, in that capacity, she provided consulting services to the Commission for the Reduction of Public Expenditure, a committee appointed by the President of Venezuela as part of the effort to reorganize Venezuela’s Public Administration. Prior to that position, Dr. Tranfa-Abboud served as an economic advisor to the Short-Term Planning Division Chief of Central Planning Office of Venezuela. Dr. Tranfa-Abboud was also a member of the Venezuelan government’s privatization committee, which was charged with providing analysis and support for the process of restructuring public enterprises such as aluminum and steel plants, which were later privatized.

Dr. Tranfa-Abboud’s professional experience also includes academic positions and responsibilities in the United States and in Venezuela. Dr. Tranfa-Abboud was a Visiting Professor at the Rutgers University Department of Public Administration, Ph.D. Program (Newark, New Jersey) for the academic year 2003-2004, was a Teaching Assistant in the Economics Department of Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) where she taught several courses at the undergraduate level and held the position of Instructor in the Department of Economics of Universidad Central de Venezuela (Caracas, Venezuela).

Dr. Tranfa-Abboud is originally from Venezuela, and is fluent in English, Spanish and Italian.

Jaren Zilinski joined the Analytical Economics Associates team in the capacity of Junior Economist and Project Manager in September 2022, and bringing to the team more than 15 years of experience in forensic economics, economic damages analysis, data analytics, fraud examinations, and research. Ms. Zilinski’s work spans from the data collection and analysis to the management of the workflow, and supports the work of our expert, Josefina V. Tranfa-Abboud, Ph.D., CFE, MAFF from the early stages of a case through the completion of all analyses and work product. Ms. Zilinski is involved in all the aspects of all matters and projects, as well as research on topics and data relevant to each analysis.

Ms. Zilinski possesses a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Psychology from University of Pittsburgh and a Certified Fraud Examiner (“CFE”) license awarded by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (“ACFE”).

Ms. Zilinski has more than 15 years of experience in the fields of economics, forensic economics, fraud examinations, financial and economic data analytics, and in building and managing detailed databases, conducting research, and performing analysis applicable to a wide range of areas.

Prior to joining Analytical Economics Associates, Ms. Zilinski was a Manager at a CPA firm in New York, where she worked with our expert, Josefina V. Tranfa-Abboud, Ph.D., CFE, MAFF for more than nine years.
Ms. Zilinski is fluent in English.

Monica Duarte joined the Analytical Economics Associates team in the capacity of Paraprofessional and Assistant Project Manager in 2021, bringing to the team her vast experience in education, training, and project management. Ms. Duarte’s responsibilities span from office and project management to document preparation, paralegal-equivalent support, and administrative support.

Ms. Duarte possesses a Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Scranton (Scranton, Pennsylvania), and a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Sociology from the New Jersey City University (Jersey City, New Jersey).

Ms. Duarte has more than 17 years of experience in education (including bilingual education), and more than three years of experience in office administration and project management.

Prior to joining Analytical Economics Associates, Ms. Duarte was a Language Arts Literacy Teacher at Grace Wilday & L.V. Moore Middle School (Roselle, New Jersey) and a Bilingual and General Education Language Arts Literacy Teacher at Community Middle School (Bound Brook, New Jersey), and was the Office Manager of the Metropolitan Builders & Contractors Association of New Jersey (Morris Plains, New Jersey).

Ms. Duarte is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.