Patricia Abaroa is the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

In that role, Ms. Abaroa works to enhance and expand the agency's statistical programs and their impact and helps shape BEA's highest-priority research projects.

Ms. Abaroa joined BEA in 2000 and is an expert in international economic accounting. Before becoming Deputy Director, she served as Chief of BEA's Balance of Payments Division and prior to that was Chief of the Direct Investment Division. In those positions, Abaroa led the development of new statistics, improved timeliness, helped modernize data collection programs, and implemented changes that increased the accuracy of information collected in business surveys. 

Fulfilling a goal under the Group of 20, or G20, Data Gaps Initiative, Ms. Abaroa oversaw the development and release of new quarterly statistics on the currency composition of U.S. debt, valuable information for assessing U.S. exposure to foreign currency risks in international investments. For that, she was awarded a Commerce Department Gold Medal, the department's highest honor.

She has represented BEA on other international statistical initiatives and working groups connected to the International Monetary Fund, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and the United Nations. 

In addition to the Gold Medal, her work on developing quarterly international investment position statistics and the creation of new web-based tools for providing guidance to BEA survey respondents earned her a Silver Medal and a Bronze Medal, respectively.

Ms. Abaroa serves as the executive sponsor of BEA's Diversity & Inclusion Council, guiding its formation in 2018 and efforts to develop programs to create a more equitable workplace.

She holds a master's degree in economics from George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in economics and international studies from the American University.