Dr. Jennifer Cohen
Founder & Principal Researcher, Canvas Workforce Research + Strategy
Healthcare workforce researcher specializing in workforce systems, direct care, and disability services
Research affiliations: Rutgers University | The University of the Witwatersrand
Dr. Cohen’s work examines workforce stability, economic insecurity, and structural conditions shaping frontline work — particularly in disability services and direct support professions.
Canvas is an independent research practice producing rigorous, policy-relevant workforce research across healthcare and disability systems.
This research supports organizations in making workforce decisions grounded in real-world evidence.
Dr. Cohen is an internationally recognized workforce researcher and former tenured professor, with a track record of peer-reviewed publications, grant-funded research, and advising organizations across healthcare and disability sectors.
This research is the foundation for a framework for understanding how leadership decisions shape working conditions in practice.
Selected Experience
Led large-scale workforce studies with over 4,500 frontline healthcare and disability workers, identifying structural drivers of turnover, compensation, and economic insecurity
Produced research for leadership teams to guide workforce strategy, funding advocacy, and policy decisions
Conducted independent evaluations of workforce and disability employment initiatives, assessing outcomes, implementation, and system-level impact
Research affiliations with Rutgers University and the University of the Witwatersrand
