Jenn Acosta

Jenn Acosta is a survey analyst with over 10 years of experience in mixed-methods research across early childhood, education, family self-sufficiency and economic independence, and nutrition, blending quantitative and qualitative methods to produce actionable insights. With 8+ years of leadership on studies ranging from $200K to $23M in value, Acosta has successfully led and managed teams to deliver high-quality work to foundation, state, and federal clients.

Acosta has led work on a variety of studies focusing on young children, families, and the quality of early care and education programs. Acosta contributed substantially to the development of a new quality self-assessment toolkit for home-based child care educators and caregivers on the Home Based Child Care Supply and Quality project, funded by the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. On the Head Start REACH: Strengthening Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Approaches with Families project, Acosta led nationwide recruitment of Head Start programs and conducted focus groups with staff and caregivers. Acosta’s portfolio includes roles on other prominent studies, including the Understanding Mental and Behavioral Health in Head Start Study, the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Study, the long-term follow-up phase of the Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation, and the Harlem Children's Zone Longitudinal Study, among others.

Acosta holds an Ed.M. in human development and education with a concentration in early childhood from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Acosta’s impact and commitment to improving lives through research have been recognized more than 20 times across Harvard, Duke, Mathematica, and professional organizations.