Robyn Watson Ellerbe

Chief Strategy Officer
Institute for Women’s Policy Research

As the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) Chief Strategy Officer, Dr. Robyn Watson Ellerbe brings over 20 years of experience in leadership and research to effectively formulate strategy and lead initiatives to achieve IWPR’s goals.

Dr. Watson Ellerbe is a seasoned scientist whose research has focused on addressing health disparities that disproportionately impact minority populations. She has served as the principal investigator for several private and government funded grants and has held leadership positions at association and non-profit organizations. Prior to joining IWPR, Dr. Watson Ellerbe was the Vice President of Research for the American Physical Therapy Association, providing strategic direction to advance and promote research and knowledge that improves physical therapy practice. 

Dr. Watson Ellerbe received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, her master’s degree from San Francisco State University, and a doctorate in Health Services, Organization, and Policy from the University of Michigan. 

  • This study will survey and track monthly spending data of women and families enrolled in cash transfer programs to understand how these programs impact economic and health outcomes over time. The research team will partner with programs in Stockton, Jackson, and others, as well as with Saver Life to track monthly spending and economic behavioral patterns of women participating in cash transfer programs.

    November 15, 2022

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    Has Evidence

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  • This study will use the 2020 American Time Use Survey (ATUS) and prepandemic ATUS to understand changes in time use among women, and model policies at the federal and state levels that could promote flexibility for lower-wage workers and women. The research team will also conduct a national survey on workplace flexibility practices focused on the connection between workplace flexibility and mental health outcomes.

    November 15, 2022

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  • The study will explore whether small dollar mortgages in Cincinnati increase economic mobility in communities of color with a focus on Black women in Hamilton County.

    November 15, 2022

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  • This study will model the relationship between state-level minimum wage rates and general health outcomes for men and women of color who have never attended college. To test this relationship, this study will use Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–administered Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey data.

    November 15, 2022

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  • By analyzing the DC Department of Employment Services data and other administrative data, the study will seek to understand the extent to which workers have taken such leave and for what reasons, and the impact of leave on the physical and mental health outcomes and economic well-being of workers and families between July 2020 and the 2022 expansion.

    November 15, 2022

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  • The study aims to better understand the impact of federal- and state-level relief programs (housing assistance, unemployment/income replacement, and nutrition assistance) on the economic well-being of families during the Pandemic, including the impacts of ending those programs. The study will also examine how lower-wage workers and Black and Latina women used the expanded child tax credit to meet their economic needs and the impact of the expiration of the child tax credit on their health and economic well-being over time.

    November 15, 2022

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