Professor Joel Cantor was included on the 2026 NJBIZ Health Care Power List, according to an April 16 announcement. Cantor is recognized for his leadership as founding director of the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy and his contributions to health policy research over more than two decades.
The inclusion on the list highlights individuals who have contributed meaningfully to public interest through their professional work or community service. The NJBIZ editorial staff compiles these lists based on reporting, expert input, and reader recommendations.
Cantor has led the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy since its creation in 1999. His work has focused on health services financing and delivery, especially concerning Medicaid populations and those facing barriers to care. Over the years, he has built the center into a nationally recognized hub for data-driven policy analysis, leading initiatives related to population health, health equity, and outcomes for vulnerable groups. He has received support from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and earned recognition including Rutgers’ President’s Award for Research in Service to New Jersey.
Cantor will step down from his director role this summer. Lindsay Shea will become his successor following a national search; she is described as a nationally recognized Medicaid policy expert who will begin her new role in July.
According to the official website, the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy—where Cantor serves as a distinguished professor—has honored alumni through its Hall of Fame since 2013 and annual achievement awards since 1994. The school operates within Rutgers University, focusing on fostering just, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and healthy communities at various levels according to its official website. It also advances social impact through research centers that address community development, transportation, health, workforce development, and energy policy according to its official website.
The Bloustein School holds national rankings including third place among graduate urban planning programs and fourth among undergraduate public health programs according to its official website. Stuart Shapiro became dean of the school in 2023 according to its official website.
As Shea prepares to lead the center starting in July, observers may look toward continued efforts shaping health policy both within New Jersey and beyond.