About the Deputy Secretary
Jason Perkins-Cohen, Deputy Secretary
Maryland Department of Labor
Jason Perkins-Cohen serves as Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, which connects Marylanders to good jobs; protects workers, consumers, and the public; and fosters economic growth. He has more than two decades of leadership experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, with an emphasis connecting people to economic opportunities and growing high-impact workforce development initiatives.
Prior to joining the Maryland Department of Labor in 2023, Jason was the Director of the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, overseeing workforce development initiatives responsive to the needs of Baltimore’s businesses and residents, including youth. Under his leadership, the agency helped over 30,000 adults secure a job and expanded the city’s summer jobs program for youth by over 60%, to become one of the most successful in the country.
Jason has served on the state’s Unemployment Insurance Task Force, its Task Force on Prisoner Reentry, and the Maryland Adult Literacy Advisory Council. He also served as a trustee for the Baltimore City Community College and as a board member for the US Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council, Maryland Workforce Alliance, and Baltimore Civic Fund.
Jason holds a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s degree in policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.