John Black

About John Black

For more than three decades, I have operated at the intersection of national security, emergency management, & human performance, leading people through the highest-stakes conditions & building the systems, plans, & teams that hold when everything else is falling apart.I currently serve as Senior Emergency Management Coordinator for Orange County Health Care Agency’s Health Disaster Preparedness Section, supporting preparedness & response for more than 3.3 million residents across 34 cities & unincorporated communities. I partner with hospitals, clinics, EMS providers, & community stakeholders to strengthen readiness, coordination, & operational performance, with a focus on healthcare & public health system resilience.My foundation is 26 years of service as a United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, MIT National Security Fellow, & Harvard Business School alum. I deployed to 33 countries, led teams of up to 3,400 personnel across 17 countries, managed programs exceeding $2.21 billion, & served in environments ranging from combat deployments in Iraq & Afghanistan to disaster response following a category 5 typhoon in the Philippines & a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in New Zealand. I helped navigate a resolution to a 33-year U.S-New Zealand nuclear policy impasse, enabling the first U.S. Navy ship visit since 1984. Grounded in preparation, adaptability, & calm under pressure, I bring a career built on clear thinking, trusted partnerships, & disciplined execution that makes the difference.I am Founder & CEO of The JASSD Group LLC, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business specializing in BlueDragon Root Cause Analysis. This holistic, systems-thinking approach strengthens problem-solving in regulated, high-consequence environments. Clients include the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, & international stabilization efforts in Ukraine.I am completing certifications in ontological coaching (Newfield Network), trauma-informed coaching (Veterans Talking to Veterans), & health & wellness coaching (UC Irvine). I apply this work as Co-Chair of Braver Angels Orange County & through coaching practice serving veterans, first responders, & trauma survivors.If you are focused on emergency preparedness, resilience, or building organizations & people that perform when it matters most, I welcome the opportunity to connect.The opinions & views expressed here are my own & do not reflect those of the Department of Defense or its components. Mention of commercial products does not imply endorsement. This is a personal profile.

Experience

1. Orange County Government

   Present

Education

• UCLA Anderson School of Management

  EBV, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

• Harvard Business School

  PLD, HBS Executive MBA Alternative

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Fellow, International Relations and National Security Studies

• University of the Pacific

  Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree, English Language and Literature/Letters

• U.S. Naval War College

  Master of Arts (MA) Degree, National Security and Strategic Studies