Healthcare & Public Health

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Medical supplies and herbs on a white surface, including a stethoscope, pills, bottles, dried herbs, flowers, and syringes.

Sector Overview

The Healthcare and Public Health Sector protects all sectors of the economy from hazards such as terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and natural disasters. Because the vast majority of the sector’s assets are privately owned and operated, collaboration and information sharing between the public and private sectors is essential to increasing resilience of the nation’s Healthcare and Public Health critical infrastructure. Operating in all U.S. states, territories, and tribal areas, the sector plays a significant role in response and recovery across all other sectors in the event of a natural or manmade disaster. While healthcare tends to be delivered and managed locally, the public health component of the sector, focused primarily on population health, is managed across all levels of government: national, state, regional, local, tribal, and territorial.

The Healthcare and Public Health Sector is highly dependent on fellow sectors for continuity of operations and service delivery, including: Communications, Emergency Services, Energy, Food and Agriculture, Information Technology, Transportation Systems, and Water and Wastewater Systems.

Meet the Health & Public Health Sector Team

  • A woman with curly dark hair smiling outdoors in front of blurred green foliage, wearing a blue top and blue earrings.

    Catherine Blaser

    Catherine Blaser is an Epidemiology Public Health Nurse Supervisor with the County of San Diego, bringing over 14 years of experience in infectious disease response, epidemiology, and bioterrorism preparedness. A Certified Infection Control (CIC®) professional, she leads public health initiatives that strengthen community resilience and advance evidence-based disease prevention. Catherine also serves as adjunct faculty at National University, teaching in the School of Health and Human Services and shaping the next generation of public health and nursing professionals. She holds an MPH in Epidemiology with a focus on Global Emergency Preparedness, a BSN in Nursing, and a BA in Political Science.

    email | LinkedIn

  • A middle-aged man with a beard and mustache, wearing a dark blazer and light shirt, standing against a light gray background with colorful graphic elements in the corner.

    DJ Phalen

    DJ Phalen is a healthcare and emergency management leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning enterprise operations, cybersecurity, emergency preparedness, and organizational resilience. As Assistant Vice President for Enterprise Operations at Health Center Partners of Southern California, he oversees change management, security, privacy, compliance, and facilities for a regional health network. DJ also serves on the InfraGard San Diego Board of Directors and is the Sector Chief Coordinator, in addition to facilitating executive education programs for Cornell University. He holds advanced credentials in AI, leadership, and risk management, and has taught and led academic programs in homeland security at multiple universities.

    email | LinkedIn