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John Roberts

John RobertsDiplomat-in-Residence
PGH 413
713-743-3893
jrobert8@central.uh.edu

Biographical Summary

John C. Roberts is a career member of the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Service currently serving as Diplomat in Residence for Southeast Texas and Louisiana. Prior to his assignment as Diplomat in Residence he served as Director of the Civilian Response Corps in the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO). CSO leads the Department of State’s expeditionary diplomatic efforts providing whole of government conflict mitigation and stabilization assistance to countries in crisis or emerging from conflict.

Before joining CSO, Mr. Roberts earned a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Air Force, Air War College. Prior to his assignment to the War College, Mr. Roberts served as Public Affairs Officer for Barbados and the six other nations of the Eastern Caribbean. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Roberts directed the Press and Cultural Affairs Offices at U.S. Embassy Baghdad as Information Officer and Acting Public Affairs Officer. The Baghdad Public Affairs Section is one of the largest in the world and is responsible for all U.S. Embassy media engagements with Western and pan-Arabic press.

Prior to his assignment in Iraq, Mr. Roberts was a member of the Executive Staff for Secretary of State Powell and Secretary of State Rice; organizing and directing the Secretary’s press, media events, and high-level meetings throughout Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. Previous State Department assignments include service in Moscow, Russian Federation and in Managua, Nicaragua. In October 2001, Mr. Roberts was recalled to active military duty for a two-year assignment to the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. He served as Chief Instructor and Director of Field Training for the Army’s High Risk (Level C) Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) School. The SERE program is the cornerstone of the Army’s Special Forces Qualification Course and is designed to offer specialized training to military personnel who will be deployed on high-risk assignments around the globe.

Before joining the Department of State Mr. Roberts worked in private business as a partner in a successful telecommunications investment and operating company. He has worked as an independent business consultant and served as a political appointee during the Administration of President George H.W. Bush at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he helped design and implement U.S. strategic trade policy. Mr. Roberts also served in the U.S. Army Special Forces as a military advisor and senior instructor. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, earned a Masters Degree in International Business from the University of South Carolina, and speaks Spanish and Russian.

Mr. Roberts is the recipient of five Department of State Superior Honor Awards, four Meritorious Honor Awards, a Letter of Commendation from Assistant Secretary Mary Ryan, the Extra Mile Award and was nominated for the Secretary’s Award for Heroism and the W. Averell Harriman Award. Mr. Roberts earned numerous awards and decorations including the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal and Iraq Campaign Medal for his military service in the wake of the September 11 attacks.