Dr. Porto joined the Global Health affiliated faculty at Indian University in 2020 to teach online courses. Prior to that, he was on the faculty of Health Policy and Management, Gillings Global School of Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill where he taught and managed the Executive Master’s Program for 30 years. He also designed and implemented the Community Preparedness and Disaster Management Certificate program as well as the Healthcare Management Certificate and many workshops.
Dr. Porto developed and taught graduate level courses in both the Executive and Residential Programs in basic statistics, public health issues through a systems dynamic approach, capstone, ethics, health policy, workplace and personal fitness, program evaluation (co-taught), decision analysis (co-taught); he developed and taught undergraduate courses in computer applications, financial management, and health policy. He has also taught modules in certificate programs that include decision-making, mitigation, cost-benefit analysis, and leadership.
He served in Viet Nam as a helicopter pilot with the Marines. He is a former mayor of his town and continues to serve actively on community boards. In 2018, Dr. Porto formed a not-for-profit corporation to assist communities in developing climate action plans. He has presented at the American Association of Geographers annual meeting on the Urban Village as a sustainable community concept.
Research Interests
Disaster Management; Urban design and climate change, Expert Decision–Making, Ethical Decision-Making, Critical Thinking, Systems Dynamics; Assessing Efficiency and Effectiveness in Public Organizations; Comparative Evaluation Methodology (ex. Data Envelopment); Public Policy Development and Assessment; Socio-Economic Evaluations (CBA, CEA); Political Leadership; Substance Abuse Treatment. Distance Education and information technology. Teaching and Learning.
Courses Taught
PBHL A330 Humans in Extreme Environments
PBHL A215 Storytelling with Data
PBHL A645 Resilient Cities and Communities
Selected Publications
Staley, J, Zelman,W, Porto, JV, Hobbs, S, Paul, J. (2009). “Preparedness Roles for Health Policy and Management Departments: Ensuring Educational Continuity during Disaster Events,” The Journal of Health Administration Education, Fall 2009.
Conover, C.J., Ettner, K.S. Weaver, S., Flynn, P.M., Porto, J.V., (2004). “Economic evaluations of HIV treatment and health research with people diagnosed with HIV infection and co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders,” AIDS Care, 2004; 16 (Supplement 1): S121/S136
Flynn, P.M., Porto, J.V., Rounds-Bryant, J.L., & Kristiansen, P.L. (2002). Costs and benefits of methadone treatment in DATOS-Part 1: Discharged versus continuing patients. Journal of Maintenance in the Addictions. Vol. 2, (1).
Flynn, P.M., Porto, J.V., Rounds-Bryant, J.L., & Kristiansen, P.L. (2002). Costs and benefits of methadone treatment in DATOS-Part 2: Gender differences for discharged and continuing patients. Journal of Maintenance in the Addictions.
Porto, J.V. & Flynn, P.M. (2001). "Determining Best Organizational Practices Among Community-Based Treatment Providers: A Two-Stage Data Envelopment Analysis [Abstract]. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 60(Suppl. No.1), 173.
Flynn, P.M., Kristiansen, P.L., Porto, J.V., and Hubbard, R.L (1999). “Costs and Benefits of Treatment for Cocaine Addiction in DATOS.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Vol. 57, No.2, 1 December, 1999.
Flynn, P.M., Kristiansen, P.L., and Porto, J.V. (1999). "Costs and Benefits of Methadone Treatment for Women and Men Who Left Before or Were Still in Treatment at Follow-up” [Summary]. Problems of Drug Dependence. Proceedings of the 61st Annual Scientific Meeting. Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA Research Monograph.
Porto, JV. A culture of expertise, not conflict. (2003). Healthcare Papers, 3(3), 58-64; discussion 66.
Porto, JV. Global connectivity: a blessing and a curse. (2003). Hospital quarterly, 6(3), 25-26.
