Employee Spotlight: Sebastian Wagner

One of the most dangerous things you carry is on you right now: your cell phone

Dangerous, because depending on where you go, your security settings, and your software, the phone can learn quite a bit about you and those around you. So, it is quickly apparent how important the work that Sebastian Wagner does for NetCentrics at the Federal Trade Commission. He manages the smartphones – and more. 

As the Mobile Administrator at the FTC, Sebastian manages the software and security policies for nearly 1200 mobile devices. Managing these end points requires the orchestration of technical updates, employee access, and software security across the federal government agency. Recently, he was part of a NetCentrics group to get kudos from FTC for the excellent work upgrading laptops agency-wide, a duty in addition to his regular work.

The device management work Sebastian does is a combination of skills. He helps design software policies to exceed security requirements. He also sets up systems to make compliance as seamless, and painless, as possible. “We want to enable FTC employees to do what they need to do, while also assuring that devices are sound,” he says. The help desk is the nerve center for this work.  

Sebastian joined NetCentrics in 2019 after previous work on a contract with the FTC. He works closely with Melissa Bristol, Andy Ibarra, and Cihan Allison. “It’s a very good team we have here,” he says. 

Tail of the Dragon 

Another ordinary but dangerous part of our lives are cars – and here, Sebastian has opinions. Not about vehicle safety necessarily, but about the freedom and fun cars represent. He’s into it. 

Sebastian takes an annual trip to Tail of the Dragon, a top destination for motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts that weaves through roads of the Southeast. Here, there are 318 curves in one 11 mile stretch, according to a Knoxville, Tennessee paper, making it one of the most popular, but also riskiest driving routes for anyone who speeds.  

He goes with friends and stays in hotels or cabins along the way, something he’s done for many years. The trip is loosely organized. The group cruise and stay together on the road. But there’s a lot of free time built into the schedule so participants can do their own thing. This year’s trip will be especially fun because of the pandemic limiting participants over the last two years. The vistas remain, but more food stops and other detours will be open again.  

Currently, Sebastian owns a red 2009 Chevy Colbalt SS Sedan with a turbocharged Ecotec engine. It is one of 759 made with 474 of those being available in the USA. Yes, electric vehicles are coming, he concedes, but his favorite hobby is “anything with an engine.” For fun he tinkers with vehicle modification and repairs. Most of this is self-taught, but also comes from his time serving in the U.S. Marines, when he worked on diesel equipment that supported aircraft.

Sebastian was born and raised in the area. He lives in Woodbridge, Virginia.  

If you’ve got the technical chops for device management and cybersecurity like Sebastian, NetCentrics would like to speak with you. If you’re into cars and road tripping, Sebastian would like to say hi, too.