Johnstown, PA November 18, 2024
Welcome to this month’s "Behind the Scenes" feature, where we spotlight the people at Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) and Enterprise Ventures Corporation (EVC) who are making an impact in ways you may not see.
This month, we introduce Lynn Wagner, a Technical Program Liaison and Analyst who plays a key role in keeping our military mission ready. With a deep background in forensic toxicology from her time in the Army, Lynn brings expertise and dedication to CTC’s Readiness Division, supporting the critical mission of the Department of Defense’s Drug Demand Reduction Program (DDRP).
Tell us a little about your background and your journey to becoming the Technical Program Liaison and Analyst at CTC.
When I was an active-duty Army officer, I “grew up” professionally in the DoD’s forensic toxicology program, either at the Army forensic toxicology drug testing labs or at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System. After leaving active duty, I took a lab director job outside of the DoD’s Drug Demand Reduction Program (DDRP) and returned to the DDRP after a year as a CTC employee supporting the Office of Drug Demand Reduction (ODDR).
How has CTC supported you in balancing your career growth with personal life?
I enjoy the latitude that CTC gives me to successfully do my job, such as offering remote telework.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your role within CTC’s Readiness Division?
I really care about the DDRP and its mission, so supporting the program is very rewarding for me. ODDR is highly respected within the Office of the Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness and throughout the forensic toxicology community. Ensuring that we have a drug-free force and supporting the health and readiness of service members, their families, and DoD federal civilians is highly rewarding.
How does CTC assist you in performing your best?
CTC has been instrumental in supporting ODDR for many years, and the people in this position have always been highly respected. CTC and ODDR worked together to create two new highly needed positions within ODDR so that we can better accomplish our mission. In addition, CTC has always been a partner to ODDR, ensuring ODDR has excellent and quality contract support.
Tell us about one of your proudest initiatives while working at CTC.
For the past two years, ODDR has been working hard on a dashboard to track drug testing trends. In the past, ODDR produced an annual report on drug testing with the previous fiscal year’s results. There was no way to track drug testing trends in real time, nor was there the ability to elucidate other drug testing information, such as geographic and demographic data, track laboratory workload, and track surveillance trends. The dashboard went live in August 2024 and is used frequently by DDRP stakeholders. ODDR continues to make improvements and additions to this dashboard.
How does CTC’s commitment to employee well-being influence your success here?
When I inquired how ODDR could bring on a data analyst for the dashboard, CTC was fully willing to hire someone, and this was accomplished quickly. The new CTC data analyst frees me up to work on policy issues for the ODDR, and the data analyst provides excellent knowledge and service for dashboard implementation.
Considering growing concerns about substance abuse in the workplace, what steps do you think organizations should take to better manage and prevent these issues?
Drug testing is the key to drug misuse deterrence in the workplace. Additionally, having a zero-tolerance policy and support for those who self-report helps to ensure no impairment or accidents in the workplace.
