Bob Therina, Information Security Analyst II, came to Information Security after training and working in Computer Technology and the IT-sphere more broadly. He humbly reports that he sees himself as a generalist rather than an expert, capable of working across the IT space, building bridges between colleagues with deep expertise in a variety of areas.
His career path began in customer service as a “cable guy.” He started at WashU as an AV Tech before moving on to Desktop Support and then Desktop Engineering. He was always interested in expanding his knowledge and experience. He joined an informal team of School of Medicine Desktop Support techs, headed by James Gagliarducci, to assist James, Kevin Hardcastle, and Denise Woodward in Information Security. At that time, Information Security did not have any analysts on staff. Bob helped the InfoSec Team compose a malware field guide, and when an analyst position became available, he officially joined the InfoSec team. Offering his wisdom to those just getting started, Bob says, “doing your job conscientiously and professionally can go a long way toward getting opportunities.”
Bob likes his work in InfoSec and especially enjoys trying to get into the mind of a cybercriminal, asking, “what would I do if I were the criminal?” When we asked him, “what’s something people don’t understand about your position?” he playfully responded, “I can’t read your mail, and I don’t know everything about your iPhone apps!” Of his Infosec colleagues, he proudly reports, “we have a great team with a lot of different experience, skills, and backgrounds.” He’s happy to see the team grow, “helping us to be more effective in protecting the university, our students, and employees today and for the future.” He predicts that the future of InfoSec will be characterized by a focus on Network Access Control, Asset Management, and Compliance because of growing government regulations.
In his free time, Bob enjoys photography and beach vacations. He’s a certified Private Pilot and enjoys attending airshows and expos. He says he can’t live without his faith, and he produces the stream of his church’s Sunday morning service on YouTube and Facebook and publishes the audio on their podcast. Bob is a helper and a doer in his career and personal life, and InfoSec is thankful he’s on our team!