Lincoln resident Sean Ragan was raised by his grandparents in San Francisco, and he hardly remembers a time when he wasn’t surrounded by public servants. His grandfather was an assistant district attorney who later became a judge, and many of his grandfather’s friends were police officers and other law enforcement officials. “Seeing my grandfather’s lifelong service in the legal system probably had an influence on me,” Ragan shares. “From the time I was about 12 years old, I knew I wanted to go into the FBI.”

Ragan went on to fulfill that childhood dream. After college, he spent over five years as a police officer in Oakland, since he knew the experience in law enforcement was a key skill he would need for his future career. He also obtained a law degree before finally joining the ranks of the FBI. Now, more than two decades with the bureau later, he is the newly appointed FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Sacramento Field Office. Although new to the area, Ragan and his wife—not to mention their dog Gustav—already feel like they’ve come home. And for Ragan, the best part is the opportunity to do work he believes in. “I do what I can to protect the country,” he shares. “I can truly say I’ve never thought about a paycheck.”  

Q&A

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Life is short. Take advantage of every minute and devote significant attention to nurturing the important relationships in your life.

What’s your biggest pet peeve? Prejudicial treatment of others.

Biggest life inspirations?
I have the extreme good fortune of working with a group of individuals who are committed to protecting our country and faithfully serving the American people. I’m inspired and humbled by their dedication at each turn. 

What are you most proud of?
Being a public servant for the past 27 years has been a true honor and a privilege; I’m also incredibly grateful for the fact that I was smart enough to marry my wonderful wife many moons ago. 

What’s next?
Getting settled into life here and becoming an active member of our community.

Favorites

Author/writer
Robert Ludlum

Escape
Traveling to new places and experiencing the local cuisine

Guilty pleasure
Ice cream, cookies, coffee, and red wine—not necessarily in that order 

Memory
Taking a Northern European cruise with my wife for our honeymoon

Movie
The FBI Story

By Amber Foster