Meet Legal Support Manager Rebecca Gomez
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office is highlighting employees whose experiences, backgrounds and dedication to public service help strengthen our office and the communities we serve.
For Legal Support Manager Rebecca Gomez, a career with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office is rooted in a commitment to helping others and a family history that is deeply connected to an important chapter in San Diego and civil rights history.
Born and raised in San Diego, Rebecca began her career with the County working in Child Support after previously working in healthcare for Sharp and Kaiser. She joined the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office in 2002 and has spent more than two decades helping support the work of the office.
Today, she serves as the Legal Support Manager at the South Bay Branch, where she oversees the daily operations of the Legal Support Staff.
For Rebecca, her role is about more than overseeing operations. One of the most rewarding parts of her work is helping employees develop their careers and seeing people she once interviewed and hired go on to become professionals within the office.
“I am proud and fulfilled knowing that I played a small part in their career journey and success,” she said.
Her connection to Hispanic Heritage Month is deeply personal. Her great-grandfather, Juan Gonzalez, was involved in the Lemon Grove Incident of 1931, a landmark San Diego County case in which Mexican American children had been separated from other students and sent to a separate school. The case resulted in a court ruling that prohibited the segregation of the Mexican American children.
Her grandmother and her siblings were among the children affected. Growing up, Rebecca heard stories from her grandmother about what happened and about her great-grandfather’s role in the legal fight.
That family history has given Hispanic Heritage Month a special meaning for Rebecca—one that goes beyond celebrating her heritage.
“It reminds me of the courage, strength and determination of the generations before me,” she said.
What inspired you to pursue a career in law enforcement or to work at the DA’s Office?
“I was transferred to the DA’s office from Child Support during a County Wide layoff. When I was given the opportunity to go back to Child Support I declined. I felt working at the DA’s office was much more fulfilling. The work we do impacts the entire community and it makes me feel good that I can be a small part of helping to keep our community safe.”
What is your favorite part of your job?
“My favorite part of my job is the leadership role I play in helping to develop and guide support staff towards promotions or other careers within our office. When I see student workers who I interviewed and hired go on to become professionals in our office, it makes me feel proud and fulfilled knowing that I played a small part in their career journey and success.”
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
“I love sports and being outdoors. In my spare time I enjoy going to the gym, hiking, camping, and Padres games.”
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you, and why is it important to you?
“Hispanic Heritage Month is meaningful to me because it reminds me of where I come from and the people in my family who helped make a difference for future generations. My great-grandfather, Juan Gonzalez, was part of the Lemon Grove Incident in 1931, when Mexican American children were being separated from the other children and sent to a separate classroom. The case is recognized as the first successful school desegregation court decision in U.S. history. My grandmother and her siblings were among the children affected. Growing up, my grandmother would tell me stories about what happened and about the role my great-grandfather played in fighting the segregation of the children. My great-grandfather served as guardian ad litem for Roberto Alvarez, one of the children at the center of the case, and the court ultimately ruled that the Mexican American children could not be segregated from the other students. Knowing that this history is part of my own family makes Hispanic Heritage Month mean much more to me than simply celebrating my heritage. It reminds me of the courage, strength, and determination of the generations before me. I am proud of my great-grandfather and of my grandmother and her siblings, who was part of a moment in history that helped create a better future for Mexican American children. It also reminds me that the opportunities we have today were not always available to everyone. People in my family stood up for what was right, and their actions made a difference. That history is something I am proud to carry with me, and it is why Hispanic Heritage Month is so important to me.
I am thankful for the opportunity the DA’s office has given me and I enjoy the people I work with.”
