Meet DA Investigator Andrea Amado

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.

Born in Chula Vista and raised in National City and Chula Vista, Andrea Amado has dedicated more than two decades to serving the San Diego community. After spending 22 years with the San Diego Police Department, where she worked as a detective in assignments ranging from Narcotics and Sex Crimes to Child Abuse, Homicide Relief and Internal Affairs, she joined the District Attorney’s Office in 2023.

Today, as a District Attorney Investigator III assigned to the South Bay Branch, she continues that commitment to service by supporting investigations, assisting victims and witnesses, and working alongside Deputy District Attorneys and law enforcement partners. Her journey is also deeply connected to her family’s story, a story of hard work, faith, perseverance and the importance of embracing where you come from while making a difference in the lives of others.

What inspired you to pursue a career in law enforcement or to work at the DA’s Office?

“At the heart of my decision to pursue a career in law enforcement was a desire to serve people. I was always interested in understanding human behavior, and my original goal was to become a behavioral analyst with the FBI. However, due to personal circumstances at the time, my path took a different direction, and I applied to become a police officer with the San Diego Police Department.

What began as a change in direction became a 22-year career that gave me opportunities and experiences I could never have anticipated. Throughout my time with SDPD, particularly as a detective, I learned that serving people can take many forms such as helping someone through one of the most difficult moments of their life, and sometimes it simply means listening and treating someone with compassion and dignity.

My career with SDPD, I felt ready for the next chapter in my career. I wanted to continue serving the community while challenging myself professionally and building upon the experience I had gained throughout my years in law enforcement. I decided that joining the District Attorney’s Office would be the next step in my career, and in 2023, I was fortunate to continue serving my community as a District Attorney Investigator in a different capacity.

Working at the DA’s Office has allowed me to continue doing what initially drew me to this profession, serving people, but from a different perspective. It has also reminded me that sometimes the path we originally envision for ourselves is not the path we ultimately take. That does not mean the dream was lost. Sometimes the unexpected path leads us exactly where we were meant to grow.”

What is your favorite part of your job?

“My favorite part of my job is knowing that I may be able to make a difference in someone’s life. Many of the victims and witnesses we encounter are experiencing circumstances they never imagined they would face.

Sometimes making a difference means listening, being patient, showing compassion, or helping someone feel that their voice matters.

I also genuinely enjoy the people I work with. I am surrounded by individuals with different experiences, knowledge, and perspectives, and I continue to learn from them.

One of the things I value about my position is that every case and every person is different. Even after many years in law enforcement, I am still learning. I am fortunate to work alongside people whose knowledge, experience, and perspectives continue to challenge me and help me grow.”

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

“My family is incredibly important to me, and I enjoy spending time with them whenever I can. My faith is also an important part of my life, and I volunteer at my church with the children’s ministry. I enjoy giving my time and hopefully being a positive influence in their lives, even in a small way.

I also enjoy running, strength training, hiking, and baking. Fitness has become an important part of my life because I enjoy challenging myself and discovering what I am capable of when I remain consistent. It has taught me something that applies far beyond the gym, progress does not always happen quickly or perfectly. Sometimes you simply have to keep showing up.

Whether it is through my career, my family, my church, or my community, I believe some of the most meaningful things we can give others are our time, encouragement, and willingness to serve.”

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you, and why is it important to you?

“Hispanic Heritage Month means honoring where we come from and recognizing the sacrifices, resilience, faith, traditions, and values of the generations who came before us. For me, it is deeply personal because my heritage is woven into the story of my family and the people who helped shape the woman I am today.

My great-grandfather worked in the fields, and my grandparents dedicated part of their lives to serving others as missionaries in Mexico and the United States. Their lives remind me that many of the opportunities I have today were built upon the hard work, sacrifice, faith, and perseverance of those who came before me. Their stories are a part of my story, and I never want to forget the foundation they helped create for our family.

That foundation continued with my mother, who taught me the meaning of hard work and perseverance. For the first five years of my life, I was raised by my single mother, who taught me the importance of hard work and perseverance, regardless of the hardships life may bring. When I was five, she met the man I would come to know as my dad. He came from a different cultural background, but he accepted me completely as his own. He taught me resilience and encouraged me to believe that if I truly put my mind to something and was willing to work for it, I could accomplish it. We do not have to share the same heritage to respect and embrace one another and love each other as family.

Now, as a mother myself, my son and daughter are two of my greatest blessings. I have tried to teach them to embrace their culture with their eyes wide open and their hearts full of love to know where they come from and be proud of their roots while also respecting, learning from, and appreciating the cultures and experiences of others. I want them to understand that being proud of our heritage does not mean separating ourselves from others. Instead, knowing our roots can give us a stronger sense of who we are while allowing us to embrace others with compassion and understanding.

Hispanic Heritage Month is also important to me because representation matters. I hope younger generations can see people who share their culture and background serving their communities and realize there is a place for them, too.

I never view my accomplishments as mine alone. They carry pieces of everyone who came before me, my great-grandfather who worked in the fields, grandparents who served others through their faith, a mother who showed me how to persevere, and a dad who chose to love and raise me as his own.

Today, I have the privilege of carrying those lessons forward through my children and through my service to the South Bay community where much of my own story began. There is something especially meaningful to me about that journey coming full circle.

Hispanic Heritage Month is not simply about looking back with pride. It is about remembering where our roots began, being grateful for the sacrifices that allowed us to grow, and carrying the best of what was given to us forward with humility, open eyes, and an open heart.

If there is one thing life and my career have taught me, it is that your path does not have to be perfect to have purpose.

Life will bring setbacks, unexpected changes, and moments when you question yourself. I have certainly had my own. What matters is continuing to move forward, remaining willing to learn, and not allowing a difficult season to determine where your story ends.

I do not consider myself extraordinary. I am simply someone who tries to work hard, continue growing, serve others, and leave people and places a little better than I found them.

I am grateful for the people who came before me, the people who have walked beside me, and the opportunities I have been given along the way. If sharing my journey encourages even one person to keep going, take a chance on themselves, or believe they are capable of more than they once thought, then I believe my story was worth sharing.”