Andrew Strong to Serve as Interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Public Safety Group

Andrew Strong has been named the County’s interim deputy chief administrative officer for the Public Safety Group. He will begin his new role July 1.

Strong replaces Holly Porter who will move to a new role in the Sheriff’s Department. Porter has been a pivotal figure in ensuring the safety and well-being of San Diego County residents in her almost five years with the Public Safety Group, delivering critical services with the support of a team of over 8,000 employees.

Strong joins the Public Safety Group from his current role as the director of the Office of Equity and Racial Justice, where he has been dedicated to identifying and eradicating systemic bias and racism while fostering a culture of equity and belonging within the County.

Strong will oversee a budget of more than $2.5 billion in the Public Safety Group which includes the following departments: Animal Services, Child Support Services, District Attorney, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Services, Medical Examiner, Probation, Public Defender, San Diego County Fire and Sheriff.

Andrew first joined the County of San Diego in 2008 as a human resources analyst after serving in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman. He has held various key positions, including chief of departmental operations for the Department of Planning & Development Services and chief of staff to the chief administrative officer.

Strong’s leadership extends beyond the County. He has served as a commissioner for the City of Chula Vista’s Growth and Oversight Management Commission and currently serving on the Civil Service Commission.

He is an alumnus of RISE San Diego’s Urban Leadership Fellow Program and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Arts degree in Human Resource Management from National University.