Andrea Cutler began her public sector career in the nonprofit world, after moving from San Francisco, where she had emigrated to from the Philippines in 1978. She started out at the Kellogg/United Way Training Center, an agency that provided organizational training to nonprofit Boards. Following that, she went on to work in the Volunteer Services Department of the Children's Home Society of California, an adoption and children's services agency.

Jolted by the 1981 Whittier earthquake, Andrea and her family decided that the Whittier - Los Angeles commute was too long, so she accepted a position with the City of Whittier in the Public Works Department, a 5-block commute from home.

After finishing course work for a Bachelor's degree (with the assistance of Whittier's tuition reimbursement program), which she began at the University of the Philippines and the University of San Francisco, she was appointed as the Human Resources Assistant. After six years in that position, she joined the City of Monterey Park as the Human Resources Analyst where she managed the City's recruitment, selection and employee development functions. After six years, Andrea was appointed as the Human Resources Manager, with added responsibilities in overseeing benefits administration, labor negotiations with six represented bargaining units, program and policy development and implementation.

Andrea moved on to the City of Commerce as the Director of Human Resources. She then tried private consulting, only to find she was still too invested in the projects and the organizations she was consulting for. As a consultant, she served as the Interim Human Resources Manager for the City of Santa Fe Springs, and then accepted the appointment to the position in 2007.

Andrea has a Master in Public Administration degree from the Graduate Center of Public Policy and Administration of Cal-State Long Beach (this time with the assistance of the City of Monterey Park's tuition reimbursement program). She also has a Certified Professional (IPMA-CP) designation from the International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR) and was awarded Master of Labor Relations Certificate from California Public Employers Labor Relations Academy (CALPELRA).

Andrea serves as a Past Co-President of the Southern California Public Management Association-Human Resources (SCPMA-HR). She has been its President, Co-President, President-Elect, 2004 Conference Committee Chair, Vice-President of Programs, Newsletter Editor and Executive Board Member. This year, she is also serving as the 2nd Vice-President of the Western Region IPMA-HR Board.

In 2006, Andrea served as the Chair of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR) Fellowship Committee. She is a member of the California Public Employers Labor Relations Association (CALPELRA) and the Southern California Public Labor Relations Council (SCPLRC).

When not at work or at a board meeting, Andrea travels and spends time with Alan, her husband of 25 years, and their two daughters, Christina and Marinna. Their house is guarded by a very ferocious Bichon Frise, Kona.