San Diego Regional Office

Director: Vacant

Assistant Director: Edward A. Croft

Mr. Edward A. Croft was appointed Assistant Director with the San Diego VA Regional Office on October 7, 2019. Previously, Mr. Croft served as an Assistant Veterans Service Center Manager (AVSCM) with the San Diego RO.

Assistant Director: Andrea M. Lapinski

Ms. Andrea Lapinksi was appointed Assistant Director of the San Diego VA Regional Office on July 12, 2015. Previously, Ms. Lapinski served as the Special Assistant of Health Affairs to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy on military health, benefits, and personnel matters. In this role, she served as the designated Navy Secretary's representative on the Joint Executive Council, Benefits Executive Council, and the Interagency Care Coordination Committee.

Veterans Service Center Manager: Marvin Rivas

Mr. Marvin Rivas was appointed Veteran Service Center Manager of the San Diego VA Regional Office in October of 2018. Marvin began his VA career as a Veteran Service Representative (VSR) at the Los Angeles Regional Office (LARO) in October of 2006. As a Veteran himself, he wanted to help as many Veterans as possible.

Benefits Eligibility Support Team Manager: Amanda Matthews

In October of 2020, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) announced the establishment of eight (8) standalone divisions designated as the Benefit Eligibility Support Team (BEST). The San Diego Regional Office (SDRO) was selected as the BEST site representing the Pacific District. That same month, Ms. Amanda Matthews was appointed as the SDRO BEST Manager. Ms. Matthews and her team of more 143 employees, process Veteran benefit adjustments, required benefit reviews and unique eligibility decisions. Additionally, Ms. Matthews and her leadership team perform various responsibilities including resource allocations, workload management, and general administrative support duties required for the Division. Prior to her appointment as BEST Manager, Ms. Matthews started at SDRO as a Veterans Service Representative (VSR) in 2008, and joined the leadership team in 2012. She has supervised various teams throughout the Veteran Service Center (VSC), to include the Quality Review Team (QRT), Outreach/Public Contact and Appeals.

Veteran Readiness and Employment Officer: Ashley Johnson

Ashley Johnson was appointed as the Supervisory Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at the San Diego VA Regional Office in March of 2016. Prior to this appointment, she was a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the San Diego and Seattle VA Regional Offices. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) as designated by the Commission of Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.

Support Services Division Chief: James Smith

James (Jim) Smith was appointed as the Chief of Support Services Division at the San Diego VA Regional Office in May of 2020. Prior to this appointment, he was a Supervisory Veteran Service Representative overseeing the Outreach and Public Contact Teams at the San Diego Regional Office.

Jim began his VA career as a Rating Veteran Service Representative (RVSR) at the San Diego Regional Office in 2009 and also served as a Military Service Coordinator (MSC) working out based at the Naval Hospital Balboa in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) program prior to entering the Leadership Team in 2013.