Celebrity matchmaker Amber Kelleher-Andrews dies at 56 after cancer battle

Amber Kelleher-Andrews, a well-known matchmaker for celebrities and public figures, has died. She was 56.

Kelleher-Andrews died on Sunday, April 13 at her home in Montecito, California, according to an in memoriam shared by 

John Berg, her business partner and co-CEO at the matchmaking company, confirmed that her cause of death was cancer.

Kelleher International, a company her mother Jill Kelleher founded in 1986, shared news of her death , describing Kelleher-Andrews as a “matchmaking visionary, and devoted wife and mother.”

“Amber’s passion and vision helped shape Kelleher International into the globally recognized leader it is today,” the statement read. “Her dedication to love, her clients, and the art of connection left an indelible mark on all of us. Her empathy, energy, and ability to create transformative matches became the heartbeat of our firm — a legacy that lives on in every member of the Kelleher team.”

Kelleher-Andrews was born in San Francisco and was raised between Marin County and Los Angeles. In her early career, she worked as an actor and appeared in several movies as well as TV shows including “Baywatch” and “Melrose Place.”

She went on to study anthropology and acting before she joined Kelleher International in 1995.

At the company, which serves clientele including celebrities, Fortune 500 executives and athletes, she opened their Los Angeles office within her first two years and began serving as chief executive in 2000 before she was later named co-CEO with Berg.

Outside of Kelleher International, she hosted a radio talk show called “The Rules of Engagement,” and served as a matchmaker on  a reality matchmaking competition series that was produced by Eva Longoria. She would also regularly appear on TODAY, “Good Morning America” and CNN.

In her personal life, Kelleher-Andrews was married to certified horse therapist Nico Andrews for over 25 years, and the couple shared three children.

She is also survived by her mother, Jill, and her brother, Flynn.

On , her cousin Morgan Kelleher shared a touching tribute, writing that their family had “suffered a huge loss.”

He said that Kelleher-Andrews would “want to be remembered as a fun mom, that loved to swim, dance and sing while embracing every sunset, randomly calling friends and family to join on trips, or share a laugh.”

“She would often take one of her kids on business, or leisure trips to spend one-on-one time with them, or reward them for doing good in school,” he added. “They would explore new restaurants, neighborhoods, amusement parks, hike along the coast, shop, swim at a beautiful waterfall, or clear water swim spot that looked like heaven.”

Other tributes included a touching message from Richard Branson, who connected with Kelleher-Andrews when she began co-hosting a charitable retreat held on his Necker Island in support his nonprofit, Virgin Unite. She later served on the foundation's board.

“Amber was a treasure to this world,” he said in the statement. “Her joy, love and sheer determination to make the world a better place was awe-inspiring.”

“Her legacy will live on in the many people whose lives she touched through her generosity and through sparking purpose in so many others,” he added.

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