Victoria knows first-hand the life-changing difference one opportunity can make. Though a 4.0 student throughout high school, she found herself facing a challenge all too familiar to young people all over the nation: the inability to pay for college. Then, late in the spring of senior year, she was offered a full academic scholarship from the University of Florida, as part of its commitment to economic mobility for minority scholars. Victoria’s journey ingrained in her a deep commitment to advocacy, and a responsibility to ensuring systemic solutions to address inequity. She went on to  earn a BS in Mechanical Engineering, and  returned home to North Carolina to begin her career in Charlotte. She honed her leadership skills leading manufacturing organizations, coaching LEAN/Six Sigma methodologies, and managing multi-million dollar engineering initiatives. Along the way, she continued her education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she earned an MS in Engineering Management, her PhD in Infrastructure & Environmental Systems (Economic Mobility Policy Optimization), and a graduate certificate in Public Policy Research & Analysis. As a licensed Professional Engineer, certified Project Management Professional, and small business owner, Victoria has proven to bring both a progressive voice and a pragmatic approach to City Council.