Growing up the daughter of a homicide detective, Victoria gained a strong respect for law and justice from an early age. While she was never allowed to enjoy a ‘take your child to work day’ that extended past visiting her father’s office and eating the secret stash of jelly beans he hid in his desk, Victoria’s father was adamant that his daughter understood the important role that fairness, integrity and law enforcement played in providing a safe community to live in. Throughout her childhood, Victoria dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. Cops and robbers was more than just child’s play; she was convinced that it was indeed some sort of “training” for her future career. Her dedication to a career in law enforcement continued throughout her schooling, but when a gymnastics injury left her with a busted knee her physical fitness and endurance was impacted heavily. While Victoria had understood that gymnastics was a high-risk sport, overconfidence mixed with foolish optimism had overshadowed the fact that she could possibly fall victim to an injury that might permanently affect her future plans. Her knee injury left her sidelined for the remainder of her final year in school, and any hope of applying to the police academy was dashed.
Years prior to her injury, Victoria’s brother had been proudly accepted into the police academy, and by the time his younger sister completed her schooling he was enjoying a rewarding position, with room to grow into more responsibility and higher rank. Her bitterness concerning her injury and her increasing jealousy of the success of her brother only fostered Victoria’s unhappiness. With her injury weighing so heavily on her mind and the uncertainty of her future career options haunting her, Victoria fell into a mild depression. At the urging of her mother, she considered a trip abroad in search of clarity and peace of mind. Victoria knew a change was necessary and, armed with a one way ticket to Europe, she went in search of it. After a whirlwind summer, Victoria returned to New York more cultured and experienced than when she had first left. It wasn’t just trinkets and travel tips she brought back with her on her return journey, but also a renewed sense of self and a new confidence. Travel had taught her lessons in self-reliance, as well as reawakened her ability to be positive and optimistic.
Upon her return, Victoria was both surprised and elated to find three acceptance letters awaiting her. Earlier in the year, her father had urged her to put a backup plan in place. While at the time Victoria had resented the possibility that “plan A” could ever conceivably be derailed, the value of her father’s advice proved itself to be priceless – as it has continued to do into her adulthood. With high hopes and excitement for the grueling course loads ahead, Victoria accepted the offer to pursue her undergraduate degree in Political Science at Yale, before eventually embarking upon earning her JD from Columbia. Victoria has since begun her career in criminal law at a firm in the city, despite the tedious daily commute. Her decision to relocate to Sleepy Hollow from Brooklyn was done rashly a year and a half prior following a short lived, though otherwise fairy tale, romance. The inability to get out of her lease without financial loss initially kept her tethered to Westchester County, but over the following months she grew, and has remained, enamored with the quaintness of Sleepy Hollow. Currently, Victoria is on the rise in her career, having aced her foray into law as a first-year associate.
