About

Victoria K. Bruce

Winter Springs Commissioner District 2

In 2022, Victoria Bruce was elected Winter Springs Commissioner for District 2. She is committed to serving the community and working towards the betterment of Winter Springs.

Born:Victoria Traica Thatcher Kerensky
February 18, 1983
Boca Raton, Florida
ParentsDr. Vasil Kerensky (father)
Dr. Patricia Thomson Smith (mother)
Nationality:American
Occupation:CEO
Education:UCF College of Business
North Broward Preparatory School, Florida
Official Website:https://mitigationbankinginc.com/
https://victoriaforwintersprings.com/

About Me

Early Life

I was born Victoria Traica Thatcher Kerensky on February 18, 1983 in Boca Raton, Florida.

My late father, Dr. Vasil Kerensky, from Bulgaria/Macedonia, was a first-generation college student with a Doctorate in Education. For 37 years, he served as Professor & Emeritus Chair for Leadership & Management at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). He also served as commissioner on the Greater Boca Raton Beach Taxing District for 8 years. He was an older father, as he was 52 years old when I was born.

My mother, Dr. Patricia Thomson Smith, is a 14th generation American whose ancestors arrived on the Mayflower; she was also an educator with a Doctorate in Education, she managed the General Education Development (GED) Program of Broward County. She is now retired and spends her time in Boca Raton and summers in Lake George, New York, in a home that has been in our family for 100 years.

In 1991, I found my passion and began performing, singing & dancing at a local theater. This passion awarded me a high-school scholarship at the North Broward Preparatory School (NBPS) which has a dynamic reputation for the Arts!

Education

After graduating from North Broward Prep in 2001, I attended The University of Central Florida (UCF). I was a Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA), and President of the student chapter of The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS).

In college, I had five internships; with the final internship offering me a full time offer before graduating. I graduated from UCF in 2005 with a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Business Administration, with a specialty in Service Marketing.

Career

I spent 12 years working at the same company; and went from Intern to Marketing Director to Vice President to President.

In 2017, I started a new company as CEO and Founder of The Mitigation Banking Group, Inc; which is an environmental restoration company that provides compensatory mitigation for adverse ecological impacts, while being able to achieve greater or equal to ecological functions.

In 2022, I filed to run for Winter Springs Commissioner- District 2; and was elected as commissioner after November’s Election.

Affiliations

In 2008, I was President of The Orlando Young Professionals Group (OYP) and featured on the cover of Florida Trend for up-and-coming leaders in Florida. I graduated from the Political Leadership Institute (PLI) at Rollins College in 2009; which is a unique nonpartisan, regional initiative to prepare the next generation of public leaders.

I also served as a Director at Large for Urban Land Institute (ULI) Young Leaders, President of the Florida Association of Mitigation Bankers (FAMB), Treasurer of the Florida Environmental Professionals (FAEP) and the Central Florida Chapter (CFAEP).

In addition to being active with Best Buddies, Big Brothers Big Sisters, BETA Center, Habitat for Humanity, Harbor House of Central Florida, One Blood, Marine Resource Council (MRC) Coastal Clean-Up etc…