Hi, I’m Victoria!
I serve as the Senior Pastor at Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. As the first woman to serve as Senior Pastor of a Baptist church in the DFW Metroplex, I have witnessed the power of expanding our imagination for who is called, who belongs, and what faithful leadership can look like.
I began my academic journey at Baylor University, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy before continuing my studies at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, where I received my Master of Divinity in 2012.
After graduation, I spent two years serving as a hospital chaplain at Baylor Scott & White, an experience that shaped the way I understand ministry: as a sacred practice of showing up for people in their most vulnerable moments. Since then, I have spent more than a decade serving in congregational ministry, including eight years in the United Methodist Church, where I served as an elder by extension of the Baptist denomination.
Throughout my ministry, I have been grateful for opportunities to serve beyond the walls of the church. I previously served as Board Chair for the Baptist House of Studies at Perkins School of Theology and continue to serve as a board member. I am also a member of the Peer Advisory Group for Parkland Hospital’s CPE program and serve as Board Chair for FaithWorks, an organization committed to mission and ministry alongside the U.S.-Mexico border.
My work in ministry and leadership has been featured in the Dallas Morning News, Lake Highlands and Preston Hollow Advocate magazines, and I was honored to be named one of Dallas’s Fierce Female Leaders by Preston Hollow People. I was also interviewed on CNN, where I spoke about the importance of women’s leadership in the church and the ongoing conversation around women in ministry.
Writing has always been another expression of my calling. I love exploring the ways faith shapes our stories, especially the stories we pass on to the next generation. My first children’s book was published by Tommy Nelson, an imprint of HarperCollins, in 2023, and I am currently under contract for two additional children’s books with Penguin Random House and Tommy Nelson, scheduled for publication in 2027.
My husband, Matt, and I live in Dallas, Texas, with our three children, Benjamin, Ruthie, and Hannah. They continue to teach me about wonder, grace, and the kind of faith I hope we all learn to nurture.
Outside of ministry and writing, my greatest joy is being a mother.