Victoria’s Story
Overcoming domestic violence is also part of Victoria’s background. She married at 18 and was a mother at 19. It was through a Ramsey County program that Victoria found the courage and the tools to remove herself and her two sons from an abusive and violent situation.
At first they survived and then went on to thrive. Reinhardt has testified about and spoken to small and large groups in a variety of settings about domestic violence and her personal experience. She was able to connect with those who feel as she did so many years ago – without hope.
Victoria is an advocate for people dealing with domestic violence, and letting others know there is indeed help and hope. (FYI – Victoria has been remarried to a wonderful man for over 25 years.)
Commissioner Reinhardt has earned a Masters of Business Administration degree and a Doctorate of Public Administration degree.
She is currently a member of the Association of Minnesota Counties’ Environment and Natural Resources Committee, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Local Government Advisory Committee, Vice Chair of the Environment, Energy and Land Use Committee for the National Association of Counties, and Vice-Chair of the Ramsey/Washington Recycling and Energy Board.
Experience & Public Service
Local, Regional, State and National Service
- Appointed by Governor to the Minnesota Clean Water Council
- Appointed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator to the Local Government Advisory Council
- Ramsey/Washington Counties Recycling and Energy Board Vice-Chair
- National and International speaker on electronic waste, disposal of waste pharmaceuticals, and solid waste management
- Appointed by Governor to the Minnesota Geospatial Advisory Council
- MetroGIS (Geographic Information Systems) Policy Board Chair 1997 – 2009; Appeared before a United States Congressional Sub-committee; Speaker at national GIS forums
Community Involvement
- Labor Activities include being a Past Steward and President of AFSCME Local 839, delegate to the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, and delegate to AFL-CIO, AFSCME and MAPE conventions
- Greater Twin Cities YMCA – Past Board of Directors member and current member of its Facilities Committee; Member of the White Bear Area YMCA Board
- Active member of the White Bear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce
- Lifetime member of the Historical Societies of Maplewood and North St. Paul and a member of the Historical Societies of White Bear Lake and Ramsey County
- School District 624 and Lincoln Elementary School–Extensive involvement as Past PTO president, and a member of the Excellence in Education Committee and the Parent Network
Professional Environmental Experience
- Member of the Minnesota delegation to Sweden to build partnerships in the circular economy and address global climate change from the local level
- Member of a four-person expert panel on solid waste management at Speak Up on Garbage, Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Testified before a committee of the New York City Council on electronic waste legislation
- Presented at the International Symposium on Waste Pharmaceuticals
- America Recycles Day in Minnesota – Co-chair
- Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) – Founding Board member and Chair
- Member of the National Recycling Coalition, Solid Waste Association of North America, and Association of Recycling Managers
Leadership Awards
- Named “One of the Most Powerful Business Leaders in Minnesota” in the “2018 Minnesota 500” publication
- Received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the GIS/LIS Consortium in 2014
- Earned the Association of MN Counties Presidential Leader of the Year Award in 2011
- Chosen as the 2010 Alumni of the Year – Century College
- Presented with the 2010 Woman of Distinction Award – Century College
- Received the 2005 Outstanding Alumni of the Year award – Metropolitan State University
- Named “One of the 25 Most Innovative Women in the Twin Cities” by CityBusiness
- National Leadership Award presented by the Reusable Pallet and Container Coalition
- Earned a Minnesota Environmental Achievement Award (MNGREAT!)
- Received the Bruce Vento Award for Distinguished Service from the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless
- Honored by the Association of Minnesota Counties as an innovative leader for outcome-based, program-area budgeting
- Received the Metropolitan State University Community Service Award
- Named “One of 30 Women of Vision” by Metropolitan State University
Victoria & J.P.’s Favorite Recipes
Cha Cha's White Chicken Chili
(as modified by Darren Tobolt and J.P. Barone)
Serves 8
2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers
3 (4 ounce) cans mild chopped green chili peppers
4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried cayenne pepper
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth (or equivalent chicken soup base and water)
8 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
6 (15 ounce) cans white beans
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chili peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in the chicken broth, chicken, and white beans. Simmer for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly stir in the cheeses until melted.
Minestrone Soup
Brown the following ingredients: 1 pound cubed beef
8 ounces onion, diced
1/4 pound butter
Add:
1/2 gallon water
8 ounces celery, diced
8 ounces carrots, diced
8 ounces tomatoes
9 ounces potatoes, diced
1/4 cup beef base
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon kitchen bouquet
2 teaspoons parsley
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 bay leaf
1/3 teaspoon basil
1/3 teaspoon oregano
6 to 8 ounces pasta (any type)
Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 3 hours. Makes approximately one gallon. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Beer Cheese Soup
Cook the following ingredients until tender, but not browned:
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup carrots
1/4 cup green pepper
1/4 cup onion
1/4 cup melted butter
Blend in 8 Tablespoons flour
Gradually stir in:
1.5 cups chicken broth (broth ratio as if 3 cups of broth)
2 cups half and half
Stir until thickened (may thicken to liking using flour or corn starch.)
Add:
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 oz. jar of cheddar cheese spread
Stir until cheese is melted.
Add:
1 to 2 Tablespoons chopped pimento
8 to 12 ounces light beer
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat to serving temperature.
Serve with garlic croutons or popped corn.
Potato Bacon Soup
From: Chuck Mottl
4 potatoes
3 Tablespoons diced green onion
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. dillweed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup shredded cheese
3 Tablespoons diced green onion
4 slices cooked, chopped bacon
8 potatoes boiled and chunked
Wash and dry potatoes. Bake 4 potatoes at 425 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes or until tender. Cool. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; gently scoop out each potato. Discard potato skins.
In a large saucepan cook 3 T green onion in butter until tender; stir in flour, dill, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Add potato pulp, shredded cheese, bacon, boiled and chunked potatoes and 3 T green onion; stir till cheese melts.
Cake and Almond Frosting
CAKE (with my secret ingredient)
Mix any flavor cake mix according to the directions on the package. Add 1/3 cup miracle whip to mix. Before putting cake in the oven, be sure to remove bubbles by running a utensil through the cake mix.
ALMOND FROSTING
Beat: 1/8 cup dry dream whip
1 1/2 cups Crisco shortening
1 teaspoon almond extract
Add and continue to beat: 1/4 cup flour
Add and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy:
2 lb. bag of powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
Special K Bars
Combine and boil for 1 minute:
1 c. sugar and 1 c. corn syrup
Add and mix:
2 t. vanilla and 1 ½ c. peanut butter
Add and mix:
8 c. Special K
Spread into a greased 9 x 13″ pan.
Frosting: Melt 6 oz. Butterscotch chips and 6 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cheesecake
From: J.P. Barone
6 eggs
19 ounces cream cheese
16 ounces sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 crushed graham crackers
Butter bottom and sides of a ten inch spring form pan.
Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on bottom.
Separate eggs, beat egg whites until stiff.
Mix all other ingredients with egg yolks; fold in egg whites.
Pour into spring form pan.
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour.
Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in the oven for an additional hour.
Chocolate Cherry Cake and Fruit Coffee Cake
In a 9 x 13 pan mix the following with a fork until moistened:
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 dry chocolate cake mix
Spoon 1 can of cherry pie filling on top the cake and swirl.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30-35 minutes.
FUDGE FROSTING:
Bring the following to a full boil and boil for 1 to 2 minutes:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
Remove from heat and add:
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Stir frosting until smooth and thickened. You may cool it quickly by placing the pan of frosting in a sink of cold water.
Place frosting on cake.
FRUIT COFFEE CAKE
A variation on this cake is to use a yellow cake mix with your favorite pie filling flavor. Instead of frosting the cake, sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the cooled cake. This makes an excellent coffee cake with few dishes and not a lot of work.
Chocolate and Caramel Bars
1 package chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 package (14 ounces) vanilla caramels
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Combine caramels and 1/3 of evaporated milk and melt in a saucepan while the following is baking.
Combine cake mix, melted butter and 1’/3 cup of evaporated milk in a bowl. Layer half of this mixture on the bottom of a greased and floured 13×9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.
Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over the baked layer and drizzle with the caramel mixture. Top with the remaining cake mixture, spreading it evenly. Bake for an additional 15 to 18 minutes, or until the top looks dry.
Fudge
(Makes 3 pounds)
3/4 cup butter
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
Mix and bring to full boil (5 min) at 234 degrees.
Remove from heat.
Stir in 12 oz. chocolate chips.
Add 7 oz. Jar marshmallow creme and 1 t. vanilla.
Pour into a 9 x 13 inch greased pan.
Tortellini
In a saucepan:
1 cup half and half
1 cup and 2 T. butter
Heat on low/medium heat until butter is melted.
In separate saucepan, cook frozen tortellini according to package directions
Add cooked tortellini to half and half/butter mixture.
Add an additional 1 cup of half and half
Add 3 to 3 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
Reheating must be done over low heat in a saucepan (add a small amount of half and half or milk). DO NOT MICROWAVE.
Proportions:
1/3 c. half and half; 3 T butter; 1/2 c. parmesan
Eggs/Cheese/Chilies Appetizer
From: Judy Hayes
3 eggs, slightly beaten
Dash of salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon flour
1 small can mild green chilies, chopped and peeled
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups grated colby cheese
1/4 cup milk
Stir above ingredients together. Spread into a 9″ X 13″ greased or sprayed pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Note: 4 cups of cojack cheese may be substituted for the monterey jack and colby cheeses.
More Photos!
For even more pictures of Victoria in action, go to our media gallery. If you are from the media and would like higher resolution photos, please contact Kathleen.
