Victoria Herring was born November 25, 1947, in Des Moines, Iowa. She earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1970, and a law degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1976.

Herring worked as an associate at Austin and Gaudineer (1976-1979) before becoming an Assistant Attorney General for the state of Iowa, where she litigated on behalf of the Civil Rights Commission (1979-1983). Herring then entered private practice as the principal of Herring Law Firm, where she focused on civil rights and employment law. Herring served on the Grievance Commission for the Supreme Court of Iowa from 1993 to 1999 and also chaired that court’s commission on rules of civil procedure. Herring chaired the American Association for Justice’s employment rights section from 2007-2008.

Herring played a significant role in various Iowa women’s organizations, including co-founding the Polk County Women Attorneys (for which she served as president from 1977 to 1979) and the Consortium, a women leaders' business group (founded 1977). Herring chaired the Iowa Women’s Political Caucus from 1995-1997 and co-chaired the Iowa ERA Coalition (1978-1980). She has also served as chair of the Iowa Democratic Party State Platform Committee. She currently serves on the Beloit College Alumni Board and the Board of Trustees of Des Moines University.

Prior to retiring from her career as an attorney, Herring developed her practice as a photographer. In 2005, she founded JourneyZing, a fine art photographraphy business inspired by her trips in the U.S. and overseas. From 2015-2022 she was a founding partner and manager of Artisan Gallery 218 in West Des Moines. Her photographic work has been shown and awarded at a variety of art festivals and competitions.