Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Clara Mercedes Milander Rodriguez (known as Clarita) emigrated to New York, United States at the age of 17 where, supported by her father, she pursued the dream of dancing professionally (as she previously did in her homeland ) auditioning for Broadway plays. 

While eagerly awaiting her chance to dance on Broadway, she made the decision to take on a position as a stylist; which he did almost reflexively since he began this profession in his homeland at the age of 13; time when he learned under the tutelage of his sister, Sara, who also practices the profession.

In her more than 34 years of work history, Clarita has always worked in the field of beauty – something not surprising since in addition to Sara (her sister), Clarita's lineage includes two hairdresser aunts, a barber grandfather, a grandmother who made and sold homemade curling iron, and her second daughter who also has the same career as her mother. 

The owner of Dominican Hair Salon I and Dominican Hair Salon II in Hartford, Connecticut, Clarita reports having worked at a couple of salons in New York City and spending the longest and most significant stay at the renowned salon, Fantasy Hair & Spa where its founder and former owner, Eugenia Delgado (Luz), routinely entrusted her with the responsibility of handling any personnel, customer service, or financial matters that might arise in her absence.

Clarita fondly remembers having accompanied Luz to multiple beauty conferences where they both learned about the latest advances in products, techniques and hairstyles to stay up to date with the pulse of the industry.  As a result of those efforts, they both participated in a hairstyle contest, winning first prize with a hairstyle inspired by the Halloween party – between their experience at Fantasy and having heard a pastor tell the story of how the idea of Establishing the Home Depot business, Clarita says she has never stopped thinking about how to stay up to date, generate ideas, and take the risks necessary to increase the performance of her businesses. 

Clarita values ​​collaboration and access to the resources necessary to strengthen its businesses and advance a global agenda to continually improve all aspects of the industry.  Her participation as a member of the Spanish American Merchants Association (SAMA) has shown her that more is achieved by joining forces than by trying to cover all the bases alone.  This is the reason why he assumes a position of leadership in founding, The International Alliance of Dominican Beauticians, Inc. (The International Alliance of Dominican Hairdressers, Inc.).

Having given birth to her first daughter at the age of 15, she recognizes that being a teenage mother brought unique challenges whose consequences she would have liked to avoid for her three children.  However, with characteristic optimism, he also knows that he greatly overcame the limitations of his young age by dedicating himself fully to creating the conditions that allowed his children to prosper.

Who, for a woman as dynamic as that, could be her hero? – Her mother, since Clarita tells us that she taught her not to sit down and cry because of what goes wrong; Quite the opposite, he had to always try the improbable and master the impossible to not only get ahead but climb higher and higher.

What would Sara say about Clarita if she had to describe her? –  The same thing that Clarita would say about herself, that she is a tenacious, determined, risk-taking, and brave woman.