Small in stature, with a gigantic heart, and a personality of great contrasts, in 1998, just days away from turning 18, Karina Monegro left behind the security of her father's support to immigrate to New York.

Having studied as a stylist in San Francisco de Macorís, once in New York, Karina applies for a job at the renowned salon, Fantasy Hair & Spa, where, due to her young age and lack of experience, she is received with little enthusiasm.  

Tenacious, and determined to seek financial stability that would allow her to stop seeing her mother suffer, Karina persuades the then owner and founder of Fantasy, Eugenia Delgado (Luz), to give her the opportunity to demonstrate her ability.  

The latter having asked her what she knew how to do, Karina gathered her courage and argued that she was capable of doing “everything.”  From that moment on, the adult of new years, lacking support, and vulnerable almost by definition, becomes the protector and provider of her mother and siblings and sets out to make her way no matter what.

Karina learned the Fantasy methodology and system while working tenaciously to gain the trust of colleagues and clients, quickly gaining a clientele that followed her faithfully during a tenure of almost ten years.

After overcoming great challenges, feeling firm in her experience, and having become the mother of a beautiful daughter, Karina explores multiple options to renegotiate the demands of being a stylist and the need to be an active and present mother in her daughter's life.  That effort includes opening her own salon in the Bronx, briefly working in Albany, and freelancing in the state of Texas until recently launching Marcy-K Salon in Arlington.

The Marcy-K is a giant step towards the realization of a dream as Karina longs to establish a multi-service lounge bar, offering snacks and childcare.

What things make Karina vibrate with emotion? – Achieve your goals and see your daughter happy.

Who is the person that Karina admires the most? – To his mother.  Karina, the adult girl who gave up her younger years to dedicate them to her mother and siblings, finds in her mother the heroic pattern that constitutes the DNA of her own tenacity.  

Karina reports great passion and commitment to beauty work.  His fighting attitude, tenacity, and experience will be invaluable to the next evolution of the industry. We are proud that Karina has taken a leadership position in founding The International Alliance of Dominican Beauticians, Inc..