Dagne became a Bold Futures mentor with Girls Inc. of Santa Fe this past Fall. In 2017, Dagne relocated to Santa Fe after retiring from working in the cosmetics industry in New York City for nearly 40 years.
It was while working as a camp counselor during college that Dagne first discovered she really enjoyed working with children.
“I always knew that I wanted to work with children again when I retired,” Dagne said. “I approached Girls Inc. because I was very impressed by their belief in girls’ rights and abilities and their hands-on programs.”
Dagne said she feels very blessed to have had a long career in a field she loved and hopes her mentorship will inspire the girls she works with to go after their dreams.
“(My career) afforded me the opportunity to travel extensively and meet fascinating, creative people who were at the top of their fields,” Dagne said. “I had always loved makeup but knew nothing about the actual business of producing it. I started at the bottom, learning as I went along. I hope to help empower the girls that I work with to secure interesting work and gain economic independence as I did.”
While Dagne didn’t have someone in her life to fill the mentor role, she recognizes that it would’ve helped her a lot if she did.
“Looking back, having a trusted, adult person who shared experiences and offered encouragement and guidance, especially at challenging times, would have been so welcome,” Dagne said.
When asked about the most enjoyable part of mentoring Girls Inc. girls, Dagne said she loves their energy – both physical and emotional – as well as their humor and honesty.
“They help keep me in touch with the child within me,” Dagne said. “My hope is to inspire the girls whose lives I touch to dream big and make healthy decisions every day so that they’ll have choices in life. I plan to lead by example, with kindness and patience, and to promote determination, curiosity, and creative thinking.”