Dam Krystine Sinaga was born in Ujung Pandang (Makassar), Indonesia. She was the
youngest in the family of two boys and two girls. Ever since Dam was a young child, her family
instilled in her the values and principles that she holds dear to her heart. She has always valued
our Indonesian culture and traditions in high esteem. Dam and her family immigrated to the
United States in the early 1990’s and settled in Southern California.
Dam was very entrepreneurial as a child, and liked to make money. She demonstrated
that she was a very keen and entrepreneurial person when should would always sell the most
candies, chocolates, magazines and other items whenever her school had a fundraiser. Dam also
remembered whenever close friends and family members had weddings, birthdays, or special
occasions, they would go see a hair or beauty stylist, and afterward would be very happy that
they looked the best that they could. As a child, Dam wanted to combine the two things she
liked most, business and beauty, and hoped one day to own her own business in the beauty
industry as a hair stylist.
Dam’s family wanted to make sure that she would have a career in which she could
support herself, and so not wanting to disappoint her family and loved ones, she went to school
and entered into the nursing field. Dam obtained her license as a psychiatric technician and
worked with developmentally disabled people, striving to make a difference in their lives.
Throughout this time period, Dam worked with many patients who touched her heart in
indescribable ways. Dam always aimed to have the same impact with patients she worked with.
After five years in the psychiatric nursing field, Dam was ready for a new challenge.
She wanted to pursue her dream of owning and running a business in the beauty industry. The
transition from the nursing field to the beauty industry proved to be difficult for Dam at first.
She was concerned about how her life-long dream of working as a hair stylist would potentially
conflict with her family’s desire that she pursue a more “stable career” in the nursing industry.
Dam’s prior experience in the medical field provided her with an opportunity to tap into
the beauty industry. Currently, Dam works PR for a company in the medical aesthetics field.
She also currently works part time as an interpreter . She found her
jobs to be very fulfilling and as taking the steps to fulfill her dream. She hopes to continue her
education in the beauty industry and hope to open a business one day.
In 2009, Dam returned to her home country to celebrate her graduation from Beauty
College. Returning back home turned out to be both a very touching yet also humbling
experience. She was proud of her country and the rich cultural and traditional heritage that
she observed daily, but was also saddened by the fact that despite how rich Indonesia was with
regards to natural resources and beauty, there was far too much poverty. Having seen this
poverty in her home country, Dam was inspired to make whatever difference she could make
to help those around her. Dam became active in promoting the work of Adventist Relief and
Development Agency (www.adraindonesia.org) for their numerous projects in Indonesia in
helping people and providing poverty relief.
The desire to help those around her has always stayed close with Dam throughout her
life. Whether it involved family, her medical career, or her aspirations in the beauty industry,
Dam has always aimed to make those around her better.
It is without question, a tremendous honor for Dam to represent her home country
of Indonesia. Dam lives by her motto of the three F’s. Faith, Familiy, and Friends.