Dayana Mendoza

Mendoza was once kidnapped in Venezuela, and stated that its psychological trauma taught her to remain poised under pressure. In 2001, she signed with Elite Model Management after being Top 15 semifinalist at the Elite Model Look International 2001 held in Nice, France. She has worked with the companies Max Mara and Costume National, where she modeled in New York City, Italy, Germany, France, Greece, and Spain for Versace, Roberto Cavalli and other fashion designers over eight years. She speaks Spanish, English, and Italian fluently.

On March 27, 2009, Mendoza documented a visit to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp on her Internet blog. In it, she was quoted as saying, "[Guantanamo] was such a relaxing place, so calm and beautiful". She also stated that when she visited the detainees camps, "...we saw the jails, where they shower, how they entertain themselves with movies, art classes, books. It was very interesting." In her home country, Venezuela, the issue became the talk of the town, with the president, Hugo Chávez, reconsidering the praise he had previously given her. The Miss Universe Organization has replied that "...[her] comments on her blog were in reference to the hospitality she received while meeting the members of the U.S. Military and their families who are stationed in Guantánamo". On April 1, 2009, the entry vanished from her blog.

In 2009, she starred in her first short film Sweet Misery. That year she was part of the group of animators of the Venevision morning show, Portadas. of Venevision, Portada's.

In 2010, she hosted Relaxed, a celebrity talk show broadcast on E! Entertainment, Latin America. That same year, she appeared in the music video Bla Bla Bla.,and accompanied Donald Trump to the island of Puerto Rico, where she recorded a golf program featuring the billionaire.

Mendoza was a contestant in the 2012 season of the NBC reality competition series The Celebrity Apprentice. In episode 3, "How Much is That Celebrity in the Window?", she was the winning project manager of her team on a task to create two themed living window displays for Ivanka Trump's clothing and accessory line, winning $20,000 for her charity, the Latino Commission on AIDS. Mendoza notes in Episode 11, "Winning by a Nose" that she holds the record for being brought back to the final boardroom, having done so six times by that episode. She came in sixth place after being eliminated in the 12th episode, "Jingle All the Way Home" (her seventh time in the boardroom), in which she was project manager of the losing team on a task to create a jingle and presentation for Good Sam Club.

On June 3, 2012, Mendoza served as one of the panel of judges for the Miss USA 2012 competition.

In 2012, she denied the rumors, that she had an affair with magnate Donald Trump.

Dayana married businessman; Michael Pagano, on December 6, 2013. The wedding was celebrated in Altos de Chavón in the Dominican Republic. The celebration lasted three days. The former Miss Universe wore a beautiful outfit designed by the Venezuelan: Ángel Sánchez.

Subsequently, on June 7, 2015, Mendoza announced on his personal Instagram account that he was waiting for his sweet, first daughter.

On October 5, 2015; Dayana gave birth to Eva Mendoza Pagano in New York. She too used her Instagram account to announce the birth, where she attached the following: "Welcome my beloved princess! We love you so much, we will love you more every day and we will protect you forever.

In March 2015, she appears in a commercial for a drink, along with Miss Universe 2012; Olivia Culpo of the United States and Miss Universe 2014; Paulina Vega from Colombia. The filming took place on the island of Bali in Indonesia.

In September 2016, Mendoza separated from Michael Pagano officially, declaring in an interview that the separation was carried out on good terms.

On January 6, 2018, Mendoza returned to the Crown Convention Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam, where she was crowned Miss Universe 2008, as a judge on Miss Universe Vietnam 2017.

In 2018, she produced her first film titled Honey, which received good reviews. Honey was recognized by the Hollywood International Film Festival.

In 2019, she participated as the host of the Queen Beauty Universe.