Danialle Karmanos

Philanthropist & Founder
Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out

Danialle Karmanos is the founder of the Detroit‐based Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out (DKWIO), a 501(c )(3) organization that uses a holistic and yoga‐based approach to fight childhood obesity in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.
She is also a philanthropist and community activist who serves on a number of non‐profit boards, as well as an awardwinning writer, producer and director.

Danialle founded Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out in 2005 to empower kids with the tools to make healthy choices. Since its inception, DKWIO has helped nearly 2,000 children build foundations for lifelong wellness.

In 2007, Crain’s Detroit Business magazine named Danialle to its “40 Under 40” list of young achievers. Danialle and her husband, Peter Karmanos, Jr., have given their time to many of metro Detroit’s most successful events, including AutoGlow!, which raised nearly $1 million in 2007 to support local work with troubled children.

In 2008, Danialle was appointed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council. Danialle is also a founding member, board member and past chair of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit – MOCAD – the critically acclaimed venue in Midtown Detroit. She serves on the board of the Michigan Opera Theatre and as a trustee for the Parade Company, the non‐profit organization responsible for America’s Thanksgiving Parade and numerous other family‐oriented events in metropolitan Detroit. She is also a member of the College for Creative Studies Board of Directors and the annual dinner committee for the Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Danialle began working in her dad’s pizzeria at age 14 and started her professional career at 19 with a sports internship at WDIV‐TV. At 21, Danialle wrote and produced daily newscasts and feature presentations for the international Chrysler Employee Network. Danialle has been featured on both television and in print as a model and talent, and also worked as an auto‐show narrator.

While working full‐time and earning a degree with honors from Detroit’s Wayne State University, Danialle volunteered as a lead group facilitator at Maplegrove Community Education, supporting the children of addicts. An avid athlete and amateur photographer, Danialle lives in metropolitan Detroit with her husband, the chairman and CEO of Compuware Corporation, and their two sons.

Danialle Karmanos will share her journey from news junkie to charity founder. How one idea became a groundbreak- ing concept to battle the epidemic of childhood obesity and enrich the lives of thousands of children.