COAF Board Member and Acclaimed Actor Joe Manganiello Takes Pilgrimage to Armenia

After touring Yerevan’s Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, Manganiello planted a tree at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial complex in honor of Terviz and Sirapri, not only to commemorate his great-grandmother and grandmother as victims and survivors but also to symbolize life, renewal, and the enduring human spirit.

Among the trip’s highlights was a visit to the state-of-the-art COAF Smart Center in the Lori region of Armenia. At one of COAF’s Child and Family Centers in Armavir, Manganiello joined children in a finger-painting activity and learned about the many services provided to rural families. He attended dinner at Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan’s private residence, and met with Zareh Sinanyan, High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs.

Manganiello, who is an Emmy winning voice actor, holds a BFA in acting from Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. He can most recently be seen as the host of NBC’s brand-new hit series “Deal or No Deal Island,” which was just renewed for a second season.

Last year, he starred opposite Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson in the feature film “The Kill Room,” and he is currently putting the finishing touches on the “Official 50 Year History of Dungeons & Dragons” documentary series he directed and produced for eOne and Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro.

As an actor, Manganiello is probably best known for his roles as the werewolf Alcide Herveaux on HBO’s “True Blood,” as Big Dick Richie in Steven Soderbergh’s “Magic Mike” and “Magic Mike XXL,” as Pee Wee Herman’s best friend in “Pee Wee’s Big Holiday,” and as super-villain “Deathstroke” in Zack Snyder’s “Justice League.” He occasionally returns to his roots on stage, the last time being a Yale Repertory production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” in which he played Stanley Kowalski. He will next be seen opposite Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, and Lorraine Bracco in the comedy film “Nonnas,” set to be released later this year.

He financed, produced & directed the award-winning documentary “La Bare,” and produced “Bottom of the 9^th,” “Shoplifters of the World” and “Archenemy.”