Danielle Smith

Who is Danielle Smith?

Danielle Molles Smith is one of five martial artists who developed the women's self-defense system known as "Model Mugging" and is the current head teacher dojo cho of Aikido of Monterey in California."

She has trained in Aikido since 1973 in the United States and Japan and was awarded the rank of rokudan in 2006. She has also studied T'ai chi ch'uan, is a sandan in Hakko Ryu Jujutsu, a yondan in Seibukan Jujutsu and a shodan in Iaido. Smith is also a certified Pilates instructor.

The "Model Mugging" program was founded by Matt Thomas and later developed by Danielle Smith along with Julio Toribio, Sheryl Doran and Mark Morrison. In addition to teaching how to be effective physically in dealing with violent attacks, Smith introduced psychological growth and change as a means of breaking the "victim cycle" of abuse.

In 2002 she was elected president of the California Aikido Association, a position she held until 2010.