Cynthia Germanotta
Cynthia Louise Germanotta is an American philanthropist, activist and entrepreneur. She is the president of the Born This Way Foundation, which she co-founded with her daughter, singer Lady Gaga, in 2012.
Early life, education, and career
Germanotta was born Cynthia Louise Bissett on August 30, 1954, in Wheeling, West Virginia, where she was also raised. Her parents were Paul Douglas Bissett, a State Farm insurance agent who sang with the McMechen Men's Chorus and the McMechen Methodist Choir, and Veronica Rose Ferrie. She is of Italian descent through her mother and Scottish, English and German descent through her father. She has an older brother, Paul, and a younger sister, Cheryl Ann.Germanotta graduated from John [Marshall High School (West Virginia)|John Marshall High School] in Glen Dale, West Virginia. She then attended West Virginia University and earned a master's degree in public administration from George Washington University. While at West Virginia University, Germanotta was a cheerleader and a member of Chi Omega.
Germanotta worked for Verizon as a telecommunications executive in sales and management.
Philanthropy and activism
In 2012, Germanotta and her daughter, Lady Gaga, co-founded the Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on inspiring youth, ending bullying, and building up communities. Germanotta was honored by Boston PFLAG and by Dancing Classrooms for her advocacy regarding youth mental health.Germanotta is an advocate for the Women's Council on Heart Health for the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute and serves on the board of the Empowerment Initiative at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She also served on the Ladies Auxiliary Committee of The Columbus Citizens Foundation, for which she received the Humanitarian Award in 2015. As of 2016, she serves as a member of the Board of Governors for the Parsons School of Design.
On June 10, 2018, Germanotta addressed the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of the Born This Way Foundation and launched the United for Global Mental Health initiative. On May 20, 2019, the United Nations' World Health Organization announced that Germanotta would be one of four new Goodwill Ambassadors, as the ambassador for mental health.