Cynthia Germanotta

{{Infobox person

| name = Cynthia Germanotta

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Cynthia Louise Bissett

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|08|30}}

| birth_place = Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S.

| occupation = {{hlist|Philanthropist|activist|entrepreneur}}

| spouse = Joseph Germanotta

| children = 2, including Lady Gaga

| education = West Virginia University
George Washington University (MPA)

}}

Cynthia Louise Germanotta (née Bissett; born August 30, 1954) is an American philanthropist, activist and entrepreneur. She is the president of the Born This Way Foundation, which she co-founded with her daughter, the singer Lady Gaga, in 2012.{{Cite web|title=The president of the Born This Way Foundation urges tech executives to sign a pledge to end online harassment|url=https://www.vox.com/2016/6/1/11824834/lady-gaga-online-harassment-born-this-way-foundation-cynthia-germanotta|last=Bhuiyan|first=Johana|date=June 1, 2016|website=Vox|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Cynthia Germanotta|url=https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/cynthia-germanotta|date=January 19, 2016|website=United States Chamber of Commerce Foundation|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2020}}

Early life, education, and career

Germanotta was born Cynthia Louise Bissett on August 30, 1954, in Wheeling, West Virginia, where she was also raised.{{Cite book |last=Bios |first=Fame Life |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZxZgEAAAQBAJ |title=Lady Gaga A Short Unauthorized Biography |date=2022-02-18 |publisher=Fame Life Bios |isbn=978-1-63497-593-3 |language=en}} Her parents were Paul Douglas Bissett (April 7, 1926 – March 31, 2013), a State Farm insurance agent who sang with the McMechen Men's Chorus and the McMechen Methodist Choir, and Veronica Rose Ferrie (February 2, 1928 - December 12, 2022). 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.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/lady-gagas-universe-11001/|title=A Guide to Lady Gaga's Universe|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=May 25, 2011}}

Germanotta graduated from 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.{{Cite web|url=https://westvirginiaville.com/2020/12/characters-the-west-virginia-brain-drain-made-one-of-the-worlds-greatest-popstars/|title=CHARACTERS: The West Virginia brain drain made one of the world's greatest popstars ||date=December 18, 2020}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://bornthisway.foundation/about-the-foundation/|title=About the Foundation - Born This Way Foundation|access-date=May 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609203147/https://bornthisway.foundation/about-the-foundation/|archive-date=June 9, 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.oprahmag.com/author/222709/Cynthia-Germanotta/|title=Cynthia Germanotta|first=Cynthia|last=Germanotta|website=Oprah Magazine}} Germanotta was honored by Boston PFLAG and by Dancing Classrooms for her advocacy regarding youth mental health.{{better source|date=January 2020}}

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.{{better source|date=January 2020}}

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.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8477134/lady-gaga-mom-cynthia-germanotta-speaks-at-unga|title=Lady Gaga's Mom Cynthia Germanotta Addresses UN, Stresses the Importance of Mental Health Resources|magazine=Billboard|date=September 26, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://941thesoundseattle.radio.com/blogs/michael-cerio/lady-gagas-mom-speaks-un-about-mental-health|title=Lady Gaga's Mom Speaks At The UN About Mental Health|date=September 27, 2018|website=94.1 The Sound Seattle}} 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.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8512440/lady-gaga-mom-cynthia-germanotta-goodwill-ambassador-who|title=Lady Gaga's Mom Cynthia Germanotta Named Goodwill Ambassador for the UN's World Health Organization|magazine=Billboard|date=May 20, 2019}}

Personal life

Germanotta is married to Joseph Germanotta, an internet entrepreneur and restaurateur.{{Cite web|date=28 February 2020|title=Lady Gaga's father cites homelessness for his bar's woes|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/lady-gagas-dad-blames-cites-homelessness-bars-woes-69288780|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-23|website=ABC News|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229150200/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/lady-gagas-dad-blames-cites-homelessness-bars-woes-69288780 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 }} The couple have two daughters, Stefani (Lady Gaga) (born 1986) and Natali (born 1992).{{cite web|url=https://www.aol.com/article/entertainment/2018/11/22/lady-gagas-mom-opens-up-about-their-thanksgiving-plans/23596253/|title=Lady Gaga's mom opens up about Thanksgiving plans|website=AOL.com|date=November 22, 2018 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.instyle.com/news/lady-gaga-mom-cynthia-germanotta-motherhood-interview|title=Lady Gaga's Mom on Her Daughter's Mental Health Struggles|website=InStyle.com}} Germanotta is Catholic and is a parishioner at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in New York City.{{cite web|url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/rhony-what-is-dorinda-medleys-connection-to-lady-gaga.html/|title='RHONY:' What Is Dorinda Medley's Connection to Lady Gaga?|first1=Gina|last1=Ragusa|date=April 21, 2019}} In 2017, she appeared in the documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7965926/lady-gaga-five-foot-two-netflix-documentary-things-learned|title=11 Things We Learned in Lady Gaga's 'Five Foot Two' Netflix Documentary|magazine=Billboard|date=September 22, 2017}}