Cynthia Bissett Germanotta

President and Co-Founder, Born This Way Foundation

Cynthia Bissett Germanotta is President of Born This Way Foundation, which she co-founded with her daughter Lady Gaga in 2012. Under Cynthia’s leadership, the Foundation has connected with tens of thousands of young people across the country and around the world, launched innovative youth-focused programming, and conducted cutting edge research to improve the understanding of mental wellness. Cynthia is a former telecommunications executive whose career in sales and management spanned 25 years. In May 2019, the United Nations’ World Health Organization appointed Cynthia as a global Goodwill Ambassador for Mental Health. Cynthia was born and raised in West Virginia, earned her bachelor’s degree at West Virginia University and a master’s degree from The George Washington University. She now resides in New York City with her husband Joe Germanotta. Joe and Cynthia have two wonderful daughters, Natali and Stefani, and are owners of a charming NYC restaurant, Joanne Trattoria.