Cynthia Germanotta said it was important to give her daughters support to pursue their interests and told the crowd at Orange County United Way’s annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday that she knew the difference between their hobbies and their passions.
Perhaps it helped that her older daughter Stefani’s passions, especially for performance, were rather clear.
“I knew what she was going to be,” said Germanotta, whose daughter is known to most as Lady Gaga.
Orange County United Way brought together mothers of an entrepreneur, an Olympian and, yes, one of the biggest music stars in the world for a discussion about the roles mothers and mentors play. They were interviewed by author and dynamic speaker Scharrell Jackson.
Germanotta was joined by poet Heshmat Behzadi, whose daughter Shirin Behzadi is a business leader and philanthropist, and Stanford Health Care senior vice president Helen Wilmot, whose daughter Tierna Davidson was part of the U.S. Olympic gold medal soccer team in 2024.
Behzadi discussed her decision to send her daughter to the U.S. from Iran as a child to give her opportunities to flourish in a safe environment and shared advice she’d give her younger self: “Don’t be shy,” she said. “Speak up.”
Wilmot talked about the challenges of raising an elite athlete while advancing in her career in the medical field — “I lived on Outlook,” she said — and said she’s been impressed by her daughter’s advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community.
Germanotta’s daughter, of course, is a strong advocate for many, and they co-founded the Born This Way Foundation. Among the foundation’s priorities is helping young people with their mental health challenges.
“A lot of that didn’t happen until she gained a voice, so to speak, and a platform,” Germanotta said.
Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast Co-chair Dawn Behnke welcomes guests and makes introductions during the annual event at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast Co-chair Haunani Nakabara welcomes guests and makes introductions during the annual event at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Orange County United Way President and CEO Sue Parks thanks guests for attending the annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Moderator Scharrell Jackson and panel members Heshmat Behzadi, Poet and mother of entrepreneur Shirin Behzadi, Helen Wilmot, Senior Vice President of Stanford Health Care and mother of Olympic soccer player Tierna Davidson, and Cynthia Germanotta, President and Co-founder of Born This Way Foundation and mother of famous singer Lady Gaga, from left, speak during the panel portion of the annual Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Heshmat Behzadi, Poet and mother of entrepreneur Shirin Behzadi, speaks during the panel portion of the annual Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Scharrell Jackson, Keynote Speaker, Global Executive Coach and Author, encourages generosity while speaking during the annual Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Helen Wilmot, Senior Vice President of Stanford Health Care and mother of Olympic soccer player Tierna Davidson, speaks during the panel portion of the annual Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Scharrell Jackson, Keynote Speaker, Global Executive Coach and Author, encourages generosity while speaking during the annual Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Orange County United Way President and CEO Sue Parks thanks guests for attending the annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Cynthia Germanotta, President and Co-founder of Born This Way Foundation and mother of famous singer Lady Gaga, speaks during the panel portion of the annual Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Orange County United Way President and CEO Sue Parks, center, poses for a photo with other women before the start of the annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Scharrell Jackson, Keynote Speaker, Global Executive Coach and Author, encourages generosity while speaking during the annual Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Tara Balfour, the head of U.S. Commercial Banking Credit at BMO, the event’s lead sponsor, makes the introductory remarks during the annual Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Show Caption1 of 13Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast Co-chair Dawn Behnke welcomes guests and makes introductions during the annual event at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) ExpandRelated Articles
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