He sits on the board of directors for Lady Gaga's charitable organization, Born This Way Foundation. He worked as an Internet entrepreneur, starting and ultimately owning a company that installs WiFi in hotel chains.

Her father is of Italian descent; and her mother, who is from West Virginia, is of half Italian and half French, English, German, and Scottish ancestry.

Joanne Trattoria, an Italian restaurant located at West 68th Street in New York City, was opened in January 2012 by Gaga. The restaurant is co-owned by Gaga's parents, Joe and Cynthia Germanotta.

Lady Gaga is of Italian (her paternal grandfather was from Naso, in the province of Messina and he came up to the United States on 1908) and French Canadian ancestry. She learned to play piano at the age of four. She wrote her first piano song at 13. She started performing live by age 14.