Director of Fondation USJ

Cynthia-Maria Ghobril Andrea has served as Director of Fondation USJ since July 2020. In this role, she leads the Fondation’s fundraising and philanthropic engagement strategy, working to advance the development and international visibility of USJ while fostering a strong culture of philanthropy within its global community.

A seasoned communications professional with more than 25 years of leadership experience, she previously founded and directed the University’s Publications and Communications Office from 1995 to 2020. Over the course of her tenure, she built and led a multidisciplinary team responsible for institutional communications, media relations, digital platforms, graphic design, and social media. Under her leadership, the office played a central role in shaping the University’s public presence and supporting its major institutional and branding initiatives.

Cynthia holds a Certificate of Proficiency in Professional Mediation Practice from the Institute of Training in Mediation and Negotiation (IFOMENE) and the Professional Mediation Center (CPM) at USJ. She also earned an MBA in Business Administration through a joint program of IAE Paris-Sorbonne, Université Paris Dauphine, and USJ, as well as a Master in Sociology and Public Relations from the Faculty of Humanities (FLSH) at USJ.

She further completed a Professional Diploma in Communication at CELSA, Paris-Sorbonne University. Since 2002, she has been a member of the Association des responsables de communication de l’enseignement supérieur (ARCES), and in 2009 she joined the Association of Higher Education Communicators in Europe (EUPRIO). Through these networks, she actively participates in professional seminars, masterclasses, and collaborative initiatives across Europe. Since 2020, she has also pursued specialized training in fundraising and philanthropy and is a member of both the Association of Fundraising Professionals. (AFF) and the CASE Institute.

In recognition of her contributions to higher education and institutional communication, Cynthia-Maria Ghobril Andrea was awarded the distinction of Knight of the Order of Academic Palms by the French Republic in 2011.