13 things about Miss Universe Albania 2019 Cindy Marina

Cindy Nikolli Marina is an Albanian-American television presenter, model and beauty queen. Both of her parents are originally from Shkodër, Albania.

Marina is a former volleyball player. Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States to Albanian parents Ardian Marina and Kristina Marina, Cindy was named after Cindy Crawford, who was born in DeKalb, Illinois on February 20, 1966.

Ardian played collegiate football in Albania while Kristina was a professional volleyball player in Albania and Italy. They moved from Albania to Italy in 1991 then to the U.S. in 1998.

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BIOGRAPHY

Cindy’s older brother Angelo Marina was born on May 8, 1993. Their younger brother Brandon Marina was born on January 19, 2004.

After graduating from Great Oak High School in Temecula, California, USA, Cindy went to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, USA and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. In 2005, she and her family moved from Chicago to Temecula.
2. In 2012, she started modeling professionally and her first modeling job was for Ema Savahl, a brand designed by Ema Koja, who is based in Miami, Florida, USA.
3. In 2015, she joined the women’s national volleyball team of Albania and became the youngest person to ever play for the team.
4. In 2016, she graduated from Great Oak High School.
5. From 2017 to 2018, she attended Duke University.
6. From 2017 to 2020, she attended the University of Southern California.
7. During the 2018 Women’s European Volleyball League, she lead Albania’s women’s national volleyball team to a third-place finish in the Silver League in Hungary.
8. After winning Miss Universe Albania 2019, she became a Miss Universe 2019 finalist.
9. From 2021 to 2022, she co-hosted the English speaking format on AC Milan Twitch Channel called AC Milan Worldwide Fans.
10. In 2022, she was “Dance Albania” Season 7 first runner-up.
11. In 2023, she visited France and Italy.
12. In 2024, she visited Spain and Greece.
13. On July 18, 2024, she turned 26.

TIMELINE

Cindy is 5’11” tall. She is the first Miss Universe Albania titleholder born in the U.S. and the second Miss Universe Albania titleholder not born in Albania following Agnesa Vuthaj, who was born in Kosovo and crowned in 2005.

2019

• On June 7, 2019, she competed against 19 other Miss Universe Albania 2019 candidates at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana, Albania and won the title.
• On October 26, 2019, she attended the UNICEF Masquerade Ball at Kimpton La Peer Hotel in West Hollywood, California.

2020

• In August 2020, she graduated from the University of Southern California with a diploma in international relations with a focus in global business.
• On September 18, 2020, she crowned her successor Miss Universe Albania 2020 Paula Mehmetukaj.

2021

• In August 2021, she became the official presenter for Serie A football matches broadcast in Albania and Kosovo.

2022

• In December 2022, she was runner-up to Adelina Tahiri in the finale of “Dance Albania” Season 7 on TV Klan.

2023

• In February 2023, she attended the Milan Fashion Week in Milan, Italy.
• In November 2023, she traveled to Paris, France.

2024

• In February 2024, Genar Topalli proposed to her during their vacation in Portofino, Liguria, Italy and she said yes.
• In May 2024, she went to Tirana to help welcome Sheynnis Palacios, the first ever Miss Universe to ever visit Albania.
• In June 2024, she traveled to Madrid, Spain.
• In July 2024, she traveled to Lefkada, Greece.

2025

• In February 2025, she traveled to Saint Barthélemy, France.