Brittany Galla has always been interested in magazines — and has made her career in journalism in the magazine industry. After graduating from Southern in 2008 with a B.S. in journalism, Galla went on to work for Us Weekly, M Magazine and Parade.com. She is now the editor in chief of Krazy Coupon Lady publications. As a student, she earned top academic honors such as the Robin Marshall Glassman Outstanding Journalism Graduate award and Henry Barnard Distinguished Student award, and served as the managing editor of the Southern News.
Interview by Destene Savariau, SCSU JRN ‘24. Answers were condensed and edited in 2023.
How have your journalism skills helped you move into the entertainment industry?
I was able to take my passion for magazines, entertainment and reporting and bring it to my own career. Magazines always spoke to me and I loved that. It made me want to find that reader and find that audience, for myself and for my own career.
You have to be a good interviewer, a good writer, a good editor, and you have to be creative to form the story. It’s all related.
Can you describe your job for the Krazy Coupon Lady?
I’m currently editor in chief of the Krazy Coupon Lady. I am in charge of all the content, making sure that it is as dialed in as it needs to be, and that we are serving our reader. So every day, it’s juggling writing, editing, assignment, and general company messaging.
How did Southern prepare you for the magazine industry?
I think so much of what I learned at Southern still carries over to my career, even now.
Southern prepared me by giving me the tools and the expertise to be comfortable in any environment. From Professor (Frank) Harris’ famous red pen, to Professor (Cindy) Simoneau asking us to write practice stories in two minutes, it prepared me for the fast pace of journalism and knowing exactly what was expected of me.
I felt like I had very real life experiences and I wasn’t just learning from a textbook. I was actually real-life reporting, real-life editing, and real story planning. Southern News also prepared me for that.
What advice do you have for journalism students?
My best advice for students is to step outside of the box, in terms of going after an internship that scares you, or emailing the person that scares you for an informational interview. Think about the dream job that you want in journalism. Take advantage of those offered to you and also just lean on your adviser along the way. Your adviser is there to help you and guide you into this career path. The more you communicate with your adviser and your professors, the more set up you’ll be for this field.