Katy Grace Coppola, a 2026 graduate of the Columbia University School of Professional Studies M.S. in Strategic Communication program, has spent nearly two decades serving in the United States Coast Guard. An active-duty lieutenant commander, Coppola’s career has centered on operational leadership and search and rescue, experiences that shaped how she thinks about communication, trust and service.
At SPS, Coppola connected that practical leadership experience with research, strategy and theory. Selected as Student Marshal for the M.S. in Strategic Communication program at commencement, she carried the program banner on behalf of her classmates, faculty and broader Columbia community.
Now beginning a new chapter in Washington, D.C., as the Coast Guard’s deputy of strategic communications, Coppola spoke with SPS about leadership, graduate study and the role of communication in moments when clarity and trust matter most.
Can you tell us about your background and your path to the M.S. in Strategic Communication program?
I’m an active-duty lieutenant commander in the United States Coast Guard, and I’ve served for nearly 20 years. Much of my career has centered on operational leadership and search and rescue, experiences that taught me how deeply communication, trust and service are connected.
I grew up in a small town in South Alabama. I used to say it was a one-red-light town, but they recently took our red light out and made it a four-way stop. That’s where I learned the importance of hard work, faith, community and caring for people well.
I joined the Coast Guard after graduating from the University of Alabama. Over time, I saw firsthand how communication can shape outcomes, particularly during high-pressure situations when people need information they can understand and trust.
I applied for the Coast Guard’s postgraduate program and was honored to be selected to pursue my third master’s degree. Columbia was a long-felt dream that I didn’t know would be possible. I came to Columbia with a lot of professional experience, but also with the humility to know there was still so much I could learn.
How has your experience in the Coast Guard shaped the way you think about leadership, service and communication?
The Coast Guard taught me that leadership is not primarily about authority; it is about responsibility.
People depend on you to remain steady, to make thoughtful decisions, and to communicate clearly, sometimes during the most difficult moments of their lives. My operational experience, particularly in search and rescue, taught me that communication is not an accessory to the mission. It is often central to the mission.
A delayed message, unclear instructions or a lack of trust can have very real consequences in the Coast Guard. Effective communication begins before a crisis. You have to build relationships, credibility and trust in advance.
I don’t think trust can be introduced for the first time during a crisis. That is how the Coast Guard shaped my view of leadership, service and communication, and Columbia fine-tuned that.
What drew you to strategic communication?
I was drawn to strategic communication because I wanted to better understand not just how to communicate, but how to communicate with purpose.
In the Coast Guard, I’m used to knowing a manual and knowing the information we are trained to use. But I wanted to become more disciplined about understanding audiences, using research to guide decisions and connecting communication efforts to meaningful outcomes.
After years of operational leadership, I understood the human side of communication. But I wanted the stronger academic and analytical tools I knew Columbia could provide. I hoped the program would help me become a more thoughtful strategist and a better leader, and I know that it did.
I did not want to simply produce more communication. I wanted to produce communication that was more intentional, useful and worthy of people’s trust.
How did the program challenge or shape you as a communicator and leader?
The program challenged me to slow down and ask better questions.
In operational environments, we are often trained to assess information quickly and act decisively. At Columbia, I had the opportunity to reinforce that strategic communication also requires listening, research, reflection and the willingness to examine our assumptions.
The program also made me more intentional about seeking out perspectives different from my own. Columbia brings together people from so many backgrounds, and it was a blessing to participate in that kind of learning environment. I learned that listening is not just a pause before delivering your message. It is part of developing the strategy itself.
Columbia gave me greater confidence in connecting communication recommendations to evidence. I would say Columbia helped me move from communicating instinctively to communicating intentionally.
Were there particular courses, faculty members, or experiences that had a meaningful impact on you?
There was not one class I took that was not worthwhile or did not provide meaning or value in more than one way.
I really appreciated the Research and Insights course. It strengthened my ability to ground communication decisions in evidence rather than assumptions. Crisis Communications reinforced something I had experienced operationally: that trust and relationships must be established before a crisis. Critical Conversations challenged me to listen more deeply and engage different perspectives.
I also have to give a shout-out to Dr. Kevin Visconti, who was especially meaningful to my experience. I don’t know what I was expecting when I went to Columbia, but I was not expecting to gain mentors, and I would even venture to say friends, among the faculty and staff.
The capstone was also the culmination of everything. It brought together the theories and practical lessons while allowing us to incorporate our experience and work with real-life clients. It required me to approach a complex, real-world issue through research, strategy, leadership and measurable outcomes.
What did it mean to be selected as Student Marshal and carry the Strategic Communication banner at commencement?
I was so humbled. I want to say I was shocked and surprised, but I worked hard while I was at Columbia, and it was such an honor.
The recognition reflected both academic achievement and meaningful contributions to the greater Columbia community, which made it especially significant to me. I did not look at it as an individual achievement. It was a privilege to represent the instructors, the hours spent, the coursework, my peers and the time outside the classroom in the library.
I also thought about my family and how I got there. I’m a mom of three, and my husband supported me in this goal while he was also on active duty in the Coast Guard and pursuing his MBA. I thought about my Alabama roots, my faith, my Coast Guard community and everyone who supported me.
It was a tremendous moment of gratitude and pride. It was a privilege to represent Strategic Communication and lead the program at commencement.
As you begin your next chapter in Washington, D.C., how do you hope to apply what you learned at SPS?
As the Coast Guard’s deputy of strategic communications, I have the opportunity to apply what I learned at Columbia at an enterprise level. The messaging we do reaches the entire Coast Guard.
Much of the Coast Guard’s work is highly technical and operational, but it is also our responsibility to translate complex priorities and senior leader decisions into clear, targeted communication that helps people understand what is happening, why it matters and how it affects them.
The work is about more than producing products. It requires us to listen to the fleet, listen to the public, anticipate questions, coordinate across the organization and ensure our communication supports transparency and strengthens trust.
Columbia prepared me to approach that responsibility with greater discipline: to begin with research, understand the audience, listen before recommending, anticipate risk and connect communication efforts to measurable outcomes.
What advice would you give to students, service members or professionals considering graduate study while balancing demanding careers?
My first piece of advice would be not to wait until life becomes less demanding. That perfect moment may never arrive. There are always going to be competing responsibilities. Instead, be honest with your priorities, build a strong support system and remain connected to why you began in the first place.
I would encourage students to enter graduate school with confidence in their own experiences and what they bring to the classroom. You are there as well, and you have a seat at the table. Come with that confidence, but also with humility about how much you can still learn.
Some of my greatest growth came from listening to classmates with backgrounds, experiences and perspectives very different from my own. Listening does not always mean agreeing, and learning from someone does not require you to abandon your values, convictions or beliefs. But it does mean being willing to understand how another person arrived at a different conclusion.
That ability to listen with curiosity while remaining grounded in who you are is essential to both leadership and strategic communication.
Finally, give yourself permission to ask for help. Balancing military service, leadership responsibilities, graduate study and family was not something I could accomplish alone. Perseverance matters, but so does community, grace, faith and the willingness to accept support.
You do not have to have an easy path for it to be a meaningful one. Enjoy the journey.
About the Program
Columbia University's M.S. in Strategic Communication program empowers current and aspiring leaders to shape the future through strategic communication. It is designed to respond to the urgent need for global perspectives, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making at all levels of organization. The interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes audience-centered strategy and digital competency. Distinguished scholar-practitioner faculty bring real-world experience into the classroom and provide a learning experience that is immediately relevant in the workplace.
The program is available full-time on campus or part-time online with residencies. The part-time format is ideal for experienced full-time professionals based in or outside the New York metropolitan area. Learn more about the program here.
