Sara Austin

Sara Austin has been executive editor of ELLE magazine since 2021, helping to shape features, cover stories, and overall brand strategy. Her previous roles include executive editor of Real Simple and senior deputy editor of Cosmopolitan, where she directed coverage of careers, health, and politics. Sara’s writing and editing have won nearly 50 awards, including eight National Magazine Award nominations with two wins for coverage of breast cancer and contraception. Originally from Washington, D.C., she earned a bachelor’s degree with highest distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.