Sang "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" (Columbia, 1953) and raised $3000 in the "buy a hippo for Gayla" campaign, which resulted in the local zoo receiving a baby hippopotamus named Matilda. Gayla presented this hippo to the zoo.
Graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in teaching.
Left teaching and went into advertising where she owned her own firm for 15 years.