Alumna Helps Coordinate National Response to FIFA World Cup 2026
This summer, the world watched as 48 teams from around the world played 104 soccer matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico. It was the first time the FIFA World Cup was hosted across three nations and involved that many teams.
One Jackrabbit was on the White House Task Force for FIFA World Cup 2026 that helped pull off the largest and most complex sporting event in world history.
Susanna Marking ’08 served as the task force’s deputy director of interagency communications. She was responsible for coordinating the government’s public messaging and communications related to the global tournament.
Marking described this role as the pinnacle of her federal government career — all possible because of the education and experiences she received at South Dakota State University.
I was a very driven student that wanted to contribute to making SDSU a better place. I was so proud to be a Jackrabbit.
— Susanna Marking ’08
Doing it all
Marking is no stranger to long weeks, a habit that stretches back to her time at South Dakota State University.
“I was a very driven student that wanted to contribute to making SDSU a better place,” she said. “I was so proud to be a Jackrabbit.”
She pursued a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies and sociology. On top of that, she was involved in the Students’ Association executive board, Model United Nations, Hobo Day Committee, Capers and was an Admissions Ambassador.
She also started her career with the federal government while at SDSU. During breaks between semesters, she worked as an intern for the U.S. Forest Service at the Black Hills National Forest.
“I’ve had supervisors say that my skills in the communications field were so well-rounded,” Marking said. “I credit that to the wide variety of journalism and multimedia production courses I took at SDSU, plus my hands-on extracurricular experiences working at KSDJ Radio and South Dakota Public Broadcasting on campus.”
Twenty-plus years of federal service
After graduating from SDSU, she moved to Washington, D.C., and earned a Master of Public Administration. She still found time to help start the SDSU alumni chapter, the DC Jacks, in Washington, D.C.
Marking was then selected for the prestigious Presidential Management Fellowship program, which opened the door to an opportunity with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
She worked at FEMA’s national news desk, handling questions about national disasters from local, national and international journalists. Over time, she was promoted to communications leadership roles at two federal law enforcement agencies, which gave her more experience in the safety and security arena.
Marking then pivoted to a new challenge by managing the national “If You See Something, Say Something” antiterrorism public awareness campaign where she built partnerships with stadiums, universities and local law enforcement.
She expanded the campaign’s reach to include multiple Super Bowls, the Boston Marathon, Mardi Gras, Kentucky Derby and more.
That experience led to the next major listing on her resume.
Left photo: Susanna Marking helped at a press event for the FIFA World Cup at the White House.; Right photo: Marking at a soccer event prior to the World Cup.
The pinnacle of her career (so far)
In mid-2025, Marking and her supervisors received a phone call.
They were asked that she serve one year on the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup 2026. This was because of her background in crisis communications, homeland security operations and building government partnerships.
The task force was created by a presidential executive order. Its goal was to ensure the U.S. federal government seamlessly coordinated to make sure FIFA World Cup 2026 was successful from a security, transportation and economic perspective.
As deputy director of interagency communications, Marking described the opportunity as her dream role — bringing together more than 35 federal agencies to ensure the government was speaking with one unified voice.
Her typical day consisted of coordinating with agencies like the FBI and U.S. Department of State to discuss security messaging, crisis communications planning, social media campaigns, and how to promote travel and tourism to the millions of international visitors coming for the tournament.
She ensured the task force’s executive director, Andrew Giuliani, was ready for press briefings and speeches. She even helped the White House prepare for presidential speeches.
“It’s the most high-profile, high-stakes thing I’ve done in my career. It was a no-fail mission, and I think the headlines have shown how incredible, successful and unprecedented this global tournament was,” Marking said. “I feel proud to have been a small part of it by coordinating the communications effort across the U.S. government.”
It started on campus
Her 20-plus years in federal service helped her reach this position, but so did her SDSU experience.
“Those early lessons from my courses snowballed. It led to my first job, which led to my next job. At each increased leadership position along the way, I gained more knowledge and expertise, which is how I’m where I am today,” Marking said.
“It all started with the foundation SDSU offered and by having a really supportive and talented group of SDSU peers that motivated each other to go out and do great things in the world.”
Written by Ellen Koester, University Marketing & Communications
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