Susanna Marking, in her role as deputy director for interagency communications for the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, enjoys the view from the press area at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, during a recent World Cup soccer match.
“Every job I’ve held came from my roots in Civil Air Patrol. This position on the Task Force is the pinnacle of my career so far. I owe so much of my career path to CAP and that early exposure to emergency management, public affairs, and leadership.”
Little did Susanna Marking know when she joined Civil Air Patrol in 2000 that (almost) EVERYTHING she needed for her future life was right there for the learning. Emergency management training? Check. Public affairs experience? Check. Soccer? Eh … not so much. But the quest for public service in a mission-focused environment, discoveries about life and herself began in CAP’s South Dakota Wing.
Marking said joining CAP was preordained. Her father, mother, sister, grandmother, and grandfather (a pilot with the Air National Guard) were all in Civil Air Patrol. As a 5-year-old, her father brought her along to his squadron’s weekly meetings.
“I tried to keep up and march with the cadets, pretending to be one,” she said, unaware that one day she’d walk among them. “I owe a lot to my dad for getting me involved. That one decision ended up charting my entire future,” she said.
Susanna Marking faces the camera during media interviews at the White House press area nicknamed "Pebble Beach” with her executive director serving as media support.
A Year in the Making
A year ago, Marking was asked to join the White House Task Force on FIFA World Cup 2026, created by a presidential executive order to lead the federal government’s efforts to keep the largest sporting event in world history safe, secure, and memorable for the teams and the fans.
She explained this year’s World Cup is unique, as it is the first to be hosted across three nations (the United States, Canada, and Mexico), play a record-breaking 104 matches — with the majority being hosted across 11 U.S. cities — and feature 48 teams from around the world.
“For context, it’s like hosting multiple NFL Super Bowls in 39 days, making for an unprecedented level of federal coordination and security,” she said.
As the deputy director for interagency communications, Marking serves as the central coordination node for the U.S. government’s public affairs community on branding and messaging related to the World Cup.
“We work as one public affairs community to speak with just one voice on crisis communications, in welcoming the world, fan and player travel and tourism and keeping everyone safe and secure.
She also plays a key role in preparing her leadership for media interviews on a national and international scale.
“Serving on this Task Force leveraged a foundation I had built through years of service in emergency management, homeland security, and public affairs — and it all began with experiences from my CAP days. I firmly believe all those roads led me to this specific role for the FIFA World Cup.”
Her Introduction to Public Affairs
Marking credits CAP for introducing her to the world of public affairs since one of her roles she held in the South Dakota Wing was the public affairs officer.
“It’s interesting this ended up being my career field, CAP is where I learned the basics from writing newsletter articles to taking photographs and capturing those moments and telling stories. Combining public affairs with an operational environment — it all led to what I do today.”
As a cadet, she gravitated toward the emergency services elements, conducting ground search and rescue operations, learning about the incident command system, looking for missing aircraft and helping with disaster relief efforts. She also loved the military environment, enjoying the challenge of completing obstacle courses with her teammates.
“I loved the discipline and having a lot of leadership responsibility at a young age, [learning to] trust my fellow cadets, my abilities, my instincts, being exposed to the concept of teamwork.”
Then-Cadet Col. Susanna Marking of the South Dakota Wing’s Crazy Horse Composite Squadron poses for a group photo after receiving her Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award in 2006. From left (behind her) are mother Victoria, father B.T., sister Libby) and grandmother Shirley — all of whom were CAP members. Standing to the right of Marking is Brig, Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Engelman of the North Dakota Air National Guard, and his wife Linda, who presented Marking with her Spaatz award.
Marking earned CAP’s highest cadet achievement, the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award (number 1614), in 2006. She also led the Joint Dakota Cadet Leadership Engagement as cadet commander, attended Cadet Officer School, led a drill team to the National Cadet Competition, participated in the International Air Cadet Exchange Program, and received a National Commander’s Commendation for her work on the National Cadet Advisory Council.
What is the Spaatz Award?
The General Carl A. Spaatz Award is the highest honor a cadet can earn in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program. It is presented only after years of progressive training in leadership, aerospace education, character development, and physical fitness. Fewer than one half of one percent of all cadets ever receive this award, which includes passing a rigorous four-part examination covering leadership, moral reasoning, aerospace knowledge, and fitness. Recipients are promoted to the rank of cadet colonel upon achievement.
She learned an important tenet from an earlier job: “You can’t tell someone’s story unless you are in the field and see what they are doing every day. That advice stuck — and I’ve kept that with me through every role since.”
Heeding the Call of Public Service
Although she loved South Dakota and CAP, the lure of becoming a public servant in Washington, D.C., was too great.
“I always knew I wanted to work for the federal government,” she said, and after graduating with degrees in communications and sociology from South Dakota State University, she moved to D.C.
She earned her master’s in public administration from George Mason University and was selected to become a Presidential Management Fellow.
“As a result of that program, I worked at the national news desk at FEMA supporting the response to natural disasters. I used those same emergency management skills I learned through CAP in a job I loved.”
Marking continued career growth, holding public affairs leadership roles for two high-profile federal law enforcement agencies. Expanding beyond traditional public affairs and into marketing, she eventually led the nationwide “If You See Something, Say Something” public awareness campaign, where she developed partnerships with several sports stadiums.
Susanna Marking, then-the South Dakota Wing drill team commander, leads her team at the National Cadet Competition in Washington, D.C. She’s the one up front during this uniform inspection, with her younger sister, Libby, pictured behind her on the far left.
‘Forever Bonded’ Through CAP
Her message to Civil Air Patrol cadets?
“You get out of CAP what you put into it. I took advantage of everything they offered, and it’s still paying dividends. CAP provides you with a resume that’s unique — it helps you build a foundation for whatever comes next. For me it was public affairs and ground search and rescue operations, for others it may be military leadership.”
She also stressed the importance of camaraderie.
“Hold onto those CAP friendships, because those shared experiences at encampments or in the iconic CAP white vans make memories that last a lifetime. I still keep in touch with my cadet friends … we’re forever bonded.
Marking lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband (a C-17 pilot and former CAP cadet she met at Cadet Officer School) and their two children. Next on her life’s journey? A Bernese Mountain Dog — “when the kids get a little older" — she said with a smile.
Then-Cadet Susanna Marking of the Crazy Horse Composite Squadron, seen rappelling during obstacle course day at the Joint Dakota Cadet Leadership Engagement — her favorite activity every year.
You Can Be Like Susanna
Civil Air Patrol offers youth from ages 12-20 the opportunity to learn more about aviation, cyber, STEM, and military careers while enhancing their leadership skills.
Susanna Marking got her start that way, attending CAP activities as a cadet, learning to lead, and finding her purpose — public service. You can too. With more than 1,400 squadrons nationwide and a cadet corps of about 34,000, there’s an opportunity near you.
