, an adjunct instructor and 2025 alumna of the (COPH), has been unanimously elected president of the International Social Marketing Association (iSMA). She will serve a three-year term leading the global organization that connects social marketing associations, practitioners and scholars.
Makris said the appointment marks a full-circle moment in her professional journey.
鈥淚 first became aware of social marketing professionally in Australia in 2007,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hen I moved to Tampa in 2015, I was very happy to see that was part of the COPH faculty. She became my academic mentor as I completed my and then my .鈥
Her work at COPH continued to shape her career as she later applied social marketing principles in her studies under the supervision of Drs. and .
Professionally, Makris said the role provides an opportunity to contribute to the continued growth and influence of the field.
鈥淚t provides an opportunity to help guide initiatives, foster collaboration and support practitioners who apply marketing principles to enhance social outcomes,鈥 she said.
The International Social Marketing Association serves as the global umbrella organization for the discipline, bringing together regional associations, academics and practitioners to advance social marketing.
鈥渋SMA provides a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange and professional development that strengthens social marketing worldwide,鈥 Makris said. 鈥淏y promoting dialogue among regional associations and supporting shared standards and evidence-based practice, the organization helps maintain the discipline鈥檚 intellectual integrity while fostering culturally grounded innovation.鈥
As president, Makris said her priorities include strengthening connections within the global social marketing community and expanding the field鈥檚 reach in underrepresented regions.
She plans to support new professional networks, encourage cross-cultural learning and protect the core principles that guide social marketing, including behavior focus, exchange, segmentation and systems thinking.
Makris also hopes her leadership will strengthen the role of social marketing in addressing public health challenges globally.
鈥淚 hope my work with iSMA will help strengthen the role of social marketing in advancing public health worldwide by expanding training, collaboration and the practical application of behavior-change strategies,鈥 she said.
Her work at COPH aligns closely with that mission. Makris helps train current and future public health professionals to apply social marketing principles to real-world health challenges. The college鈥檚 academically accredited , the only one of its kind offered by a university, prepares practitioners with rigorous, applied training in the field.
Makris鈥 work also connects with global public health initiatives, including efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean through the . These programs focus on building local capacity to address major health challenges by equipping practitioners with the tools to design effective, culturally relevant interventions.
Through her new role, Makris said she hopes to further strengthen connections between COPH and the global social marketing community.
鈥淢y role as president of iSMA offers opportunities to enhance the national and international reputation of the USF College of Public Health and the ,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t will help strengthen collaborations with universities, governments, nonprofits and public health organizations worldwide.鈥
Makris added that representing the college in this capacity is particularly meaningful given the role COPH played in her own academic journey.
鈥淢y experience at the college was a crucial part of my social marketing academic journey that led to my becoming president of iSMA,鈥 she said.