Maria M. Garcia

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Education

Ph.D. in Journalism
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri

Master of Science in Mass Communication
Florida International University, Miami, Florida

Bachelor of Arts in Communication
University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois

Areas of Expertise

• Crisis management
• Digital marketing
• Sustainability

Professional Activities

María M. García, Ph.D. possesses over a decade of international marketing and media experience, most of which were spent as a corporate communications manager with European multinational EADS (i.e., Airbus Group) and Sabena technics. She also dedicated part of her career to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as its Global Experts program and media manager, whilst also serving as a war correspondent in the Middle East and North Africa. Her growing curiosity drew her to academia where she realized she could positively impact the world through education and elevate inquisitive minds out of poverty.  

During her time at FIU García has served on a plethora of committees that range from policymaking, student advisement, course development, technology adoption, mentorship, and research. García teaches and conducts research on digital marketing, social media marketing, and international marketing. Her research area consists of corporate social responsibility, user engagement and online activism between individuals and organizations, and conflicts and crises in brand reputation. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), she has since expanded her research interests to AI adoption and user trust. She serves as an ad hoc reviewer for Journal of Marketing Communications and Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. García has earned a CIBER Faculty Research Award, various top paper awards in public relations research, and presented her work in competitive paper divisions. 

As an educator, she believes in developing others' critical and creative thinking skills. She combines hands-on application with academic research in her courses, where she encourages her students to work with local businesses and non-profits to address real world problems. In her 'inspiration series,' she brings industry professionals to the classroom, granting students the opportunity to learn from a diverse group of role models. She is a firm believer in higher education with its power to mobilize, inspire, and act as the catalyst for change in individuals as well as institutions.   

Courses Taught

• Consumer Behavior
• Digital Marketing
• Dissertation Preparation
• E-Marketing
• Integrated Marketing Communication
• International Marketing
• Introduction to Marketing
• Ph.D. Dissertation
• Promotion Strategy
• Social Media Marketing