Let’s start simple. Who are you, and what do you do with social data that others might not expect?
Hi and hello! My name is Makenzie Bowker (everyone calls me Mak) and I’m the Director of Content and Social for City of Hope. In my day to day role, social data shapes everything that crosses my desk and makes my approach to all work more inclusive and informed. From powerful new patient stories to brand campaign development to amplification opportunities for our incredible staff and beyond, I’m constantly referencing our insights and experiencing new “aha!” moments. Social data truly is a critical component of our success. We continue to find new and exciting nooks and crannies within the organization (and our work) where we can leverage those insights. I love challenging myself and our team to stretch beyond how we think about social data – whether it is overhauling a listening query, finding inspiration from other thought leaders in the space or finding new insights when we look at the data through a different lens.
What’s something in our industry we pretend to understand, but don’t?
Oh, this is a tough one. For what it’s worth, I think we do understand this as an industry but it can be tough to remember especially if you’re on a small team (or a team of one!): Not everyone you work with understands social (strategy, terminology, how it can influence their own work, etc.). That’s OK! It’s our job to connect the dots and that’s an excellent role to play on a team. Show your partners the treasure trove of insights you have at your fingertips because of social data. Dig into the reports, queries and analytics that spark joy for your partners. Find insights that challenge what you both thought, reinforce the validity of a Big Idea you want to collaborate on or uncover something new altogether. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can also see things you can’t (because you’ve created, refined and stared at the same query for the last six weeks) and that’s exciting too. Stay open. Keep sharing cool insights. Be open to learning about other cool insights. Stay the course. You’ll get there!
What’s a moment this year where social data helped your team do something bolder, faster, or better?
In summer 2025, our team launched the Female Voices of Cancer campaign. The social team was an integral part of how the campaign was shaped from start to finish. From design to cadence to how the patient stories were told, we had an important seat at the table for an even more important campaign. Many of the incredible women we spotlighted were discovered via social listening – a powerful and meaningful shift for our organization. The stories told, as part of the campaign, were some of our most engaged posts for the fiscal year (with a couple all-time top performers in there too). We leveraged the social data to shape a social-first campaign rollout and the results reflected our influence.
What’s one belief about your audience that social data completely upended for your teams?
It did not upend a belief, but rather reinforced a series the social team launched in the last couple of years: our Faces of Hope video series (which spotlights the community of incredible staff and supporters that make City of Hope extraordinary) continues to resonate across the board. From patients and donors to researchers, nurses and physicians, everyone loves to love on the special people that make tough days a little easier. The series was created for social media (and inspired by social listening insights), but has also found a home in other pockets of the organization (internal communications, philanthropy messaging, newsletters and beyond).
If you could build your dream social intelligence team from scratch, with no legacy and no limits, what roles would you include?
Three immediate needs come to mind: enough community managers to cover the spread 7 days a week, 2-3 thought leadership experts and 2-3 social listening experts who could also vet story leads. More than titles, I’d want to create advancement opportunities for anyone working within social intelligence to keep growing and find ways to mitigate burnout.
When do you feel like you’re doing your best work?
A few items are needed: Strong, hot cup(s) of coffee. Decent night’s sleep. Clean home office with a big cozy blanket. Minimal distractions. Supportive team culture/work environment. I am the luckiest to have all of those!
What’s your browser history giving away about you this week?
In my spare time, I knit and read (Libby lover for life). Fresh off the needles this holiday season were two custom hats for my daughter and her neighborhood bestie. I cannot tell you how fun it was to bring their vision to life via yarn and a little time. My next assignment: a new sweater for my husband. Most of my Google searches are related to that!
Get Social with SILab
