Alaska Airlines has promoted Diana Birkett Rakow to Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Sustainability, underscoring the carrier’s commitment to lead the industry with ambitious and measurable sustainability goals.
On Tuesday (November 9, 2021), Alaska Airlines announced the promotion of Diana Birkett Rakow as the company’s new Senior Vice President – Public Affairs and Sustainability. Birkett Rakow joined Alaska in 2017 as Vice President of External Relations and has led the establishment and pursuit of the carrier’s climate strategy and strengthening of Alaska’s Environmental Social Governance (ESG) program. In April 2021, Alaska announced their 2025 ESG goals across the company, including near-terms goals such as becoming the most fuel-efficient U.S. airline by 2025. Additionally, the company set a five-part path to net zero carbon emissions by 2040, joined the Climate Pledge, and established Alaska Star Ventures to identify and enable technology that can accelerate the airline’s path to net zero.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Alaska Airlines’ CEO, Ben Minicucci, said,
“Diana is a strong and purpose-driven leader who recognizes the urgency of this work, and that's why she is the right person to lead our efforts to make Alaska Airlines and the aviation industry more sustainable for the future. We're proud of all we've accomplished on this journey so far, and we're excited about where we're headed in the years ahead.”
In her new role, Birkett Rakow will continue leading communications, government affairs, and community engagement efforts with teams in Seattle, San Francisco, Alaska, Hawaii and Washington, D.C. She will also continue to manage Alaska’s ‘LIFT’ ESG program, including strategy, disclosure, governance and investor engagement. Diana Birkett Rakow also Chairs the Board of the Alaska Airlines Foundation, sits on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Science Center and is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
Alaska Airlines and their regional partners serve over 120 destinations in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. The sustainability-focused carrier emphasizes Next-Level Care for guests, while offering low fares and award-winning service. Alaska has hubs in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Anchorage. The carrier is a member of the oneworld global alliance, and along with their additional partners, Alaska Airlines’ guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 1,000 global destinations on over 20 airlines. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of the Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE: ALK).
Source: Alaska Airlines