Alaska Air Group announced that Diana Birkett Rakow would become Hawaiian Airlines’ CEO on October 29, 2025, succeeding Joe Sprague. Kaua‘i Now described Rakow as the airline’s first female CEO; Alaska Air Group’s announcement confirms her appointment and effective date.
When did Diana Birkett Rakow become Hawaiian Airlines CEO?
Alaska Air Group announced Rakow’s appointment on September 10, 2025, with the transition effective October 29, 2025. The company said she would be based in Honolulu and report to Alaska Air Group CEO Ben Minicucci. She was to remain on the group’s Executive Committee while continuing to oversee company-wide sustainability and venture investment strategies. Alaska Air Group’s announcement described her remit as the long-term performance and advancement of the Hawaiian Airlines brand and the group’s business in Hawai‘i.
Who did Rakow replace?
Rakow succeeded Joe Sprague, who was retiring after a career spanning Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, and Hawaiian Airlines. Alaska Air Group said Sprague became Hawaiian Airlines CEO when its combination with Alaska was made official in September 2024. The company’s announcement confirms the predecessor and transition details.
Why is she called Hawaiian Airlines’ first female CEO?
Kaua‘i Now’s September 11, 2025 report identified Rakow as Hawaiian Airlines’ first female CEO. The company announcement confirms the appointment but does not itself make that historical characterization, so the “first” description is best attributed to the local report.
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What is Rakow’s professional background?
Before joining Alaska, Rakow spent two decades in healthcare and government. According to Alaska’s executive biography, dated August 5, 2025, she was executive vice president of public affairs and marketing at Group Health, where she led brand, strategy, and stakeholder engagement through its acquisition by Kaiser Permanente. She also led the launch of a new $1.8 billion foundation following that acquisition. Earlier, she served as a health policy adviser to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.
At Alaska, her public affairs and sustainability portfolio included government affairs, communications, sustainability, corporate impact, community and cultural relations, sales and customer engagement in Hawai‘i and Alaska, and Alaska Star Ventures. Her listed education includes a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Harvard University and master’s degrees in public health and public administration from the University of Washington.
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What did Alaska Air Group say about the role?
In the appointment announcement, Minicucci said Hawai‘i and the Hawaiian Airlines brand were critical to Alaska Air Group’s future and its vision of connecting the world to a travel experience rooted in safety, care, and performance. He also described Rakow as a leader who builds strong teams, delivers results, and cares about people and culture.
The announcement cited more than 6,600 employees across the Islands as the workforce Rakow would support. That is an announcement-era figure, not a current headcount. A later corroboration of her office appears in Alaska Air Group’s 2025 annual report filed with the SEC, which lists Rakow as Hawaiian Airlines CEO and an Alaska Airlines executive vice president.
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