SEATTLE, Nov. 13,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alaska Airlines board of
directors has elected five new executives in key areas of the
company as the airline continues to evolve and deepen its
leadership team in support of continued growth and delivery on the
value of its combination with Hawaiian Airlines. These leaders are
in roles that have expanded significantly with the breadth of the
combined airline and in today's dynamic and highly regulated
environment. Each will be responsible for delivering outcomes that
enable the company to be the airline of choice for connecting
guests from the West Coast to the world through an innovative
travel experience rooted in care and exceptional operational
performance.
These leaders and their new Alaska Airlines leadership roles
are:
- Natalie Bowman, vice president
of digital experience
- Cameron Cloar-Zavaleta, vice
president of legal
- Megan Ouellette, vice president
of public and government affairs
- Alexa Rudin, vice president of
communications
- Todd Traynor-Corey, vice
president of guest products & experience
"Our company is positioned for continued growth and success in
the years ahead, and I am extremely grateful for the entire team
that got us to this point and who will realize our vision for the
future," said Ben Minicucci, chief
executive officer and president, Alaska Air Group. "Today, I am
particularly excited to announce the promotion of five leaders who
have had a tremendous impact on our company in the last few years –
and who will help us delight our guests, power our growth and
further enhance brand loyalty in the years ahead. These leaders
reflect our values while delivering great outcomes for our guests,
employees, owners and communities."
Natalie Bowman, Vice President
Digital Experience
Natalie Bowman, as vice president
of digital experience, will drive Alaska Airlines' digital
transformation by enhancing the customer experience across all
digital touchpoints. Bowman will lead teams in product management,
design and software engineering to deliver seamless digital
interactions for Alaska's
customers. Collaborating closely with marketing, guest experience,
and product teams, Bowman will focus on developing seamless travel
experiences that drive brand loyalty.
Bowman most recently served as managing director of digital
product & design, overseeing guest-facing digital platforms
such as the website, mobile app, and airport digital experience.
Previously, she was managing director of marketing &
advertising. Bowman has been with Alaska eight years, playing a key role in
advancing the airline's digital strategy, implementing
machine-learning to enhance marketing effectiveness, enabling app
personalization and pioneering GenAI travel innovations. In
addition to her role at Alaska,
Bowman serves on the Board of Trustees for the Washington State Historical Society and is a
former president of the Junior League of Seattle. Originally from Texas, she holds a business degree from the
University of Texas at Austin.
Cameron Cloar-Zavaleta, Vice
President Legal
As part of his new role as vice president of legal, Cameron Cloar-Zavaleta will continue to lead
Alaska Air Group's regulatory efforts related to the Hawaiian
Airlines merger, while managing a diverse portfolio within the
legal team, including regulatory affairs, litigation, compliance,
and labor and employment. Cloar-Zavaleta served a pivotal role in
Alaska Air Group's acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines and the
regulatory review and clearance process. As vice president, he will
continue to liaise with regulatory agencies and oversee policies
and procedures to ensure compliance and position Alaska Air Group
for continued success.
Cloar-Zavaleta has more than 15 years of legal experience,
previously serving at the major law firm Nixon Peabody and two
airlines before joining Alaska Airlines in 2018. While at
Alaska, Cloar-Zavaleta has held
progressive leadership roles as director of litigation, managing
director of litigation and regulatory law, and deputy general
counsel. Prior to beginning his legal career, Cloar-Zavaleta was a
pilot and first officer at Mesa Air Group, elected ALPA
representative, and held the roles of flight instructor and check
instructor, supporting pilot development initiatives. His unique
passion for the law and the airline industry led him to transition
out of the flight deck to specialize in aviation law.
Cloar-Zavaleta is a graduate of Arizona State
University with a bachelor's degree in aviation flight
science and earned a juris doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Megan Ouellette, Vice
President Public and Government Affairs
As vice president of public and government affairs, Megan Ouellette will lead Alaska Airlines'
global government affairs strategy, public affairs, community
engagement and corporate philanthropy. A 20-year industry veteran,
Ouellette will lead an integrated team driving engagement in public
policy and with government officials, advocating for policies that
support Alaska Airlines' vision and growth, and ensuring a positive
impact in the communities the airlines serve while strengthening
the airline's engagement in local markets.
Prior to her promotion, Ouellette served as managing director of
government and community affairs at Alaska Airlines. She joined
Alaska in 2005 as its director of
government affairs in the airlines' Washington, D.C., office where she spearheaded
advocacy efforts across various regulatory and policy issues
impacting the industry. Before joining Alaska, Ouellette worked in the U.S. Congress,
managing air transportation and homeland security issues. An
attorney with a deep commitment to public service, she previously
practiced law at Winterbauer & Diamond PLLC in Seattle. Ouellette holds a juris doctor degree
from Seattle University School of Law
and is a member of the Washington
State Bar Association. She also studied international and
comparative law at Trinity College in
Dublin and earned a bachelor's degree in political science
from the University of Washington.
Alexa Rudin, Vice President
Communications
In her new role as vice president of communications,
Alexa Rudin will set and execute
Alaska Airlines' comprehensive communications strategy, guiding
internal and external communication, executive communications,
issues management and crisis communications. Rudin will oversee a
team dedicated to promoting and protecting Alaska and Hawaiian's brands and reputations
across domestic and international markets. Using an integrated
communications approach, Rudin will cultivate engagement in Alaska
Airlines' vision, culture of care, operational and financial
performance and other key objectives for its combined workgroups
and stakeholders.
Rudin brings more than 20 years of strategic communications
experience to her new role. As managing director of communications
at Alaska, she led internal and
external communications for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. She
has extensive experience in crisis and issues management,
orchestrating global product launches, employee communications,
media relations, and overseeing partnerships, consolidations, and
leadership transitions. Prior to joining Alaska in 2020, Rudin held communications
leadership positions at Nordstrom, Vulcan and Levi Strauss &
Co. She currently serves on the boards of King County Sexual
Assault Resource Center and Seattle Theater Group. Rudin earned a
bachelor's degree in English from the University of California at Davis and is a
University of Washington Foster School
of Business Executive MBA candidate (June
2025).
Todd Traynor-Corey, Vice
President Guest Products & Experience
As vice president of guest products & experience,
Todd Traynor-Corey will oversee the
strategic vision and operational execution of both Alaska's and Hawaiian Airlines' guest products
and overall travel experience. His responsibilities include airport
lounges, inflight food and beverage, inflight experience, inflight
connectivity, contact centers and the broader premium guest
experience. Traynor-Corey's leadership will ensure Alaska continues to deliver best-in-class
service that distinguishes it as a preferred airline for domestic
and international travelers alike.
Traynor-Corey brings more than 20 years of airline industry
experience focused on enhancing guest services. As managing
director of guest products, Traynor-Corey led Alaska's inflight dining transformation,
integrating partnerships with Stumptown Coffee and local craft
brands, while expanding sustainable menu offerings. He also oversaw
the expansion of Alaska Lounges, launching a two-tier membership
model, and led major cabin upgrades to improve the customer
experience. Traynor-Corey's prior experience includes leadership
roles at airlines including United, Northwest and Delta,
specializing in premium inflight and airport services. He holds an
MBA from Roosevelt University and a
bachelor's in aviation administration from Farmingdale State
University.
About Alaska Air Group
Alaska Air Group, Inc. is based in Seattle and comprised of subsidiaries Alaska
Airlines, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., Horizon Air and McGee Air
Services. With our recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, we now
serve more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Central America, Asia and across the Pacific. We are committed to safety, remarkable
customer care, operational excellence, financial performance and
sustainability. Alaska Airlines is a member of the oneworld
Alliance. With oneworld and our additional global partners,
our guests have more choices than ever to purchase, earn or redeem
on alaskaair.com across 30 airlines and more than 1,000 worldwide
destinations. Book travel throughout the Pacific on Hawaiian Airlines at
hawaiianairlines.com. Learn more about Alaska Airlines at
news.alaskaair.com and Hawaiian Airlines at
newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/blog. Alaska Air Group is traded on
the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK."
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-announces-leadership-promotions-across-key-functions-of-new-combined-organization-302304233.html
SOURCE ALASKA AIRLINES