Dr Dianne Ball, Director Strategy

1 October 2023

Dianne has an extensive background as a healthcare and governance executive in public, private and not-for-profit sectors in Aotearoa and Australia. She has worked in partnership with David Aro for 15 years and is responsible for implementing Communio’s vision and achieving results in challenging and complex environments.

Dianne led the establishment of Communio’s mortuary services contract in 2018 through implementation, consolidation and into ‘business as usual’ phases. She has created international networks and learning and development programmes to support Communio’s workforce, resulting in sustainable, high-quality services across the network.

Most importantly, Dianne has played a key role in developing Communio’s organisational culture by her vision, strength of values, commitment to tikanga and care. She is committed to improving services across the sector that best meet the needs of whanau and people in our community. 

Dianne started her career as a Registered Nurse, Midwife and Psychiatric Nurse. Prior to Communio, she held executive positions in large teaching hospitals and senior consulting roles in global organisations including in Price Waterhouse Coopers’ strategic change practice, IBM Consulting, CEO of the Australian College of Health Service Executives, General Manager of McKesson Asia Pacific, and Director of Organisational Advancement at Westmead Hospital.  

Her qualifications include a PhD in strategic change, Masters of Business Administration, Bachelor of Health Administration, and a Grad Diploma in Corporate Governance. She has highly developed analytical and conceptual ability, excellent leadership and communication skills, and a good sense of humour. She is a member of Communio’s Advisory Board and a statutory health board in Aotearoa.

Dianne is excited by travelling, reading classical literature and learning more about the arts and traditional yoga. She is a self-described nerd and classical music lover.