Dana Ball
Dana Ball is an independent philanthropic advisor specializing in medical and scientific research program design, development and assessment. Dana’s career started more than thirty years ago as a patient advocate during the HIV/AID crisis and has evolved to include more than seventeen years focusing on advancing scientific and clinical programs in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Dana now works closely with philanthropic and industry clients across a range of disease areas.
For seventeen years Dana focused his career on developing and executing innovative type 1 diabetes initiatives. Prior to launching his consulting services, Dana was co-founder and CEO of T1D Exchange, a patient-centered organization dedicated to improving care and investing in innovative approaches to driving faster research and development, accelerating emerging therapies and improving patient outcomes. Before founding T1D Exchange, Dana was selected as an inaugural executive and Program Director for the T1D program at The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. There, he played a leadership role in the development of the Trust’s strategic and operational plans and led their T1D Program which focused on understanding the root cause of T1D and accelerating the development and delivery of novel devices, therapeutics and technologies.
Dana’s introduction to T1D started in 2001, when he joined the Iacocca Family Foundation and shortly thereafter became Executive Director. His responsibilities included developing a funding strategy and overseeing all aspects of the family’s philanthropic and T1D strategic investments activities. Throughout his career he has successfully created partnerships with organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and a range of industry stakeholders.
In addition to extensive experience in T1D programs, philanthropy and working with high net-worth families, Dana has experience working across a range of serious diseases, including Foundation advisory boards created to develop strategic funding programs. His most recent work includes neurofibromatosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Collectively, Dana’s early experience working as a patient advocate and his leadership roles with family offices and Foundations in the medical research field, enable his ability to recognize critical success factors to advancing better treatments to patients efficiently and effectively. Dana now incorporates his experience and expertise to serve his client’s philanthropic goals and support their vision to make the greatest impact possible.
Dana is a member of TRAIN, the research acceleration and innovation network, an initiative of the Milken Institute and also a member of the American Diabetes Association. He has served on many family foundation advisory boards and is a frequent speaker on related nonprofit and industry panels.