Dana is a recent volunteer who returned to Aotearoa in 2015 after 18 months in Timor-Leste. She became Chair of the Council in late 2023.

She is former President of the ‘Ship for World Youth’ Alumni Association of New Zealand and an Advisory Board member for the Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network. She has international experience in communications and marketing across the public and private sectors in New Zealand, Timor-Leste, Europe, and Canada.  

Based in Wellington, Dana now works in the Emergency Management sector with a focus on national planning and policies, and meeting the needs of those affected by emergencies.  

“I believe in the work VSA does; its emphasis on collaboration, its focus on people, and its role in developing partnerships. As part of the Council, my aim is to do justice to this work and these values." 

Dana MacDiarmid Council resized