"He runs charity:water like a great startup. He understands virality and evangelism better than most folks in the industry. He's disrupted the whole charity model."
Scott Harrison
Founder and CEO of charity: water
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Scott Harrison
Biography
Scott spent almost 10 years as a nightclub promoter in New York City before leaving to volunteer on a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia, West Africa as a volunteer photojournalist.
Returning home to New York City two years later, he founded the non-profit organization charity: water in 2006. Turning his full attention to the global water crisis and the world's 785 million people without clean water to drink, he created public installations and innovative online fundraising platforms to spread international awareness of the issue.
In 18 years, with the help of more than 1 million donors worldwide, charity: water has raised over $900 million and funded 171,000 water projects in 29 countries. When completed, those projects will provide more than 79.2 million people with clean, safe drinking water.
Scott has been recognized on Fortune magazine’s list of 40 Under 40, Forbes’ Impact 30, Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, where he earned the #10 spot and he was the recipient of the Salute to Greatness Humanitarian Award from The King Center. Scott is also is the author of the New York Times Bestselling book Thirst.
Scott has shared stages with Presidents, Prime Ministers, and CEO’s. He’s spoken for brands like Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, Pfizer, NBC Universal, Goldman Sachs, UBS, Deloitte and to tomorrow's leaders at Stanford, Columbia, Duke, NYU and beyond.
Scott and his wife Viktoria have three children, Jackson, Emma, and Luke.
Scott Harrison
Featured Videos
Current: INBOUND Conference
Time 11:51
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Scott Harrison
Featured Keynote Programs
The Story of charity
water
Seven years ago Scott Harrison started charity: water with a mission to bring clean drinking water to every person on the planet living without it. Learn from Scott's personal journey from New York City nightlife, to a hospital ship in Liberia, to building an organization that has currently funded over 10,000 water projects in 20 countries.
Innovation by Design
New Rules for the Digital Age
When Scott Harrison started charity: water, his mission was to bring clean drinking water to every person on the planet living without it. In this riveting and inclusive presentation, Scott shares the innovations, strategies, and approaches to strategic partnerships that have made charity: water one of the most well known philanthropic organizations in the world. Whether exploring their partnership with Google, which helps to measure water-flow in wells around the world, or the seemingly simple concept of donating ones' birthday to the greater good, charity: water's innovative approach to community building and raising awareness is one from which we all can learn invaluable lessons as they pertain to business, philanthropy, and even our personal lives. Particularly in the new digital landscape.
Scott's personal journey from New York City nightlife, to a hospital ship in Liberia, to building an organization that has currently funded over 11,000 water projects in 2 2 countries to the tune of $125 million serves as the backdrop for this one-of-a-kind look inside of one of our planet's greatest challenges - access to clean water - and the innovations we can all harness to achieve our goals, regardless of what those might be.
Scott Harrison
Featured Book
Thirst
by Scott Harrison
Scott Harrison
Featured Reviews
Scott Harrison
Featured Articles & Resources
The Global Water Crisis & Scott Harrison’s Mission to Solve It
Scott Harrison’s journey from nightclub promoter to humanitarian founder of Charity: Water is an inspiring tale of transformation and dedication. His efforts have brought...
Making waves in dry nations: Scott Harrison
First, a life purpose
After working for a decade as a nightclub promoter in New York City, Scott Harrison discovered that the pleasures afforded by his lifestyle concealed a...
Scott Harrison: How I helped bring millions of people clean water with charity: water
Scott Harrison was in his late twenties, living and partying in New York City as a nightclub promoter when he came to the halting realization that he was creating “perhaps the...
How Charity: Water Uses Data To Connect Donors And The People They're Helping
The clean-water organization is pioneering new forms of accountability for their projects.
BY BEN PAYNTER
Most philanthropic galas are designed to celebrate the year’s...
Seat Of Power Episode 8: Scott Harrison's Fight For Clean Water Around The World
Seat of Power is a Periscope series featuring influential leaders of social change. Follow along: #SeatofPower.
Scott Harrison's personal story is unlike many others. Now,...
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