<p>Scott Harrison spent a decade entertaining his darkest vices as a nightclub promoter until he finally realized he was creating a meaningless legacy. Spiritually and emotionally bankrupt, Scott volunteered as a photojournalist on a hospital ship off the coast of West Africa. There, he saw the devastating health impact dirty water has on communities. </p>
<p>He returned to New York and promptly founded <i>charity: water</i>, a non-profit dedicated to providing clean drinking water to people in developing nations. Scott shares the story of his digitally driven charity quickly becoming a disruptor in the nonprofit industry—raising over $350 million to fund 30,000 water projects in 26 developing countries and providing over 8.5 million people with access to clean, safe drinking water.</p>
<p>On stage, audiences hear Scott’s wild journey of growing up as a young boy under the weight of helping his fragile mother, then as an 18-year old, diving headfirst into career that left him soulless. In his uplifting presentations, he shares how he converted the skills of a nightclub promoter into building <i>charity: water</i> from nothing more than a desire to achieve something larger than himself. Scott’s book, <i>Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World</i>, became a <i>New York Times</i> Bestseller. Audiences respond enthusiastically to his message that change starts with one motivated individual – and it’s never too late to be that person.</p>
Founder and CEO of charity: water, Former Nightclub Promoter turned Philanthropist, Named to FORBES 40 Under 40 list
<ul><li><strong>charity: water – A Wild and Unlikely Journey</strong></li><li>After 10 years at the apex of New York’s club scene, Scott Harrison realized he was creating a meaningless legacy. Emotionally bankrupt, he left the glamor of New York City to volunteer as a photojournalist on a hospital ship off the coast of West Africa. Despite his astonishment at the conditions of his new surroundings, Scott was captivated by the hundreds of millions of people who live without access to clean, safe drinking water. Once he returned to New York, he founded the nonprofit organization charity: water. In this visual keynote, Scott shares his full transformation—from nightclub promoter to a successful philanthropist—and how his digitally driven charity quickly became a disruptor in the nonprofit industry.</li><li><strong>Disrupting Philanthropy</strong></li><li>Scott Harrison believes that a combination of innovation, motivation, and radical transparency are key to inspiring generosity. He runs his nonprofit, charity: water, like a startup: by using story-telling and branding, making it one of the most-recognized nonprofits in the country while providing over 8 million people with access to clean water. Scott shares how his organization adopted technology to prove and monitor the success of their projects around the world. He talks about the strategies that make charity: water successful, and how to overcome obstacles by facing challenges with creativity and innovation.</li></ul>