George Church
Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School & MIT | Father of Synthetic Biology | Co-Founder, Colossal Biosciences | Chief Scientist, Lila Sciences | Time 100
Scott Harrison
Founder & CEO, charity: water | Bestselling Author of Thirst | Social Entrepreneur Who Has Raised Over $1 Billion for Clean Water
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Speaker Scott Harrison built charity: water from a one-room apartment into a global movement that has raised over one billion dollars and brought clean water to more than twenty million people across twenty-nine countries. His radical transparency model, where every public dollar goes straight to water projects, is now studied at Harvard and Stanford. Audiences leave with a blueprint for turning purpose into measurable, world-changing impact.
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Scott Harrison biography
Speaker Scott Harrison is one of the most compelling social entrepreneurs of our time, having built charity: water into a global movement that has raised over one billion dollars and brought clean water to more than twenty million people across twenty-nine countries. As a keynote speaker, Scott Harrison carries a single, galvanizing message: purpose-driven leadership creates both transformative social impact and extraordinary organizational success.
From Nightclub Promoter to Global Changemaker
A decade promoting nightclubs in New York City left Harrison searching for deeper meaning. A volunteer stint aboard a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia transformed his perspective entirely, and charity: water was born. His approach to fundraising, the 100% Model, where every public dollar goes directly to water projects while overhead is funded separately by private donors, has reshaped expectations across the nonprofit sector. Every project is tracked with GPS coordinates and photographs, giving donors complete transparency into their impact.
Under Harrison’s leadership, charity: water has funded tens of thousands of water projects, engaged millions of donors, and built a world-class team drawn from companies like Apple, Google, and Nike. His insistence on treating a nonprofit like a startup, with branding, storytelling, and technology at the center, is now studied at Harvard and Stanford. He has been named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40 and Fast Company’s most creative people in business, received the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, and serves as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
Harrison tells his extraordinary story in the bestselling memoir Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World. As a speaker, Scott Harrison delivers keynotes that leave audiences inspired and equipped with a practical framework for building organizations that pair purpose-driven leadership with measurable, world-changing results.
Scott Harrison Speaking Videos
Scott Harrison - Story behind the founding of charity: water
Scott Harrison
Scott Harrison Speaking Topics
In this powerful visual keynote, Scott Harrison tells the full story of how he went from promoting nightclubs in New York City to founding one of the world's most impactful nonprofits. He shares the pivotal moments that led him to launch charity: water, the early struggle of building a movement from nothing, and the strategies that have allowed the organization to raise over one billion dollars and bring clean water to more than twenty million people. The result is both deeply personal and profoundly practical, a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership.
Scott Harrison believes that innovation, radical transparency, and world-class branding are the keys to unlocking extraordinary generosity. He reveals how charity: water's 100% Model, where every public dollar goes directly to water projects, and its use of GPS tracking, photography, and storytelling have reshaped what donors expect from nonprofits. Harrison shares the strategies that have made charity: water one of the most recognized and trusted organizations in the world, and how any leader can apply these principles to inspire action.
Based on his bestselling memoir Thirst, Scott Harrison delivers an unforgettable keynote about personal transformation, resilient leadership, and the courage to pursue what matters most. From the excess of New York nightlife to the slums of Liberia and beyond, his journey is a testament to the idea that it is never too late to change course. Audiences learn how to harness their own story, build teams around a shared mission, and create organizations where purpose and performance reinforce each other.
charity: water has attracted talent from Apple, Google, and Nike, not with the highest salaries but with an irresistible mission. Scott Harrison shares the leadership principles and cultural practices that have allowed his organization to recruit, retain, and inspire exceptional people. He explains how to build a team that operates with startup agility and corporate discipline, and how leaders at any scale can create environments where talented people do their best work in service of a meaningful goal.
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FAQs on Booking Scott Harrison
Scott Harrison is one of the most requested keynote speakers in the world for good reason: his story of radical personal transformation, combined with the proven impact of charity: water, delivers both emotional power and practical takeaways. Having raised over one billion dollars and brought clean water to more than twenty million people, Harrison speaks from a track record of results that few can match. His keynotes consistently earn standing ovations and leave audiences with a renewed sense of what is possible when purpose meets strategy. Book Scott Harrison through Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring transformative purpose-driven leadership to your next event.
The 100% Model means that every dollar donated by the public goes directly to funding clean water projects around the world. All operational costs, including salaries, offices, and technology, are covered separately by a group of private donors and sponsors. Every completed project is verified with GPS coordinates and photographs, allowing donors to see exactly where their money went and who it helped.
Audiences leave a Scott Harrison keynote with practical frameworks for purpose-driven leadership, innovative fundraising, and team building. Whether they work in the corporate, nonprofit, or government sector, attendees gain insight into how transparency builds trust, how storytelling inspires action, and how treating any organization like a high-performance startup can drive outsized results. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Scott Harrison to your next event.
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Scott Harrison as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Scott Harrison's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Scott Harrison or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
Scott Harrison speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Scott Harrison to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Scott Harrison.
We only work with Scott Harrison on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Scott Harrison and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Scott Harrison speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Scott Harrison for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Yes, Scott Harrison is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Scott Harrison for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
