Gary White

Gary White is an observer, an innovator, and a passionate problem-solver. He has created solutions that have empowered millions of people in need with access to safe water and sanitation. His educational credentials include a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, earned in 1985 and 1987, respectively, and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a focus on water supply and sanitation in developing countries.

As the CEO and Co-founder of Water.org and WaterEquity, White developed Water.org’s WaterCredit Initiative, introducing innovative financing options for underprivileged populations to meet their water supply and sanitation needs. In addition to these roles, he is also a co-founder of WaterPartners, a nonprofit developmental aid organization established in 1990. Furthermore, he developed and now leads WaterEquity, the first-ever impact investment manager dedicated to ending the global water crisis in our lifetime. This organization focuses solely on fostering and deploying capital to water and sanitation businesses that assist people living in impoverished communities throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

White's influence extends beyond these organizations, with his advice being sought by global entities such as the IKEA Foundation, Inditex, Reckitt, AB InBev, Amazon Web Services, the Water Resilience Coalition, and Bank of America throughout his more than 30 years of experience in the field. Additionally, he is a founding board member of the Millennium Water Alliance and Water Advocates, and he holds esteemed roles such as being a member of the Global Water Challenge, Chairman of the Steering Committee for WASH Advocates, and an adviser to the Clinton Global Initiative since 2009.

His contributions have been recognized on numerous occasions. In 2011, White and his co-founder Matt Damon were included in the Time 100 list of the world's most influential people. His accolades also include the 2012 World Social Impact Award from the World Policy Institute, being named as a Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur in 2012, a recipient of the prestigious Forbes 400 Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2017, and among Missouri University of Science and Technology's 28 Alumni of Influence.

In 2022, White, along with his fellow Water.org co-founder, Matt Damon, penned "The Worth of Water," a book that inspires readers to help end the global water crisis by encouraging families and communities to secure safe water resources.