About Me: Rich Thorsten joined Water.org in 2007 as the Senior Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation, overseeing the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning aspects of Water.org’s water and sanitation initiatives. Currently serving as Chief Program Officer, Rich has built, developed, and managed teams across multiple geographies, inspiring and driving results. Rich has overseen a dramatic evolution of how Water.org has defined – and realized – impact across an expanded global landscape. Under Rich’s leadership, Water.org has transformed over nine million lives and set an ambitious path to help millions more define their own future and move from poverty to opportunity.

Rich has acquired over twenty years of experience in non-profit operations, environmental and international development finance and management, advocacy, research, and evaluation. Prior to his current role at Water.org, he spent several years in program and executive positions at resource conservation organizations in the United States and served as a board member for non-profit groups specializing in international development. Mr. Thorsten has worked in advocacy, technical advisory, and research roles with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and with several state and local government agencies. Rich has also collaborated with the World Bank in evaluating the sustainability of rural water systems in Peru and Ghana, and studied public-private water and sanitation partnerships in Asia.

Rich holds a bachelor degree with a concentration in economics, and master’s and doctorate degrees in international planning.