John Sauer is a Deputy Director for PSI’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, where he drives market systems development initiatives that expand sustainable access to essential products and services for underserved communities. By working at the intersection of government, private sector, and social enterprise, John supports the design and execution of scalable business models that deliver both impact and long-term financial sustainability.
{###John Sauer###Deputy Director, WASH ###USA###Male###Population Services International###Deputy Director}
Short Bio
John Sauer is a Deputy Director for PSI’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, where he drives market systems development initiatives that expand sustainable access to essential products and services for underserved communities. By working at the intersection of government, private sector, and social enterprise, John supports the design and execution of scalable business models that deliver both impact and long-term financial sustainability.
With 25 years of experience spanning program implementation, advocacy, and strategy in the global WASH sector, John has helped advance innovative solutions that position sanitation and water as investable opportunities in both rural and urban markets. Previously with Water For People, Water Advocates, and Action Against Hunger, John brings deep expertise in turning impact into lasting market value.
John holds a Master’s degree in International and Intercultural Management from the School for International Training and a BA from Fordham University. He is based in Washington, D.C.
Motivation/Commitment to the GSC
As an existing member of the SuSanA Steering Committee, I deeply value the collaboration between the Committee and the Secretariat to advance SuSanA’s priorities. I am motivated to continue strengthening our impact by helping SuSanA play a more strategic role in helping the sector to scale best practices and proven models. The network’s collective expertise, embodied in its working groups, holds the key to achieving SDG 6 and creating jobs through sustainable sanitation systems. I want to continue connecting members’ interests with SuSanA‘s priorities and create opportunities that demonstrate how SuSanA’s network can drive real, system-wide change.
Is there anything else you would like to say to the SuSanA community?
SuSanA’s strength lies in its diverse and passionate community. I believe our next chapter should focus on transforming this collective energy into visible, measurable impact. By connecting working groups, practitioners, and innovators more intentionally, we can demonstrate how systems thinking translates into real-world change—better services, stronger institutions, and new livelihood opportunities. I encourage all members to see themselves not only as contributors but as co-creators of the sanitation movement. Together, we can show that achieving universal sanitation is both possible and transformative when knowledge, collaboration, and the SuSanA umbrella should be seen as a safe space to foster these ideas.
