Shannon Mccarthy

Ms. McCarthy has over 20 years of international experience, primarily focused on water sustainability and non-conventional water resources in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in the GCC, Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. She has held leadership roles with the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA), including First Vice President and Chair of the Public Outreach Committee, where she helped establish the IDRA Sustainable Water Resources Foundation. Previously, Ms. McCarthy was a partner at United4Water, a consultancy in water, food, and energy, providing strategic advice on business development, project management, and corporate social responsibility. She also served as Deputy Director at the Middle East Desalination Research Center in Oman, an intergovernmental non-profit promoting cooperation in water sustainability across the MENA region. Her work at MEDRC included spearheading educational and research initiatives on desalination and water reuse, often engaging stakeholders from the public and private sectors. Ms. McCarthy completed an executive program in Public Policy and Management at Harvard’s Kennedy School and holds a BA in International Relations from San Francisco State University. She has long championed the Water, Energy, and Food Nexus and led numerous capacity-building initiatives in innovative water technologies.